2.4 Use of GIS In Natural Hazard Assessments
Geography Information System GIS is a computer system, which has the capabil
that is very different than other kind of database application system. This aspect is the ab
spatial or non-spatia
ata could be displayed in the form of region boundary together with the attributes in the
form of alphabet or numbers. ities to input, retrieval, analyze, and data display that are very important in
the decision making process. The system will consist of hardware, software and brain-ware which are design to efficiently input, save, update, manipulate,
analysis, and display all different kind of geographical information ESRI 1990. GIS technology was developed and integrated from parallel development
in automated several broadly related fields such as cadastral and topographical mapping, thematic cartography, civil engineering, geography, mathematical
studies of spatial variation, soil science surveying and photogrammetry, rural and urban planning, utility network, remote sensing and image analysis
Burrough,. 1986
. GIS has one aspect ility to show and display the
l information in the same time. For example, GIS land use d
Figure 2.3 Volcanic hazard zone map Source: USGS, 2008
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he damage the hazards can cause,
no location, floodplains, erosion patterns, etc. re usually enough to conduct a GIS preliminary evaluation of the natural hazard
tential. Similarly, GIS can be used in hazard assessments at the sub national level for
resource analysis and project identification. At the local level, planners can use a GIS application has been used as tools to assess and to map hazards such
as earthquakes, hurricanes, flood, volcanic hazard, etc which it deals with how the information can be incorporated into development planning to reduce the impact
of natural hazards. The process is complicated, however, by entirely new data sets on assessment of various natural hazards, separately and in combination, and by
the need to analyze these hazards with respect to existing and planned development, choose among means of mitigating t
carry out an economic analysis of the alternatives of mitigation versus no mitigation, and determine the impact of these alternatives on the economic and
financial feasibility of the project. GIS applications in natural hazard management and development planning
are limited only by the amount of information available and by the imagination of the analyst. Readily available information on natural events e.g., previous
disaster records, scientific research papers, articles, newsletters, etc., and hazard mapping seismic fault and volca
a situation and guide development planning activities.
At the national level, GIS can be used to provide general familiarization with the study area, giving the planner a reference to the overall hazard situation
and helping to identify areas that need further studies to assess the effect of natural hazards on natural resource management and development po
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GIS to formulate investment projects and establish specific mitigation strategies for disaster prevention activities.
2.5 Multi-criteria Decision Analysis MCDA