Darmstadt receives funding for innovative warning solution
Wiesbaden/Darmstadt. Hesse is relying on digital solutions for protection against extreme weather events: The state is funding the further expansion of heavy rainfall early warning systems in numerous municipalities and districts. Around 42 percent of the population – across almost half of the state's area – are expected to benefit from the technology, which provides early warnings of flooding to citizens and emergency services.
Digital Minister Kristina Sinemus emphasized: “We are making Hesse resilient and future-proof with innovative digital solutions. Floods cannot be prevented, but their consequences can be significantly mitigated.” The state is providing more than 10 million euros for the implementation of these systems through the “Strong Homeland Hesse” .
Darmstadt extends heavy rain warning
The science city of Darmstadt is also receiving funding. Climate protection officer Michael Kolmer explained:
“The recent heavy rainfall events in northern Darmstadt, with over 40 liters of rain per square meter in a short period, led to massive flooding and flooded basements. They have once again demonstrated the importance of establishing a comprehensive heavy rainfall management system. The installation of an early warning system for heavy rainfall is a key measure in this regard.”
How the system works
The digital system, being tested for the first time in the Fulda district, measures precipitation, water levels, and runoff and combines this data with forecasts from the German Weather Service. An alarm is automatically triggered when critical values are reached.
- Citizens receive push notifications or calls via a free app.
- Emergency services and administration will also be informed via SMS and voice call .
- An artificial intelligence analyzes the data and optimizes the alerting process through self-learning.
The "Heavy Rain App" is available for free for Android and Apple .
background
The pilot project "e-Risk Management Heavy Rain Early Warning System" was launched in the Fulda district in 2021 and has since proven its worth in practice. The current funding phase will enable the solution to be used in other municipalities. The goal is to establish a comprehensive warning network in Hesse and to better prepare municipalities, emergency services, and the public for the consequences of climate change.
Further information on the funding program can be found at www.digitales.hessen.de and www.smarte-region-hessen.de .
