In 2018, Hurricane Florence in the Southeast US Coast and Typhoon Mangkhut (known as Typhoon Ompong in the Philippines) in South China Sea caused 53 and 134 fatalities respectively. Such events highlight that the magnitude of extreme water‐based disasters (WDs) cannot always be accurately predicted at a local level, largely due to their scale and unpredictable nature.

Most current weather forecasting models present generalized or large‐scale solutions based on limited and/or inaccurate input data. As a result, incorrect or missed alarms frequently lead to property losses and human casualties, especially in remote and low income areas. Rural communities in riparian and deltaic areas are often affected, as they are unable to manage WDs effectively. Furthermore, insufficient and unstable power resources in these regions also undermine disaster response capabilities, along with wider socio‐economic growth. 

Hydropower could provide solutions, as it offers the potential of energy production autonomy to such communities. However, can hydropower systems also provide warnings and “smart” evacuation routes during the WDs? This research introduces a pioneering plan for the use of potentially lost energy during the WDs to directly support emergency response. It investigates the conceptual model of a mini (or smaller‐scale) hydropower generator that includes early‐warning alarm systems appropriately designed to operate at the local level. In practice, this study focuses on units that support power needs to end‐users under both normal and extreme conditions. Positive outcomes could lead to the direct integration of sustainable economic development and disaster preparedness within these communities.