Janice Aldea

In the interconnected world, modern technologies can potentially revolutionize how we tackle and address crucial issues. The Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are one of the emerging innovations, a network of linked devices that exchange and share data that plays a crucial role in bolstering disaster resilience by providing real-time data collection, analysis, improving response coordination, and enabling more informed decision-making. The University of the Philippines Resilience Institute, in partnership with the local government of Quezon City, Philippines, has embarked on an ambitious project to incorporate an IoT system for rain and flood monitoring, striving to improve emergency preparedness and response for both the public sector and government. IoT provides unprecedented precision and timeliness in tracking and analyzing essential data regarding precipitation and flooding scenarios, making it a powerful tool to address the damages caused by disasters brought by floods. These events are associated with significant loss of life, property destruction, and community financial disruption. Traditional means of monitoring weather patterns and anticipating floods have limitations; however, IoT can revolutionize this process. The data collected by IoT devices can be analyzed to improve disaster preparedness and response strategies. This helps communities learn from past events and continuously refine their approaches.