Deduce Dangers Using These 10 Mobile Apps for Natural Disasters

One of the recent events of natural disaster, the devastating bushfire in Australia, recorded over 1 billion animals being killed and six million hectares of land burned to ashes, with several hundred death casualties. Almost 3000 firefighters got involved to bring the fire under control. This year it has been recorded to be the biggest disaster ever, pushing many species towards extinction. We can’t stop disasters from happening, but we can take the right measures that will help us to mitigate the damage and losses.   

Now that we have modern apps and general intelligence, the software industry has been able to develop some apps that will help you during your time of need. If you are living in an earthquake, flood, or fire-prone area you will be able to take help from the apps, that intend to help you by providing you the right resources that you need at that moment. Hence, we at Vyrazu Labs have decided to publish this article for public awareness, which will not only help you but your furry family members alike.  

Let’s dig into the apps that were developed for helping humankind as well as animals. 

Apps for Natural Disasters: Communication during Disasters

1. Zello Walkie Talkie
   
   This digital walkie talkie app was used vastly during the Irma Hurricane that threatened Florida and the southern Atlantic seaboard. During a disaster, communication is the key to escape the scene. Knowing if your family and close friends are safe is another important element.  
   
   Hence, if there is a walkie talkie that provides a low latency audio communication using which you can connect with up to 6000 people in both public and private channels; it will help you understand the situation others are in. For using Zello you will need the internet, but it can also work on a slow internet connection as low as 2G mobile data.
   
   This mobile app for natural disasters will also allow you to check the voice history and status of other users. The best utility that this app features- it is free for personal use. This app is present in both Android and iOS.
   
   Assists-
   i. In terms of communication rapidly with one click
   ii. Allows you to speak with up to 6000 people
   
   Setbacks-
   i. If you don’t have internet data this app becomes useless
   ii. The audio automatically starts playing without notification or control features
   
   
2. Life360
   
   This is one of the best apps for natural disasters, as it will help your family to stay safe and within your reach. With Life360 you will be able to create different groups called Circles, consisting of your family and friends. This app will allow you to track the location of people in the groups and even communicate with them from the app itself.
   
   There is a custom map that will help you track your family members and friends in real-time. This app for disaster control will provide you with the history of all the people in the group. Even if you lose connection with one member you will be able to see the last location that they were available at. This app is free and is both iOS and Android compatible.
   
   Assists-
   i. Real-time location tracking along with communication facilities.
   ii. The essential features are free available
   
   Setbacks-
   i. Best tracking is ordered only when connected to WiFi (developers comment) when connected to mobile data, the location shown might be inaccurate. 
   

Apps for Natural Disasters: Transportation

1. Waze
   
   Waze is an app that will help gather traffic updates. You will get to know about everything that is happening in the path that you have taken. Waze is one of the best apps for natural disasters as it will inform you about the traffic, constructions, crashes, etc. In other words, you will get to know the live update of the street that you take.   
   This app will help you to get to your location faster and avoid commotions in the street.
   
   This app will not only save you from natural hazards but also political riots, that is recently trending in India. Suppose you don’t have a car, you can look at the direction the other cars are going and ask for help. This app can be displayed in your car’s Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, it is free and available in both Android and iOS.
   
   Assists-
   i. All kinds of traffic-related real-time data.
   ii. Handsfree car display
   
   Setbacks-
   i. Users have complained about the app malfunctioning when connected with the car’s device.
   
   
2. GasBuddy
   
   In case you are in a car and fleeing from the area, a natural disaster has occurred. At this time, you see your fuel indicator blinking. This is the time when GasBuddy will help you, it will locate the nearest gas stations, at the cheapest rates. This app for natural disasters might not directly help you in controlling the disaster, but it definitely will help you on the go. This app will present you with a ‘n’ number of offers, and let you purchase gas at the lowest rates.      
   
   In this app, you will be able to filter your search, while looking for a gas station. It is available only on iOS devices. A similar app called Drivvo provides the same benefits as GasBuddy, rather, it has better benefits in terms of showing you the fuel consumption of your car and after how many kilometers you will have to refuel again.
   
   Assists-
   i. You to find the nearest fuel station
   ii. It allows you to check when will you have to refuel again
   
   Setbacks-
   i. Drivvo is a good app but can crash on you, for varied reasonsGasBuddy gathers information from its users, hence, there are authentication issues. 

Best Apps for Natural Disaster

1. Apps for Natural Disasters: Disaster Alert
   
   One of the best apps for natural disasters that allows you to keep a track on disaster activities prior to the cause. If you know something (any natural disaster) is coming, you will have more time to react to the given situation. This app will keep you updated on all the disasters happening in the world in real-time. 
   
   The list of disasters that you will be able to track using this app are- hurricanes, earthquakes, storms, floods, volcanoes, tsunamis, etc. Wildfire is also being added to the list shortly. Disaster Alert will send you notifications on the natural disasters near your area. This will allow you to see an interactive map and view details about the hazard.    
   Assists-
   i. Sends notification of hazards happening in your area.
   ii. Real-time disaster tracking
   iii. Navigable interface
   iv. Included in both Android and iOS
   
   Setbacks-
   i. This app lacks in community interactions, as the updates are taken from official sources. 
   
