Dr. Shanna said, “This new technology covers the whole world, so we can look at flood risk and predict flood likelihood in ways that have never been possible before.”
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States is working with some of the world’s best scientific institutions to make a big step forward in flood prediction technology. This will save lives and help people react faster to the effects of rising floods around the world.
Dr. Shanna N. McClain, who is in charge of NASA’s Earth Science Applied Science Programme, said, “This new technology covers the whole world. It lets us see flood risk and predict flood likelihood in ways that have never been possible before.”
“The technology we’ve made will change the way people live all over the world, especially in small island communities and developing countries that don’t have the early warning information they need to protect themselves and their families from floods.
“Until now, it hasn’t been possible to give early warnings of floods around the world,” said Chris Chiesa, Deputy Executive Director of the Pacific Disaster Center, a key partner in the project. “This is because there weren’t enough hydrologic monitoring networks, forecast models, or people with the skills to run them and get the word out, especially in small and vulnerable countries.”
The Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) helps get the new flood prediction technology into the hands of local people and decision-makers who need it the most.
The PDC is an applied science and research institute at the University of Hawaii that specialises in disaster risk reduction science and technology, supporting organisations around the world in creating a safer world.
“It has been proved that early warning information can save lives. Flood early warning has historically proven expensive, requiring hyperlocal investment, knowledge, and maintenance, according to Omar Abou-Samra, Director of the Global Disaster Preparedness Center of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Omar Abou Samra added, “I look forward to aiding PDC and NASA in making this potent tool available to all communities to supplement the work of national disaster management organisations and meteorological agencies in helping early warnings reach the last mile.”
Currently, the IFRC combines all of PDC’s “Disaster AWARE” early warning and risk information into its “Go Platform,” which delivers vital emergency needs information and the resources required to provide an adequate response to its 192 national societies and over one million volunteers.
The Pakistan Red Crescent Society is aiding areas affected by devastating floods in 2022, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,700 people and the displacement of over 7.9 million others.
According to a recent research by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the World Meteorological Organization, approximately half of the world’s countries lack appropriate early warning systems for hazards (WMO).
Floods are among the world’s costliest and deadliest natural disasters, and climate change will only exacerbate their severity.
A considerable section of the global population lacks the instruments necessary to identify and respond to floods, leaving them vulnerable to the full extent of flood impacts.
