Following the earthquakes on February 6th, developers, product designers, and service providers rapidly created tools that could assist in search and rescue operations. These solutions quickly spread on social media, giving us hope during the disaster management process.
This swift organization reminded many people of the spirit of community support in those difficult days. It highlighted the necessity of taking preventive actions before disasters occur and suggested that similar efforts could be carried out in advance. Leveraging the possibilities offered by technology to combat disasters is not just relevant for earthquakes but also for floods, storms, wildfires, droughts, and other effects of the climate crisis, as well as landslides and avalanches.
Akbank LAB’s annual Hackathon events, which focus on different themes each year, are being held this year in collaboration with Akbank LAB and imece, with a focus on disaster technologies from this perspective. This summary includes key insights on disaster and technology usage from the perspective of ReFi Turkey, established in collaboration with Akbank LAB and imece.
The context of disaster and technology usage is positioned around the phases of a disaster or solution methods in various studies conducted in this field. For example, disaster preparedness, disaster response, and rescuing those affected are the main disaster phases, while categories such as prediction, monitoring, intervention, and mitigation form the solution methods.
The use of technological tools shapes the purposes of disaster management, such as planning and improving disaster management, reducing the impact on communities and nature, and enhancing logistical capabilities.
The use of technology in this field is becoming an important agenda item due to the development of technology—whether Web2, Web2.5, or Web3—and the increase in disasters in our current global conditions.
The most significant advantages provided by the use of technology are the “efficient coordination of relief efforts during crisis situations” and the “rapid transmission of accurate information to facilitate disaster management and communication.”
If you want to gain more detailed information about these processes we’ve outlined, our further reading and viewing suggestions are as follows:
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The second episode of the ReFi Turkey Podcast, where we hosted Ali Ercan Özgür, discusses the importance of coordination-based efforts during disasters and humanitarian crises, drawing on his experiences with İhtiyaç Haritası and SOS Chain:You Can Check It Out Here
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Nasuh Mahruki, a guest at the “codeway cares Mission Talks” event organized with the support of imece, addresses the topic of “Disaster Awareness” in this event, using examples from his own life and Turkey’s history: You Can Check It Out Here
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The Disaster Technologies Report, prepared in collaboration with GOOINN and TheClico, classifies disaster technologies by disaster type and also presents sentiment analysis studies conducted on disasters. You can access the report by entering your email address through the link:You Can Check It Out Here
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The report prepared by the “enkaz bildirim org,” a network for information gathering and aid coordination from disaster areas, provides a perspective specifically on the February 6th earthquakes: You Can Check It Out Here