Researchers develop incredible tech that could save lives in natural disasters: 'We can prepare for them'

A new app is being developed in Florida to give vulnerable communities a means to prepare and respond to extreme weather events.

The Community Resiliency Information System uses a combination of artificial intelligence, continuous feedback from fixed cameras, and uploads from the community to help keep residents informed, according to the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg.

Professor Barnali Dixon explained: "The more accurately we can predict floods, the better we can prepare for them. The CRIS-HAZARD app helps both residents and decision-makers by providing up-to-date information."

The University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, launched CRIS-HAZARD in 2024, just days before Hurricane Helene struck the state. At the time, the app only had eight cameras operating in Pinellas County, but the information gleaned from Helene and Hurricane Milton the following month gave the researchers valuable insights to update the system.

In the last year, 23 cameras have been added to the area. When an extreme weather event occurs, the cameras upload images every 15 minutes. Users can then upload their own pictures, which the operating system detects and corroborates with the nearest camera to determine the height and severity of the flood.

As extreme weather events become more commonplace and more devastating due to rising global temperatures, giving communities the most current information possible has never been more important.

Other areas are testing out their own innovations to counter the threat of natural disasters. For example, researchers are working on early-warning systems for tsunamis in the Pacific, while scientists in New Zealand are pioneering ways to aid soil recovery in the aftermath of a flood.

Meanwhile in Britain, there's a new design of modular homes for flood-prone areas that can be raised when disaster strikes to prevent damage and then lowered again.

Apps like CRIS-HAZARD are most effective with the input of the local community that they serve; this is why staying informed about the issues and helping to spread the word is so important. As more cameras are added to the network and more users contribute to the data pool, the better the app will be when the next disaster strikes.

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