GET-BS academic associate Dr Noridayu Mah Hashim strives to solve the flood issue.
An Evacuation Model to Streamline Flood Evacuation
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Developed with UiTM’s Associate Professor Dr. Sarifah Radiah Syariff, Dr. Sayang Mohd Deni and Dr. Siti Nur Zahrah Amin Burhanuddin, and in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS), the model analyses rainfall, distance and elevation from rivers; the capacity and location of evacuation centres; and categorises flood areas into riverine, inland and coastal zones.
Findings from the model show that victims near rivers should be prioritised for evacuation, followed by those inland and then coastal residents. By factoring in centre capacity, proximity and strategic positioning, the model directs victims to the most suitable centre, helping eliminate issues of flooded or overcrowded shelters and ensuring only centres meeting JKM criteria operate during floods.
Dr Noridayu hopes to turn the model into a smartphone app so communities can access evacuation information directly and more agencies can contribute to its improvement.
The model has already earned wide recognition:
- Best Presenter Awards at the 2021 International Joint Conference (Kasetsart University, Thailand) and the 2022 Global Conference on Business and Social Science (Kuala Lumpur)
- Silver medal at the 2023 Penang International Invention, Innovation and Design (PIID)
- Bronze medal at the 2023 Management Science/Operations Research Society of Malaysia (MSORSM) Awards
- Silver medal at the 2023 International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX, KLCC)
- Management Award, Most Commercial IT & Data Science Innovation Award and Gold Medal at the 2023 Creation, Innovation, Technology & Research Exposition (CITREX, UMPSA Gambang)
