• 

  Haven

Inspiration

Flash floods kill people in the UK every year, often because they don't know which routes are safe. We wanted to build something that could actually save lives during those critical moments.

What it does

Haven provides real-time safe routing during flash floods by analyzing multiple routes against live UK Environment Agency flood data. Users can report incidents, find emergency shelters with capacity information, and coordinate with their community during crisis situations.

How we built it

React frontend, Node.js/Express backend, MongoDB Atlas database, integrated with UK Environment Agency flood APIs and Google Maps for multi-route analysis and geospatial incident tracking.

Challenges we ran into

Tight 21-hour development window, coordinating three specialized roles, integrating multiple external APIs, and balancing feature scope with implementation time. Browser geolocation restrictions also slowed testing.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Built a working multi-user incident reporting system with geospatial data, live API integration, shelter capacity tracking, and established solid foundation for intelligent routing—all within hackathon constraints.

What we learned

Importance of early API integration over mock data, effective Git workflows for team coordination, and how to prioritize features ruthlessly when time is limited.

What's next for Haven

Complete the safe routes feature with flood data integration, add authority dashboard with user tracking, implement flood prediction, and enhance community coordination features.

Built With

• leaflet.js
• mongodb
• openstreetmap
• react