DisasteRisk* | Devpost

Inspiration

Natural disasters strike without warning, and many under-resourced communities lack the tools and resources to respond effectively. DisasteRisk was created to guide responders to the areas and people most at risk, helping save lives during the crucial first 24 hours. Even small amounts of data can drive actionable decisions, ensuring limited time and resources are used where they matter most.

What it does

DisasteRisk* lets users explore a 3D globe and draw custom shapes or multiple circles around disaster-prone areas. Using population and infrastructure APIs, it analyzes the selected regions, identifying vulnerable populations and critical buildings. Users receive a clear and detailed summary of the disaster and can also create hypothetical scenarios— "What if a magnitude 8.0 earthquake hit downtown Toronto?”.

Why it's important

With the rise of global warming and other environmental factors, natural disasters are becoming increasingly frequent. Unfortunately, many resource-limited countries are among the most affected and often rely on outside funding groups (like the UN) for support. During an emergency, time is crucial. Faster data analysis and response can mean the difference between effective relief and widespread devastation. Our tool not only accelerates disaster assessment but also enables the simulation of potential events to help plan preventive and precautionary measures.

How we built it

We built DisasteRisk* using React for the frontend and Express.js for the backend. The system integrates multiple REST APIs to pull open-source map data, population density, risk factors, and infrastructure details, including police stations, hospitals, and schools. Gemini AI plays a key role by compiling all this information and quickly returning curated, actionable insights to guide disaster response.

Challenges we ran into

We’re proud to have built a tool that delivers real-time risk analysis, combining population, infrastructure, and risk factor data to identify high-priority areas during disasters. The intuitive 3D globe interface lets users highlight regions and get actionable insights, with a focus on under-resourced communities to guide life-saving decisions quickly

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of helping communities by quickly identifying high-risk areas, enabling responders to prioritize aid, save lives, and prevent injuries in the crucial hours after a disaster.

What we learned

Most natural disasters receive limited aid; only 13% of funding goes to risk reduction (CDKN). We had to research and integrate new population and infrastructure APIs, learning that even small amounts of data can drive actionable insights and that a simple interface is crucial for quick, life-saving decisions.

What's next for DisasteRisk*

More Disaster Templates: Floods, tornadoes, forest fires, and other scenarios for broader risk analysis.
Missing People Catalogue: Track rescued individuals to prioritize search and allocate resources effectively.
Translations: Make this tool multilingual and even more accessible. A significant portion of the world's population, who are non-English speakers, are affected by natural disasters.