Tech Titans and disaster Management: What's New? Be
This article explores upcoming and existing technologies designed to enhance resilience and minimize the impact of environmental disasters in communities worldwide.
Oaks Intelligence
Published January 19, 2024
Tech
An image of the globe and important elements it is connected with.
cacophony of the waves hitting the shore and the calls of seagulls. The highlights of your
childhood were building sand castles, burying your feet in the cool wet sand and cheering for
fishes washed ashore to wriggle back into the water. One day, your childhood memories—your
home, your school, the local market—everything gets submerged, water ruining your life as you
know it. Such is the reality of natural disaster, and obviously that of life. You could snap your
finger and everything will be gone like poof!
Yangzi River flooding (1931) and Australian Wildfire disaster(2019 and 2020) had one thing in
common: the extent of their damage and loss. In the Australia Wildfire disaster 46 million
acres(19 million hectares) of land were eaten up by fire. It is estimated that the number of
deaths in Yangzi River flooding hanged between 100,000 and 4 million. And at some point,
water covered portions of land as big as England.
An issue of serious concern to disaster managers is how do we, if possible, prevent disasters,
and when they have occurred how do we extenuate them. Sensitizing communities about
potential disasters and how to address them, advocating for capital work initiatives such as the
construction and maintenance of levees are the mitigations employed by disaster managers.
But what these mitigations do is that they prevent disasters from becoming compounded as a
result of neglecting(inadherence to) causal factors and manageable risks.
The late 20th century and the dawn of the 21st century saw a quick ascent in technological
advancement. And with this came the technological progress that has led to the reduction of
lives and property enacted by natural disasters.
University of Oxford released data, in 2022, that suggested global natural disaster has resulted
in 0.1% of total deaths in the last decade. Live Science reported last year that there has been a
drop in the number of deaths caused by natural disasters over the last century. The truth is,
natural disaster cannot be entirely avoided, but with appropriate preparedness, it can be
evidently mitigated.
Technological advancements have helped in mitigating and managing disasters. One of such is
remote sensing technology, like radar and LiDAR which are utilized to monitor flood-prone
areas. The data pulled from such technologies helps in risk mapping, flood forecasting and
developing strategies for flood management and mitigation. Another of such is Smart building
technologies. They are building technologies equipped with sensors and monitoring systems
which enhance structural resilience. Smart buildings can detect natural disasters like
earthquakes and fires and automatically initiate safety measures(such as evacuation alerts and
instantaneous shut down of utilities). The latest in the line of technology are mobile apps, such as FEMA app, Red Cross Emergency
app and NOAA Weather Radar Live, that are designed for disaster preparedness. And as we
have established, disasters while random are sometimes localized. But being informed helps a
great deal.
About the author
Oaks Intelligence
Oaks Intelligence is a software development, data mining, and data processing company. We specialize in crafting real-time, custom software, providing software management, and offering maintenance services for businesses and individuals. Additionally, we excel as a data mining company, leveraging mined and processed data to curate real-time informative newsletters and media content.We've also authored comic books and strips under the tag "EcoTales," capturing current economic events in a comic series format. Our bimonthly and market intelligence reports offer real-time updates on economic trends, comparing them with other countries worldwide.For inquiries about our services, please reach out to us via any of our social media handles.
Email YouTube TikTok X Facebook LinkedIn Instagram
Comments
No comments.