Natural Hazards Portal launched in Germany
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.
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