The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) last year, launched a free flood forecasting app known as the Accra Flash Flood Forecasting App (FFF). The application is designed to predict flooding and specifically meant to cover and serve Accra residents for the meantime.
Also See: Latest Update on Fatal Accra Flooding
The project was undertaken by NADMO in partnership with the United Nations Development Program while the app was developed in partnership between Royal HaskoningDHV, VIA Water, 3Di, Infoplaza and NADMO.
The FFF app uses satellite data and a new generation of flood-modelling techniques based on meteorological and hydrological tools to accurately predict the area and extent of possible flooding two and half hours before they occur; alerting residents to take appropriate precautions.
The technology has been lauded as a good early warning system, especially while considering the high tendency of flooding in urban areas where increased and unplanned housing and construction has resulted in high proportion of paved or impervious areas, encroachment on waterways, inadequate drainage systems and improper waste disposal – the major causes of flooding.
Also See: Bawumia Blames Everyone for Recurring Deadly Floods
However, with the Accra Flash Flood Forecasting app, residents living in flood prone areas in Accra can now take control of situations by having pre-information of possible flooding via their mobile devices.
In addition to the flood forecasting app, NADMO also developed flood vulnerability maps which will help to identify and track localities with high grounds and low grounds prone to floods in the country. The maps are for the current situation at the time and projected risk in 2050, and also provide a general overview of the areas that are prone to flooding from rainfall and can be used to assist in development planning.
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphically low-lying areas such as washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. Flash floods usually occur within minutes or hours of excessive rainfall, thunderstorm, hurricane, tropical storm, a dam or levee failure, or a sudden discharge of water from melted ice jam.
Some of the immediate effects of flash floods include rip off of trees, destruction of buildings and bridges, catastrophic mud slides, submerging of lands, lives and properties by water, mud or large mass of debris, etc. During flash floods rapidly rising floodwaters can attain heights exceeding 10 m (~30 ft).
Accra residents as well as some other flood prone areas in other parts of Ghana can tell the story and describe the scenario better.
The flood forecasting app is an android mobile application and can be downloaded from Google play store free of charge.
After a successful download and installation, you will subsequently be receiving updated weather forecast alerts and warning messages on possible disastrous rainfalls and floods.
* Click on the app and install.
For a straightway/shortcut download, click on this link.
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