A Geographic Information System Designed for Disaster Management

Abstract

Measures taken for disasters are typically the recovery practices after the disasters take place. However, recovery actions besides their low efficiency in Hazard Mitigation, are very expensive and conflict with sustainable development progresses. Hazard mitgation that constitutes the basis of Integrated Disaster Management regards all of the aspects of disaster management such as preparedness, emergency response, post disaster management, recovery and building resilience. Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 organized by UNISDR encourages systematic actions for reducing risk and ease vulnerability. Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 that is a 15-year, voluntary, non-binding agreement prioritise building resilience and enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to 'Build Back Better' in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. This study examines the multidisciplinary data and standards for a Geographic Information System (GIS) that facilitates Hazard Mitigation and building resilience. Collecting geodata from various sources and binding them through spatial analyses is of crucial importance. The Geographic Information System to store, manage, analyze and query data should be designed to cope with multidisciplinary issues. Analyzing a region that is subject to a hazard prior to a hazard event has the potential to exhibit the weaknesses of the region and enables proposing specific measures for building resilience. Reducing vulnerability of the people living in the hazard-prone areas and rapid recovery is however only possible with putting the offered measures into practice.