Hands-On Experience of Crowdsourcing for Flood Risks. An Android Mobile Application Tested in Frederikssund, Denmark

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Disaster Management
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Background:

• Rising natural hazard impacts linked to climate change, increasing flood risks.
• Need for advanced forecasting and structural mitigation alongside public awareness and non-structural measures.
• Gap in integrating citizen-generated data for effective flood emergency management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and test an ICT-based crowdsourcing tool for flood risk mitigation.
• To enhance community participation and response during flood emergencies.
• To improve disaster awareness and resilience in vulnerable populations.

Main Methods:

• Development of the MAppERS (Mobile Applications for Emergency Response and Support) Android application.
• Utilizing crowdsourcing and geospatial data gathered by citizens via mobile devices.
• Piloting the application in Frederikssund, Denmark for flood risk scenarios.

Main Results:

• MAppERS effectively integrates citizen-gathered geospatial data for flood emergencies.
• The application enhances community awareness and disaster resilience.
• Pilot results validate MAppERS as a valuable tool for crisis decision-making.

Conclusions:

• Innovative ICT and crowdsourcing can bridge the gap in disaster preparedness.
• MAppERS empowers citizens to actively participate in flood risk mitigation.
• The tool improves community resilience and supports authorities during emergencies.