SOLIDARITY WITH KAZAKHSTAN
Deploying Cutting-Edge Technologies
for Immediate Response to Kazakhstan's Flooding Emergency
The ISTC / Team PPRD Mediterranean expresses solidarity with Kazakhstan following the devastating floods, and extends wishes for a swift recovery to the Kazakh people. In response to the floods, the International Science and Technology Center with the full support of the European Union is supporting the Government of Kazakhstan by providing satellite imagery and space analytics. The study provided actionable analytics into the scale and repercussions of the Kazakhstan floods, aiming to enable effective responses to natural disasters and the mitigation of their consequences.
Implementation
A4 - Using advanced technologies for prevention, preparedness and response
This activity aims to map the required academic and research skills to be able to address the Civil Protection activities in the 4 phases of disaster risk reduction: Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, with emphasis on the command and communication chain between the stakeholders. These skills are required to sustain a series of Crisis Management Systems (CMS) in the region with clear hierarchical communication and command processes.
With a non-exhaustive list of skills and technologies used, below is an example of skills, information, and a combination of technologies used for the 4 phases:
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Prevention: Geo maps, land use, and landcover - space-derived maps augmented with in-situ ground data on chemical, biological, radiation, and nuclear operational information. Both geo-locations of the associated critical infrastructure such as dams, water reservoirs, energy grid, and neighbouring cities are required. Tools simulate catastrophic events, and their consequences on the environment (endangering people and infrastructures) are particularly useful.
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Preparedness: Monitoring operational-remote or directly connected information (real-time for the critical infrastructures) enabling climate change or potential man-induced potential crisis. Preparedness to act by people being trained in emulations simulating catastrophic events. Usually, this training is done in a C-SOC (cyber secure operating centre) having the capabilities to emulate, e.g., chemical industries while executing crisis scenarios due to flooding, fires, seismic loads, or others such as dam brakes or heavy industrial pollution in water supplies. Here the data derived from ground sensors ( IoT/ Internet of Things) or those from industry are crucial and need to follow a strict CIA-driven (Confidential- Integer-Available) requirements process.
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Response: All is to be driven by a trained command and communication line. Issues are at what point in time and who in the stakeholder’s hierarchy needs to be informed for action and/or for info, internal and/or external, at appropriate local, regional and international levels.
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Recovery: It is essential to restore minimum critical services (energy, water, telecoms), but also, as far as possible, a minimum economy allowing businesses and small businesses to restart their activities as quickly as possible, which will help keep populations on site while avoiding unmanageable migration crises. This situation should also be simulated, and civil society plays a crucial role and should be involved in the recovery process.
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A 4.1 - Raising awareness about new technologies (Product/Process)
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A 4.2 - Using data satellites as game changers for the prevention & monitoring of Man-Made and Natural disasters
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A 4.3 - Assessing existing academic skills related to advanced technologies used in the field of CP activities
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A 4.4 - Synergies with EU research projects (Horizon Europe, etc...) and ESA programmes