There is a lack of timely communication between government weather agencies and the general public, particularly in areas like the eThekwini district near the Umgeni River. This delay makes it difficult for people to prepare for floods and effectively manage them. Improved communication could empower individuals to better withstand these significant flood events
The lack of continuous measurement of rainfall, river flow, and measurement accuracies are key factors that substantially reduce the quality of flood forecast, warning, and response systems. In order to determine socio technical solutions we deemed it necessary to find an area worth exploring and mapping out past damages.
Alongside is a city in Durban called Pinetown which is not new to extreme flooding.
We observed that majority of the flooding in this area happens closer of the most vegetated areas which exist closer to lakes and rivers within the township. Then we continued to look at these lakes and rivers and a river that stood out to us was the Umgeni River which is nearby multiple small and medium sized areas.
Swiftguard is a revolutionary integrated communication system designed to provide early flood warnings, ensuring you have ample time to prepare and protect your loved ones and property. This cutting-edge system includes a telemetry buoy, a signal tower, and a solar-powered alarm system. These components work seamlessly together to monitor water levels and deliver timely alerts to high-risk areas.