SENSOR DATA CAN HELP SAVE LIVES DURING NATURAL DISASTERS

A steady stream of collected sensor information is allowing disaster management officials and first responders to become smart about how they address storms, floods, and fires at every point along the way before, during, and after

- Angira Agrawal

COVID isn’t the only global catastrophe that has struck our world. In 2021, apart from the pandemic there were many lives lost owing to various natural calamities. In May 2021, Maharashtra and Gujarat witnessed widespread damages due to Cyclone Tauktae. The damage caused by the cyclone was over INR 10,000 crore for the state of Gujarat alone. Another cyclone - Yaas - whiplashed the eastern coasts of the country on May 26, with the Bengal Govt. Claiming that at least 1 crore people have been affected by the calamity thus far. Last year, in May itself, the floods in Assam affected more than 50 lakh people, around 130 people lost their lives in the floods and more than 1.5 lakh people had to seek refuge in camps as residents in 5,474 villages suffered flooding. The flooding began just before harvest season and caused destruction to more than 267,203 hectares of crops and more than 45,000 domesticated animals were either forced to flee or were abandoned.

Organizations around the world are increasingly using data to proactively address disasters. As edge computing capabilities and types of commoditized sensors available today have exploded, a steady stream of collected sensor information is allowing disaster management officials and first responders to become smart about how they address storms, floods, and fires at every point along the way -- before, during, and after.