Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction

As part of Disaster Risk Communication, Reliance Foundation delivers alerts about imminent risks and necessary actions to be taken. We also work with local governments and grassroots organisations to map vulnerability at the village-level and offer support in reducing risk.

Being prepared for disasters through pre-disaster warnings empowers communities with critical information to safeguard their lives and livelihoods.

Early Warning Systems

In partnership with the India Meteorological Department and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, and in consultation with administration at the district level, Reliance Foundation disseminates early warnings for various disasters through mobile platforms.

Over 6 million (60 lakh) disaster response advisories have reached people to date. Key pre-disaster communications include weather-related advisories on heavy rains, and wind speed, and early warnings on cyclones, floods, heatwave, coldwave and storm surges. These advisories are disseminated through voice or text messages, and multi-media messages over WhatsApp.

Geographic Information Systems Technology

Reliance Foundation uses secondary data and historical information to map regions that are vulnerable with GIS technology. In partnership with local governments, we can then conduct vulnerability mapping and critical infrastructure mapping, along with other data, to identify risks and plan risk reduction methods.

Tree plantation and mangrove conservation for disaster risk reduction

Reliance Foundation, is supporting vulnerable natural disaster hotspots in building safe and disaster resilient communities. There is increasing global consensus that conservation and restoration of the natural environment is an effective and cost-efficient strategy to reduce vulnerability to disasters.

Tree plantation and mangrove conservation can be implemented simultaneously for disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, climate mitigation, and environmental management. As part of risk reduction mechanisms, we are increasingly leveraging tree plantation and mangrove conservation, starting with plantation particularly in vulnerable coastal belt and river tributaries.