   
2. Apps for Natural Disasters: Disaster Management
   
   This is one of the best apps for natural disasters, as it focuses on minimizing the impact of a disaster. This app offers information on disaster and covers all areas, including, control before, during and after the disaster.
   
   Among the topics that it includes are disaster relief, disaster prevention, disaster prevention organizations, disaster recovery, aftershocks, donations, types of disasters, immediate safety, and structural damage. Using this app you will be able to carefully deduce your situation, and formulate your next step.
   
   Assists-
   i. Easy InterfaceEverything on disaster management
   ii. Present in both iOS and Android
   
   Setbacks-
   i. Basic explanations of disaster management
   
   
3. Apps for Natural Disasters: Survival Manual
   
   A survival manual will help you to survive any given situation, be it an emergency or a natural disaster. This is handy, as you won’t know in which situation you get stuck in with or without resources. There is no denying that there are many survival apps at the digital distribution stores, but then this app for natural disasters is most comprehensive.  This app is completely free and can be used offline.
   
   Among the survival points included in this app are- psychology, power, planning, food, medicine, plants, animals, weapons, cold weather, fire, poisonous plants, shelter, etc. this app is particularly for Android users, but there is a similar app called Survival Guide that you can download from the App Store.  
   
   Assists-
   i. It can be used Offline
   Elaborate knowledge on a variety of disaster situations.
   
   Setbacks-
   i. It doesn’t have a direct relation to natural hazards and tough survival instances.
   ii. It is about how you can survive with minimum resources in any given situation. 

Apps for Natural Disasters: Medical Aid During and After Natural Disasters

1. Apps for Natural Disasters: ICE Standards
   
   This is more of a utility than an app. This app for disaster allows you to add your name, contact details, blood type, medical insurance, etc. on your home screen. The major benefit of this app is that it will help you to add all the necessary details in one place.
   
   This will help you during emergency situations. Form the details that you provide the first responders will be able to help you medically looking at the information provided. This app is available on both Android and iOS devices.
   
   Assists-
   i. It helps you to keep the essential information handy
   ii. Helps the first responders to help you instantly
   
   Setbacks-
   i. If your phone is locked and you are concision the people at your help won’t be able to open your phone. 
   
   
2. Apps for Natural Disasters: Red Cross Apps
   
   These are relief organizations that offer many useful apps under the red cross banner. An app called- ‘First Aid’ is present in both iOS and Android that includes basic first aid instructions. There is another App called the ‘Pet First Aids’ that offers the same help for your pets. They also provide different types of apps that provide help in different disaster situations.     
   
   These apps will also provide you with advice on what you can do during the disasters. These apps also download essential information from your phone so you can access it even if your internet is not working. There is another app called ‘FEMA’ that is almost the same as the Red Cross apps, but this app specializes in providing shelter locations for the victims.  
   
   Assists-
   i. Provides basic aid in the hour of emergency
   ii. It makes it easy for you to reach safe locations, hospitals, etc.
   iii. Shows hospital addresses
   
   Setbacks-
   i. Might have issues with setting appointments from time to time

Apps for Reporting Natural Disasters

1. Apps for Natural Disasters: Social Media Apps
   
   Are you amazed to see this section in an article for natural hazards? Well, as social media is the only platform that is used by almost all human beings in this universe the social apps will be able to spread the word rapidly. Another important feature of social media is that you will be able to share your location from wherever you are using almost any social platform.
   
   1.1. Facebook (Safety Check)
   
   Using the Safety Check feature of Facebook, you will be able to notify the maximum people about your safety. This will help you and your friends to spread the word quickly. You won’t have to do much, you just have to check the notification as safe and your work will be done.
   
   1.2. Snapchat (Map)
   
   The new feature of Snapchat is that it will allow you and your friends to add images of events that are happening around you. These images will then be displayed over the map in Snapchat. It will help you understand where the disasters are taking place.
   
   Assists-
   i. Inform maximum people with just one post
   ii. Spread awareness in the locality for those who are unaware
   
   Setbacks-
   i. The social media sites won’t work if you don’t have an internet connection.

Conclusion

The tense weather, increasing global warming, and the pollution spreading, plus the natural hazards have caused fear in our minds of a possible apocalypse coming. However, before the apocalypse comes and it’s the end of the world when we can’t change a thing. But till then, with these Apps for Natural Disasters, you will stay safe and well guarded against the natural hazards. 

Do you have apps ideas that are similar to these? Do you want to make an app that will be used to help the people and the animals along with natural beauty? Being one of the leading software development companies, we will be able to make you anything that you hope to produce in the real world. 

If you had just come around for gathering information I hope that you learned about the best apps for natural disasters. If this article helped you leave feedback for the other users. Or just leave a comment, on what you thought about this article or if I can improve it somewhere.