Moses tablets ease Noah's flood headaches

Philippines authorities are hoping technology will help save lives this rainy season, after announcing a plan to equip local disaster officials with tablets to access and upload key info to prevent flood-related deaths.

The Monitoring and Operating System for Emergency Services (Moses) tablets will be handed out to local officials this July. The no-brand devices were locally designed and built and feature water-proof casing, antennas, and long-lasting batteries, according to ABS-CBN news.

“It is very important during disaster situations to have communication,” Dr. Alfredo Lagmay of Project Noah told the news channel.

“Communication is two-way, from the control centre we can deliver information to the people in the field, and we can receive info coming from the area stricken by hazardous events,”

The Department of Science and Technology’s aptly named Project Noah (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) initiative was unveiled last year.

Its mission statement is to reduce casualties from “extreme hazard events” like typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis by collecting and integrating data on the ground to better map and predict such events.

Already the project has spawned an interactive weather map complete with live Twitter feed and various drop downs to view historical and recent rainfall as well as flood data according to region.

The Philippines suffered devastating flooding last year as Typhoon Saola killed over 60 and forced 250,000 to leave their homes, with over half a month’s rain falling on capital Manila in 24 hours.

This year already it looks like Project Noah and those wielding a Moses tab will be in for a busy time – with torrential rains already flooding parts of Manila.

(h/t TechInAsia) ®