EU-funded projects develop flood alert systems
Xinhua, September 1, 2014 Adjust font size:
The European Union (EU) funded projects, Imprints, WeSenseIt and UrbanFlood have developed alert systems to warn impending floods, an EU statement said Thursday.
The Imprints project has developed an early warning platform to cut responses to flash floods down to about two hours, or even less.
Water services and hydro-meteorological operations in Spain, Switzerland and France are using these projects’ innovations to refine their own real-time forecasting systems.
WeSenseIt, a project which ends in September 2016, makes good use of the power of human observation as an essential part of an early warning system.
In Italy, an evaluation involving some 500 volunteers simulating a flood in the city of Vicenza was completed at the end of March 2014.
The UrbanFlood project has developed sensors and related technology to monitor flood embankments and provide an early warning of their risk of failing.
European Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Maire Geoghegan-Quinn said: “The EU continues to invest research and innovation into flood management and prevention. Our aim is to help governments take adequate and coordinated measures to reduce this risk and protect its citizens.”
