Germany to warn citizens of floods via mobile phone alerts to prompt preemptive action

Germany is said to issue alerts of natural disasters through mobile phone notifications. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced on July 26, Monday that the country has planned to warn citizens of the impending dangers at the earliest so that they could engage in prompt protective action. This decision has come at the heels of the catastrophic German-Belgium flood that killed over 200 people and about 150 still missing.

While speaking at the parliament about the sluggish warning system in the country, Seehofer said the idea was overdue and even though no many parliamentarians are for it, there is "no argument against it." Talking about the necessary reforms deemed necessary in the country's weather app 'Nina,' government spokesperson Martina Fietz admitted that the app had "worked" but there is a "need to do more and better." German Civil Protection Agency (BBK) has also acknowledged the need for sirens that need to be installed in areas with better reach out. However, the agency has pointed out the "number of issues" about installation costs and data protection concerns that need to be discussed before executing the mobile notification alerts.

Mobile alerts will be like SMS

The mobile alerts are said to be similar to short messaging services (SMS). These notifications will be sent anonymously through one common network. The alerts will be sent using technology known as cell broadcast. It will enable local authorities to send messages to multiple mobile users in a particular locality at the same time. This technology is extensively used in the US and Japan, however, it is not widely considered in Europe.

Germany flood result of 'lack of warning' and 'disaster management failure': German Citizens

Europe has experienced the worst natural calamity in decades that has left the socio-economic condition of Germany and Belgium on its knees. The loss of human lives and infrastructure has been staggering. While the scientists have blamed the cold, low-pressure areas dubbed as Bernd to have caused the major rivers and sewage systems to overflow, the infuriated Germans on Saturday blamed the ‘monumental failure’ on the lack of warning and Germany's "know-it-all attitude". Germans have accused the politicians and disaster management officials of ‘underestimating’ the forces of nature, as livelihood, homes, motor vehicles and several people washed away in the wild torrents within minutes.

German broadcaster DW on July 24 reported that weather experts including British hydrologist Hannah Cloke argued that the warnings of the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS),  had not reached the people in Germany in time. A report was similarly carried in the British newspaper The Sunday Times as well as later by German public broadcaster ZDF. The accusations were joined in by Michael Theurer, deputy parliamentary group chairman of the pro-market Free Democrats, who stated that German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer had a "direct personal responsibility” but was too occupied in election campaigning.

(Inputs: AP)