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UTM Computing Proceedings

Innovation in Computing Technology and Applications
Volume: 2| Year: 2017 |ISBN: 978-967-0194-95-0

Flash Flood Management System Using IoT Technology

Alex Wai, Dr Mohd Fo’ad bin Rohani

Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Computing, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,

Skudai, Johor
[email protected], [email protected]

Abstract—Flash flood has been a common occurrence in Malaysia and many had
suffered loss financially. Without proper flash flood disaster management, the impacts
can be severe ranging from damaging properties to endangering lives. One of the main
issues faced by the community is where they are not aware of flash flood happenings
around them. A more efficient flash flood management system is proposed to better
manage flash flood disasters. By leveraging the technology of Internet of Things, real-
time updates and notifications for flash flood events can be delivered directly to the
community. Early warnings can help mitigate potential disasters as well as assist
involved authorities in managing such disasters.
Keywords - component; flash flood; internet of things; real time

1. INTRODUCTION
Technology has been a driving force in shaping the world. With the use of technology, we
are able to achieve capabilities that exceeds our limits. Information technology, in particular, has
benefited us in ways indescribable and brought us together. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a
revolutionary technology that is capable of interconnecting the Internet with our everyday life
objects. IoT has opened up endless possibilities in terms of facilitating our daily lives as it can
be implemented in many areas, be it consumer or enterprise sectors.
Disaster management is important during a catastrophe outbreak in order to minimize
casualties and impact of a disaster. For a country which is prone to heavy downpours
throughout the year such as Malaysia, disaster management is crucial. Despite being
geographically safe from major disasters such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes,
Malaysia had experienced devastating floods and the impact was severe [1]. In 2010,
Malaysia was among the countries with the heaviest rainfall, averaging 2,500mm of rainfall
throughout the country [2].
Over-development seems to be the main cause of floods as highly urbanized areas such
as Kuala Lumpur and Georgetown are more likely to suffer from the mentioned disaster.
This is often associated with high rainfall intensities, inadequate drainage systems and
improper waste disposal [1]. Nowadays, desire and greed of humans has severely damaged
the ecosystem as forests are being replaced by artificial development [3].
Recent flash flood sightings in Johor Bahru has alerted the public. Continuous heavy
downpours are causing traffic congestion in major city areas. A system named Majlis
Perbandaran Johor Bahru Tengah Flash Flood Management System was proposed to the
Johor Bahru Tengah Municipal Council in order to facilitate them in flash flood disaster
management. The public will be able to receive real-time alerts on flash flood happenings.
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2. METHODS
2.1. Problem Background
Malaysia has experienced numerous floods and the results were devastating. Monsoonal
floods account for a significant amount of damage for the past few decades. As a matter of
fact, Malaysia is among the countries with the heaviest rainfall, averaging 2,500 mm of
rainfall throughout the country in 2010. Overemphasizing developments and economic
aspects has led to human activities such as deforestation. The ignorance portrayed by the
nation in handling and managing flood hazards resulted in high flooding magnitudes. Rapid
rate of change in water yield is poorly handled as natural systems cannot adapt to sudden
changes [1].
Highly urbanized areas such as Kuala Lumpur and Georgetown are often flooded due to
over-development. Recent sightings on flash floods in Johor Bahru had brought disturbance
to the public. A flash flood management system was proposed specifically for Majlis
Perbandaran Johor Bahru Tengah (MPJBT), namely Majlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru
Tengah Flash Flood Management System (MPJBTFMS). The system will focus on
monitoring flood levels in the city of Johor Bahru as well as feature the ability to monitor
up-to-date flood levels and provide real-time alerts of flash flood events. All in all, the
system will benefit the citizens of Johor Bahru tremendously.

2.2. Studies On Existing Flood Management Systems

A study was conducted to research existing flood management systems and identify
strengths and weakness of each individual system. A total of 5 existing flood management
systems were studied; wireless sensor networks for flood detection in Honduras, rainfall
monitoring network in Xicheng District, Beijing, flood monitoring and forecasting in the
Rambla del Albujon Watershed, flash flood monitoring and warnings in Iowa, and flash
flood early warning system in Korchar Haor, Bangladesh.
Key strengths that were identified from the above study are as follows:
i. Real-time data logging
ii. Usage of multiple types of sensors
iii. Alerts and notifications
iv. Data security
v. Transmission of data over Internet
vi. Data stored for future usage

2.3. IoT
The technology of IoT has been rapidly expanding throughout the years. In general, IoT
is a network of interconnected devices. These devices are capable of assisting us in our
daily lives [4]. Sectors such as manufacturing, security, healthcare and education has
benefited immensely through the implementation of IoT and the number of interconnected
devices is expected to grow up to 26 billion in 2020 [5].
The Arduino is a microcontroller which contains several components onboard such as
the processor, inputs and outputs, memory and peripherals. Paired together with sensors
and actuators, the Arduino is a wonderful device that opens up new possibilities in the
world of IoT [6]. The main philosophy behind the development of the Arduino lies in
prototyping [7]. Due to its nature, the Arduino provides a platform for the audience to
develop a diverse range of projects [8].
The invention of the Arduino has eased the hardware prototyping process with the high
level framework that come with it. With the introduction of microcontrollers, the
conventional method of working with hardware had since been revolutionized. Maintaining
and modifying a device’s logic Is now achievable with just a few keystrokes rather than the
traditional way of cutting and soldering [7].
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In order to develop the system, a few sensors were selected to be included in the
system, mainly the ultrasonic water level sensor and the rainfall sensor. These sensors are
connected to the Arduino which harnesses the data. The data is then used to power the
system’s main features such as providing real-time flash flood alerts.

