Flood and disaster management with the Quebec app

We want to cover other hazards, such as wildfires and other types of storms, such as hail and different types of river, urban and coastal floodssays Geosapiens CEO, Hashem Akili.

This Geosapiens goal is timely, with a recent report concluding that extreme heat in Canada could cause more floods and fires in the coming years.

An example of an E-Nundation tool web application for the city of Rigaud.

Photo: Geosapiens

real time map

The E-NUNDATION app provides real-time streaming data.

And unlike other tools, our unique solution converts all data into a map and also allows you to get forecast data up to a few days in advance.CEO confirms. It really allows you to see how it can translate in real life.

Geosapiens’ main clients are municipalities and insurance companies. Cities can quickly intervene in the event of a disaster, and be more efficient. In insurance, it allows for better risk sharing between owners and insurance companiesAccording to Hashem Aqili.

In 2021, the city of Rigaud tested the Montérégie E-NUNDATION. Flood monitoring has been of interest to decision makers, as have other disasters.

By choosing this tool, and after a pilot project, our philosophy is that every dollar invested in civilian security serves more than one risk, that’s for sure.says Eric Martel, assistant director and civil security coordinator for the Rego Fire Department.

So he hopes the Geosapiens tool can quickly integrate data including bank erosion, glacial bottlenecks, as well as flood management.

The E-NUNDATION application allows you to be completely accurate, including data for dwellings located along rivers.

Photo: screenshot / Geosapiens

central tool

E-NUNDATION works well, according to Eric Martel, if combined with other tools and with the expertise of Hydro Météo, one of Geospaiens’ partners.

In concrete terms, the E-NUNDATION is that we quickly know the information required by several calls with various stakeholdersFollows the Civil Security Coordinator.

Thus, municipal officials can open the application and see how many homes will be affected by the possible flooding of the Ottawa River. Almost in one click we know the number of houses. If the number is 300, we say that there are at least two people per dwelling, so we set up a reception center for evacuees for about 600 people.Shows.

In 2019, more than 75 families were evacuated in Rigo alone due to flooding. (Archives)

Photo: The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes

cheap

According to Eric Martel, the tool is accessible because it is not used 12 months out of the year. We pay when we need itHe says.

Plus, even if the spring of 2022 has so far been very mild in Quebec in terms of flooding, the monitoring tool is not useless, according to Geosapiens CEO.

For municipalities, it is a central monitoring tool. Everything is in the same place. So the efficiency is also there, and it allows cities to plan betterHashem Aqili explains.

The application is not yet officially used in Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches.

However, in recent years, Quebec City has provided Geosapiens with grants to continue its activities, in particular for a project on the L’Assomption River in Lanaudière.

The E-NUNDATION tool was first developed at the National Institute of Scientific Research by students, alumni and professors. The team then set out to commercialize it by creating Project Geosapiens.