University of Cumbria leads international project to strengthen disaster resilience in Himalayan communities

Developed through the HiFlo-App research project and funded by British Council India, the app has been piloted in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh from July 2026. Designed to support communities facing increasing risks from floods, landslides, wildfires and earthquakes, Apada Sahayak provides practical digital tools that enable citizens to report hazard events, access emergency assistance and view important preparedness information.

Led by the University of Cumbria and the University of Gloucestershire, the project brings together organisations from across the UK and India, including the University of Delhi, the Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Caritas India, Climate B Ventures Pvt Ltd and the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management.

The app has been developed as a citizen-led disaster risk reduction platform, connecting local communities with government agencies and equipping residents, administrators and policymakers with timely information to strengthen disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Dr Richard Johnson, HiFlo-App Principal Investigator at the University of Cumbria, said: "Through Apada Sahayak we are putting practical digital tools for disaster preparedness and response directly into the hands of Himalayan communities, helping citizens, local authorities and researchers work together to reduce risk and build resilience."

Free to use and available in both English and Hindi, Apada Sahayak has been designed specifically for rural mountain communities, including areas with limited connectivity. The app is intended to be scalable across the wider Indian Himalayan Region and combines practical disaster preparedness guidance with tools that support both emergency response and long-term resilience.

Above: workshop photo - with events in Kullu District, Solan, Shimla and Delhi

Key features include:

• Community hazard event reporting to help capture local impacts.
• Real-time push notifications and interactive mapping tools.
• Practical guidance on disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
• Direct access to emergency support through government phone and SMS services.
• A searchable directory of local Panchayat, Patwari and Anganwadi contacts.
• Recommendations to complementary government apps, educational videos and additional guidance materials.

Citizens are often the first witnesses and responders during disasters, making local knowledge critical to effective disaster management. Apada Sahayak enables communities to report hazard events, access support and contribute valuable impact data that can help inform future planning, decision making and resilience strategies.

Alongside the technology, the HiFlo-App project will deliver training programmes, workshops and participatory community engagement activities to encourage sustained use of the platform and strengthen local disaster resilience. The initiative also aims to foster long-term academic collaboration between the UK and India while supporting sustainable development across Himalayan communities.

Anish Kurien, Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Cumbria, said: "Congratulations on the launch of the Apada Sahayak disaster warning app. This is a fantastic achievement and a great example of the impactful research being delivered through international collaboration. It is particularly encouraging to see how the university's internal research support funding has helped underpin work that is making a tangible difference to communities and disaster resilience in the Himalayan region. Very well done to everyone involved."