Background
According to the World Health Organization, floods are the most common type of nature-derived disaster. Unfortunately, their frequency is only expected to increase. Europe is especially vulnerable to floods: the July 2021 floods which devastated several European countries, causing deaths and widespread damage. Slovenia is another country that is subject to flash floods and urban flooding, with the most recent example occurring in August 2023.
The 2023 floods in Slovenia were the country’s worst natural disaster in recent memory. During the 72-hour storm, up to 300 mm of rain fell across large swathes of the country, triggering widespread floods and landslides that claimed 7 lives, destroyed infrastructure, disrupted communications, and led to the evacuation of over 8,000 people.
In such critical and dangerous situations, every second counts in ensuring the safety of the people.
The demonstration
The first AWARE demonstration in Slovenia showcased the AWARE module integrated into a long-range acoustic device (LRAD/ACOUSTICS) provided by project partner GENASYS. Participants experienced how the system delivers crystal-clear warning messages issued by Galileo satellites directly to the affected population in a defined area.
The demonstration scenario was inspired by Slovenia’s devastating floods and simulated an impending dangerous storm. It highlighted the operational capacity and effectiveness of the AWARE module in ensuring fast, reliable public alerts even when telecommunications networks are down.
The AWARE module received genuine Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service alerts broadcasted by satellites and transmitted them to the LRAD. Within seconds, the device delivered clear audio warning messages in both English and Slovenian, warning the nearby affected population of the imminent danger.
Watch the demonstration video!
Read the full demonstration press release!
The demonstration gathered representatives from the AWARE consortium, the Civil Protection Authority of Slovenia, civil protection authorities from several EU Member States, and other interested stakeholders, who took part in the exercise and accompanying networking sessions.
Aleš Klemenc, Director of the Office for Development, IT, and Investments at the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief of Slovenia (ACPDR), thanked the consortium for developing this module, which he said will significantly contribute to increasing public awareness and safety in various hazards. “We are pleased to have hosted the first satellite-based emergency alert trial here in Logarska Dolina, which was very successful and for that, we thank all project partners.”