Germany's new national hazards portal "Naturgefahrenportal" (NGP)

We present Germany’s new natural hazards portal for the general public, “Naturgefahrenportal” (NGP). The NGP aims to consolidate various sources of hazard-related data onto a single accessible platform, promoting public understanding and preparedness. To this end, the NGP website presents current warnings for Germany, location-based hazards and risks as well as concrete measures for preparedness and behavior in a case of emergency.

The NGP serves as a central hub of information for the general public, aggregating the most relevant information in a uniform way, while linking to regional or single-hazard portals for deeper insights. It does not provide push notifications but complements existing public alert systems with a situational overview for Germany and background information on natural hazards.

The presentation includes an overview of features and walk-throughs of the NGP for different use cases from a user perspective. In the process, data sources and standardization will be discussed briefly, along with the specific advantages of bringing vital natural hazard information onto one platform with a consistent presentation. A brief “making-of” highlights the technical implementation as an agile team working with cloud services.

The NGP represents a major step forward in the communication of natural hazards in Germany. It serves the mutual benefit of reaching the public and featuring existing services and platforms. The integration of all relevant information onto a single, unified platform offers now a holistic view rather than isolated fragments of information. Available data on natural hazards in Germany will be more accessible to the general public and thus more valuable than ever, amid increasing climate-related threats. The NGP is now a critical instrument for enhancing public safety and resilience.

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to various institutions in Germany for their support and their contributions to this DWD project, among them the German Federal Flood Forecasting Centers, the Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie (BSH), the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), the Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie (BKG), and the Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (BfG).