The project focuses on developing new communication mechanisms within DisasterAWARE and supporting local institutions in operationalizing DisasterAWARE Pro as a real-time decision-support and alerting tool. It also expands landslide risk analysis tools and capabilities for early warning within the DisasterAWARE platform to mitigate risk for landslide-prone communities in Cali. By combining technology innovation and risk analysis with capacity-building and collaboration, the initiative aims to close critical information gaps that often place at-risk populations at greater danger during emergencies.

A central component of the initiative is the expansion of DisasterAWARE Smart Alerts to include WhatsApp as a supported alert distribution channel. With more than three billion active monthly users in over 180 countries, WhatsApp is one of the most widely used and trusted communication platforms globally, particularly in communities where mobile messaging is the primary means of receiving information. Integrating WhatsApp into Smart Alert will significantly extend PDC’s ability to deliver timely, actionable alerts directly to people where they already communicate.

“We are excited to be working again with PDC on a project with such important goals—protecting lives, communities, and lifelines in Cali. This work will build on our earlier partnership to provide real-time information on landslide hazards to anyone who needs it, all around the world. The current project will benefit from innovations in computing that will make it much faster to identify landslides from satellite imagery. We are encouraged by stakeholder desire to help implement—and then sustain—these efforts,” stated Thomas Stanley, Research Associate, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).

Participating in the project inception was rewarding. This initiative reflects our mission at Twilio.org: providing the digital technology and funding that help nonprofits and public sector organizations scale their reach to deliver life-changing services. We applaud PDC, the City of Cali, UMBC, and the other organizations involved, and we will continue to support the team through a successful implementation,” said Lauren Hewitt, Twilio.org Director of Business Operations, Social Impact.

PDC will apply artificial intelligence technologies to automate the translation of alert content into Spanish, ensuring that essential information about what is happening, where it is occurring, and how severe the situation is, can be understood immediately by local audiences. Additional DisasterAWARE-supported languages are expected to follow, further expanding access for diverse and multilingual communities.

“This project breaks new ground for the Center in many ways: Our collaboration with Twilio.org, working with a large municipality like Cali, and new ways to communicate with those at most risk,” stated PDC Director of Early Warning Solutions Chris Chiesa.

Through joint efforts with SGRED and partner organizations in Cali, the project will strengthen local capacity, enhance operational readiness, and improve the delivery of disaster information across Colombia and globally— helping to ensure early warnings for all.