Germans seeking information and advice about extreme weather events or any other natural disasters can turn to a new centralized website.
The Natural Hazards Portal (NGP) will help citizens answer the urgent question: Is my house or the place where I am located at risk? said Digital Minister Volker Wissing on Friday.
“This makes life in Germany safer,” Wissing said at the launch of the portal in the city of Offenbach.
The website brings together current warnings, scientific analyses and forecasts in a clearly understandable way, said Sarah Jones, who heads the German Weather Service.
The portal contains information in German and English for preparing for imminent dangers such as flooding or extreme cold, and tips in the event that citizens find themselves affected by extreme weather.
Germany already has a nationwide system of warnings sent to mobile phones in the event of an imminent emergency.
The NGP was developed by the weather service together with Germany’s 16 federal states and the Office of Civil Protection.
The site currently focusses on hydrological hazards such as flooding and storm surges. However, the portal is set to gradually be expanded to include other natural hazards such as ozone pollution, forest fires, drought, avalanches and earthquakes.
A monitor on the premises of the German Weather Service (DWD) displays information about the current weather. The DWD introduces a hazard portal designed to better prepare for extreme natural events such as heavy rain, heatwaves, and droughts, while providing information on their potential consequences. Andreas Arnold/dpa
The symbolic launch of the Natural Hazards Portal (NGP) is marked by pressing a buzzer. The German Weather Service (DWD) introduces this new platform, which aims to enhance preparedness for extreme natural events such as heavy rain, heatwaves, and droughts, and to offer crucial information regarding their potential consequences. Andreas Arnold/dpa
Volker Wissing, Germany’s Digital Minister, speaks at the German Weather Service (DWD) event where the DWD presents its new hazard portal. The platform is designed to improve preparedness for extreme natural events such as heavy rain, heatwaves, and droughts, while providing valuable information on their potential consequences. Andreas Arnold/dpa
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