Algorithm to improve aid response to victims in disaster zones

Cans of drinking water in a disaster relief aid programme - Research into disaster planning addresses issue of considering how to restore distribution networks alongside providing immediate aid - Last updated on Thursday 6 May 2021 - A University of Bath School of Management academic has developed an algorithm to help charities and aid organisations improve the way they help victims of storms, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters. Current planning tends to focus on the short-term challenge of supplying aid to victims in the immediate aftermath of a disaster - a single-pronged approach. But our model is two-pronged, integrating the issue of how to restore distribution networks to get aid to as many survivors as possible, said Dr. Ece Sanci. "The incidence of natural disasters has increased dramatically in recent years. Since the beginning of 2021 alone, we've had extreme winter storms in the US, the Sulawesi earthquake in Indonesia, and severe flooding in Australia. Relief organisations must prepare for effective disaster response. If we are to deal with this ever increasing threat, scholars must help improve the way we respond to disasters," she said.