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The initiative is part of a European project called CYCLOPS (CYber-Infrastructure for CiviL protection Operative ProcedureS). The project will utilise the Enabling Grids for E-sciencE (EGEE) Grid infrastructure to help if flood modelling.

The outcome, which the French government are counting on to help them in making decisions in emergencies, are initially focussing on the Grand Delta region around the Rhone in Southern France.

Commenting on the move, Vincent Thierion from CYCLOPS said: "We hope that before the end of 2009, this platform could be tested in operational situations in the Grand Delta flood forecasting service and then extended to the other French flood forecasting service managing other kinds of flooding, like plain floods. It would then be possible to integrate more sophisticated meteorological forecasting and get the system included into a fully integrated decision making architecture."