A new application I-REACT, will enable people all over the world to warn each other about natural hazards by sharing geolocalized photos and information on floods, fires and extreme weather events, also receiving and sending alerts of extreme weather pertinent to their location. The launch of I-REACT, Improving Resilience to Emergencies through Advanced Cyber Technologies, coincides with the International Day for Disaster Reduction, October 13.
UNESCO and the European Union have joined forces to develop ITC tools that will improve emergency management systems in response to natural hazards and help prevent disasters, and foster resilience. The I-REACT is a free, publically available app in ten languages (German, English, French, Italian, Russian, Finnish, Norwegian, Polish, Serbian, and Spanish) to keep citizens safe from floods, fires, and extreme weather events.
Working alongside Member States’ civil protection departments, UNESCO is facilitating the interface between the technological, institutional and policy aspects of the project by supporting live demonstrations to bridge the gap between disaster risk reduction experts and end-users. It is also exploring new opportunities to enhance the modular solutions of the I-REACT disaster management system in vulnerable regions outside Europe. Several features are available worldwide today.
I-REACT provides people with information that is essential during emergencies, notably by sharing the location of safe areas for recovery and relief. It also helps post-disaster assessments by reporting damage to assets and infrastructure.
In 2017 alone, 9,000 lives were lost and 96 million people were affected by disasters due to floods, wildfires and earthquakes, causing €270 billion in combined losses. It was the second costliest year on record in terms of damages caused by natural hazards, a clear sign that we are already experiencing the impact of climate change.
Original source: UNESCO
Published on 12 October 2018