2.4. System Requirement Analysis

Functional and non-functional requirements were identified prior to the design of the
overall system architecture. Functional and non-functional requirements are represented by
using graphical or text presentations. The system consists of 3 actors which are user,
authority and administrator. A total of 6 use cases are present, namely Login, Register
Account, Reset Password, Notification Delivering, View Flood Status, and Manage
Account. Figure 1 shows the use case diagram of MPJBTFMS that highlights the
interaction between actors and use cases.

Figure 1. Use Case Diagram

2.5. System Architecture Design

The system architecture design is based on the Three-Tier Architecture. This
architectural design divides the system into three main layers, namely the presentation
layer, the application layer, and the data access layer.
Presentation layer refers to the interaction between human and the system through
screen interfaces. Actions performed in the presentation layer will be processed and
executed in the application layer. Application layer serves as the channel that connects the
presentation layer with the data access layer. Depending on the action requested, data will
be accessed and retrieved from the data access layer. Finally, the data will be represented in
the presentation layer. Figure 2 shows an overview of the system architecture.
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Figure 2. Over of the system architecture

2.6. System Development

MPJBTFMS is divided into two main modules, mainly the web module and the mobile
application module. The web module is the back-end development of the system which
includes databases and web server. On the other hand, the mobile application module refers
to the front-end development of the system.
2.7. Software Testing
Once the system has been developed, software testing was performed in order to
evaluate the performance of the developed system. Several tests were made which includes
black-box testing and user acceptance testing.
Black-box testing was performed on several main functionalities of the system. System
functionalities are tested without the tester knowing the internal structures or codes of the
system. The test attempts to find errors such as interface errors, function errors,
initialization and termination errors. Inputs are mapped against expected outputs to see for
any deviation from the intended system.
User acceptance testing involves actual users in the software testing process to simulate
real world scenarios. Participants are required to follow a set of procedures and give
feedback on their user experience. The feedback is collected for future improvements of the
system.

3. RESULTS
3.1. Project Achievements
The aim of the project is to create a platform for the Johor Bahru Tengah Municipal
Council to relay information regarding flash flood to the residents of Johor Bahru. It was
achieved by meeting the objectives set prior to the system development process.
The first objective was to study the state of existing flood management systems and
identify flood parameters to monitor. The conducted study was very helpful in terms of
defining the scope and features the proposed system should cover.
The second objective was to design the proposed system based on the IoT technology and
mobile devices. Understanding the concept behind the implementation of IoT IoT helped
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tremendously. Mobile device are perfect examples of platform to develop IoT-powered

systems.
The final objective was to implement the proposed system and
evaluate its performance. The system underwent software testing
techniques and feedbacks were received. The feedbacks will play a
part in further improving the system.
3.2. System Implementation
The interfaces are aimed at being simplistic yet offering the functional requirements
identified earlier in the development phase. Figure3 shows several user interfaces of the
system. Schematic diagram refers to a representation of the system using abstract and
graphic symbols. It shows the significant components or parts available and its
interconnections in the circuit. Figure 4 shows the schematic diagram of the system
components.

Figure 3. System Interface

Figure 4. System Schematic Diagram

3.3. Suggestions to Improve

A few suggestions for improvement of the system surfaced throughout the system
development process. One particular limitation that the system is currently facing is where
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users are not able to contribute towards the project should they wish to do so. User inputs
are as valuable as data obtained from the sensors. The system can be expanded in terms of
implementing crowd sourcing to better facilitate flash flood disaster management.
Sensors are the components that collect data in order for the system to operate.
Increasing the number or type of sensors available can be very beneficial. As for the long
run, collaborating with local authorities such as the police and fire department will aid in
managing flash floods.
3.4. Discussion
The importance of the system lies where the users are able to obtain real-time flash
flood status and alerts. The existing system lacks in this area and this might be the deciding
factor in terms of flash flood disaster management.
From the users’ perspective, they now have a new source or channel to receive alerts
should a flash flood happen. This would in turn minimize the potential loss a person has to
suffer.
From the authorities’ perspective, the system will aid them in their daily operations.
With the implementation of the system, resources allocated for monitoring flood levels can
be decreased and placed into areas that require more attention.

4. CONCLUSION
We found out that proper disaster management system is key to minimizing the impacts
of a catastrophe outbreak. As for flash flood management, a system was developed in order
to help the citizens of Johor Bahru. Studies were made on existing flood management
systems and their strengths were identified. The nature and technology behind the system
development process were discussed. System testing was conducted and the results were
recorded for future improvements. All in all, the developed system would be beneficial for
both the residents and authorities of Johor Bahru.

References

1. Chan, N.W., Increasing flood risk in Malaysia: causes and solutions. Disaster Prevention and Management:
An International Journal, 1997. 6(2): p. 72-86.
2. Khalid, M.S.B. and S.B. Shafiai, Flood Disaster Management in Malaysia: An Evaluation of the
Effectiveness Flood Delivery System. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 2015. 5(4):
p. 398.
3. MJ, J., FLASH FLOOD PROBLEMS AND HUMAN RESPONSES TO THE FLASH FLOOD
HAZARD IN KUALA LUMPUR AREA, PENINSULAR MALAYSIA. Akademika, 1985. 26(1).
4. Xia, F., et al., Internet of things. International Journal of Communication Systems, 2012. 25(9): p. 1101.
5. Want, R., B.N. Schilit, and S. Jenson, Enabling the internet of things. Computer, 2015(1): p. 28-35.
6. Bayle, J., C Programming for Arduino. 2013: Packt Publishing Ltd.
7. Banzi, M., Getting started with Arduino. 2011: " O'Reilly Media, Inc.".
8. Bell, C., Beginning Sensor Networks with Arduino and Raspberry Pi. 2013: Apress. 372.