After a week's postponement, Project Noah app launched

Want to know the weather while you're on the go? There's an app for that.

 

After a week's postponement, the mobile weather information app of the government's Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) finally pushed through on Oct. 17. (See related report here)

 

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Smart Communications Inc. jointly launched the app, which will be initially available for smartphones and tablets running Google's Android.

 

“We chose Rolly Rulete to develop the official mobile version of the DOST’s Project NOAH website for Android devices because we want Davao and Mindanao to be represented in the nationwide effort to mitigate disasters,” a news release of Smart quoted DOST Secretary Mario Montejo as saying.

 

Rulete and teammates Pablito Veroy and Jay Albano developed the prototype of the mobile app - originally in HTML5 - during the first HTML5 Hackathon organized by the Smart Developer Network in Davao City.

 

Montejo added the participation of all Filipinos in the effort is very important because it increases their stake in the solution to the problem.

 

"With better awareness, you have more reason to prepare against the impacts of hazards,” he said.

 

For his part, Smart spokesman Ramon Isberto said they are "optimizing the use of technology and connectivity as tools to build the country’s capabilities for disaster preparedness and mitigation.”

 

“The launch of the DOST’s Project NOAH Android app solidifies Smart’s partnership with DOST and its worthwhile contributions to bolster the government’s disaster preparedness efforts,” he said.

 

An updated beta version of the app is available on Google Play.

 

Its features include:

 

Map View

- PAR (Philippine Area of Responsibility)

- Overview (MTSAT, Rainfall Contour, Chance of Rain, etc)

- Doppler (Subic, Tagaytay, Cebu, Hinatuan)

- Sensors (Weather Stations, Stream Gauges, Rain Gauges)

- Weather Outlook (Probablity of Rain, PAGASA Typhoon Forecast)

 

List View

- Almost same with Map View but presented as list for ease of use.

 

News

- DOST-PAGASA

- ClimateX 

- PAGASA-FFWS (Flood Forecasting and Warning Section)

 

Info

- Information Dashboard

- Useful links and contents

 

Also available from the app are status notifications for "Probability of Rain."

 

It also allows a user to share screenshots or text contents to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Bluetooth, or Gmail.

 

The app also supports animated overlays (MTSAT, Doppler, Chance of Rain) and has "very flexible Settings."

 

Infoboard

 

The DOST Infoboard service was also launched. It is Smart’s web-based text broadcast facility that helps manage dissemination and gathering of weather and disaster-related reports within the DOST community.

 

Smart said the Infoboard has already been made available to other government agencies, flood-prone communities, as well as schools and universities all over the country.

 

Meanwhile, Flood Patrol, an Android mobile-based application developed by the Ateneo Java Wireless Competency Center (AJWCC), also had its public debut during the NOAH mobile app launch.

 

It extends the flood monitoring and flood mapping service of DOST’s Project NOAH.

 

"The flood reporting tool is part of the Philippine Flood Hazards Map 2ebsite found at www.nababaha.com. The web interface allows users to report flood data, which includes the location, date, time, flood height and comments. Users may choose to identify themselves or report anonymously," Smart said. 

 

Flood Patrol allows citizens to report floods in their areas.

 

Users can also view existing flood reports based on historical inputs.

 

"In addition, the mobile version allows users to take a picture of the flooding in their area. These pictures are stored in the web server for access by proper authorities," Smart said.

 

Reports coming from the web and mobile applications are used as crowdsourcing data for flood analysis and disaster management, it added.

 

Rain gauges

 

Meanwhile, to support the DOST’s Project NOAH, Smart and sister firm Sun Cellular will allow DOST to install automated rain gauges in 600 of their cell sites in target river basin systems. 

 

Smart network services are also being used to transmit pertinent weather data for analysis and formulation of DOST’s grand flood warning system. - SP, GMA News