Using geospatial data for natural disaster management

The rate and intensity of floods, storms, fires, earthquakes and extreme temperatures are increasing all over the world. This change has meant that, in addition to a pre-existing focus on response and recovery efforts, it’s imperative that modern day planners take a considered, proactive and urgent approach to mitigating disaster risk.

Thankfully, there is more available data and technology than ever before to help plan for these events, making it feasible to prepare for all stages of a natural disaster using an evidence-based approach.

Hazard mapping and vulnerability analysis

The increasing frequency of natural disasters across the world has generated a conscious shift from reacting to these events to actively preparing for them, and this pivot can be keenly observed through how we plan our towns and cities.

For example, datasets like flood and bush fire prone land maps allow planners to identify areas at greatest risk from natural disasters and then create effective disaster preparedness plans. These can then be used to boost resiliency in the built environment and prepare residents for potential disaster outcomes, as well as inform zoning regulations and future development plans within an area.

In addition to these static resources, remote sensors and other geospatial technologies are also being used to deliver real-time or near real-time data monitoring for early indicators of natural disasters; these warning signs can then be used to respond to the emergency in a timely manner and take action to mitigate infrastructural damages, injuries and loss of life.

Disaster management and emergency response plans

Once an emergency is imminent or occurring, the relevant emergency response plan(s) is put into action. A well-executed plan will help preserve life, property and the environment to the extent that it is possible, and geospatial insights are often crucial to formulating a successful emergency response plan.

Some examples of how geospatial data analytics can facilitate disaster management and emergency response planning include identifying optimal evacuation routes and effectively allocating resources. By analysing people’s usual travel patterns, accounting for likely road or transport network interruptions and then combining this with insights on accessibility, population density, demographics and similar datasets, planners can map and refine evacuation routes to ensure people can evacuate safely and efficiently during an emergency.

In addition to this, geospatial data can be leveraged to prioritise resource allocation like supplies, shelters and medical facilities to affected areas, making it possible to plan strategically before a natural disaster occurs. Real-time monitoring and mapping can also be incredibly powerful tools for actively coordinating emergency services in a responsive way during a period of time where speed and responsiveness are essential to keeping people and property safe.

Damage assessment and recovery

Assessing and recovering from a natural disaster can be an extended and complex process. Understanding the extent of any damage to infrastructure and the environment, deciding where to focus recovery efforts and how to prioritise any construction or rebuilding works are all crucial to communities bouncing back from natural disasters.

An accurate but intensive geospatial method of assessing damage is satellite imagery, which can capture photos of disaster-stricken areas to show before-and-after comparisons with a high level of detail. Other methods of damage assessment, such as on-the-ground surveys, can be overlaid on maps with demographic data, population density data and more to offer a holistic view of the people and places most in need of recovery efforts like clean-ups and reconstruction plans. These same datasets can be used to prepare for future emergencies by giving planners the opportunity to reassess infrastructure resiliency and existing emergency response and disaster management plans.

This process of using disaster recovery to refine these processes and guide investment is critical for future preparedness, helping to reduce risk of injury and damage to people and places. With emergency events becoming more prevalent – along with our capacity to capture their impacts across time – across the globe, this might be the most important advancement in helping planners proactively shape resilient, emergency-ready cities for the future.