Disaster Sense AI, a proposed system using sensors and artificial intelligence to monitor drainage channels, could send SMS alerts to residents before floodwaters threaten homes, businesses and lives.
As heavy rains return to Kampala, environmentalists are proposing an artificial intelligence-powered system designed to warn residents of rising floodwaters before disaster strikes.
Known as Disaster Sense AI, the innovation uses ultrasonic sensors installed in drainage channels to monitor water levels and trigger SMS alerts when flooding threatens nearby communities.
For residents of Bwaise, Nabulagala, Nalukolongo, Najjanankumbi and Kalerwe, heavy rains often bring anxiety over flooded homes, damaged merchandise and vehicles stranded in waterlogged streets.
In these flood-prone neighbourhoods, a downpour can quickly turn into a desperate search for safety as water rises in drainage channels and spills into surrounding areas.
The danger was highlighted on October 11, 2026, when heavy rains in the Kampala Metropolitan Area reportedly claimed two lives and damaged property, including vehicles worth millions of shillings.
As the city continues to grapple with recurring floods, developers of Disaster Sense AI believe timely warnings could give residents valuable minutes to move to safer locations before water levels become dangerous.
Eng. Dr Peter Byamugisha, executive director of Ardhi Advocacy and Research Innovation (ARDHI), says the system combines sensors and artificial intelligence to identify potential danger and alert people in affected areas.
“The system is installed in drainage channels to detect rising water levels. Using AI, it sends alerts to contacts in the database of residents within the affected area, warning them to evacuate,” Byamugisha explains.
The proposed system is intended to shift flood response from reacting after damage has occurred to warning communities while there is still time to act.
An early alert could allow families to move children and elderly relatives to safety, secure essential belongings and seek higher ground before floodwaters reach their homes.
However, the system's effectiveness will depend on reliable sensors, adequate coverage, accurate identification of threatened areas and residents' ability to receive and act on the messages.
Kampala Counting the Cost of Floods
Repeated flooding in Kampala has claimed lives, damaged homes, disrupted transport and destroyed merchandise belonging to traders whose livelihoods depend on daily business.
In 2025, five deaths were reported in the Kampala metropolitan area, while the government pledged Shs20 billion in compensation for affected traders.
The losses illustrate the human and financial costs of flooding, which continues to affect communities whenever heavy rains overwhelm vulnerable areas.
Beyond the immediate destruction, flooding places pressure on public resources through emergency response and recovery efforts.
The developers of Disaster Sense AI believe early warnings could help reduce some of these losses by enabling residents to evacuate sooner and move property away from danger.
But detecting rising water levels is only one part of an effective warning system. The technology would need to be tested under real conditions to establish how accurately it detects danger, how quickly alerts reach residents and whether the messages provide enough time for people to respond.
Seeking Government Approval
ARDHI says it has approached government authorities seeking approval to roll out the technology.
Byamugisha says the organisation has written to the Office of the Prime Minister and other government departments to present the innovation for consideration.
“We have written to the Office of the Prime Minister and other government departments to approve the technology for implementation,” he says.
Government approval could pave the way for further assessment, pilot installations and possible deployment in some of Kampala's most flood-prone communities.
Before the system can be relied on for public safety, authorities and developers would also need to establish how it would integrate with existing disaster management arrangements, who would maintain the equipment and how residents would be registered to receive alerts.
These considerations will help determine whether Disaster Sense AI can progress from a proposed innovation to a dependable early-warning system.
Beyond Kampala's Floods
The developers say the technology could also be adapted to monitor landslide risks in vulnerable communities in the Elgon and Rwenzori regions, where environmental hazards threaten lives and property.
Such an application would require systems tailored to the warning signs and conditions associated with landslides. Nevertheless, the proposal points to the potential for technology to strengthen disaster preparedness beyond the capital.
For communities exposed to environmental hazards, early detection and effective communication can form important parts of broader efforts to protect lives.
An Opening for New Solutions
Kampala's recurring floods require more than emergency responses whenever heavy rains arrive. Improvements to drainage infrastructure, proper waste disposal, urban planning and wetland protection remain important to addressing the causes and impact of flooding.
Technology could complement these interventions by helping residents respond before water levels become life-threatening.
Kampala Minister Mincer Kabanda says the government is open to proposals that could help reduce flood damage.
“As we look for long-term solutions, we are open to suggestions that can help mitigate these damages,” Kabanda says.
That openness could create an opportunity for innovations such as Disaster Sense AI to be assessed for their reliability, practicality and suitability for Kampala's needs.
For residents who have watched floodwaters destroy their belongings and threaten their lives, the promise of an early warning is straightforward: more time to escape danger.
A text message cannot stop the rain or prevent water levels from rising. But if it reaches the right person at the right time, it could provide precious minutes to seek safety.
As another rainy season unfolds, the challenge will be to establish whether Disaster Sense AI can deliver on that promise and help ensure that warnings reach residents before floodwaters do.