THESEUS and MICORE Safeguarding European Coasts

Coastal areas are frequently at risk from flooding, with the impact of high population densities, erosion and rising sea levels due to climate change increasing the likelihood of high waters. This is where two EU-funded projects, MICORE and THESEUS, come into play.

The MICORE software is designed to reduce damage by allowing the communities to prepare in advance for severe weather and potential floods, while THESEUS helps builders and local authorities take flood risk into consideration when designing and building infrastructure and homes.

The EU-funded project MICORE created an early warning system by simulating hazards caused by storm waves eroding coastlines. The software aims to help improve disaster forecasting and response methods, in turn increasing public safety.

Project coordinator Paolo Ciavola of Italy’s University of Ferrara explained that the early warning system is flexible enough to be used for a variety of coastal areas.

Some of the former project partners are now working together in the EU-funded project RISC-KIT to improve the software.

The THESEUS put together guidance and advice to help builders and local authorities keep homes and infrastructures safe no matter what the region’s geographical or physical characteristics.

This package of software tools includes a decision support system. Decision makers simply need to input the conditions they are dealing with.

“The short, medium and long-term effects of building or developing with coastal communities can then be identified,” said THESEUS coordinator Barbara Zanuttigh of Italy’s University of Bologna.