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Map** Disastrous Natural Hazards Using Global Datasets

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Abstract

The increased interest for categorising countries at risk calls for an improved methodology allowing comparison of natural hazard impacts at a global level. A disaster is the intersection between a hazardous event, the elements at risk (population, infrastructures) and their vulnerability. In order to associate reported impacts with affected elements and socio-economic or geophysical contextual parameters, geographical location and extent of hazards is needed. The scope of this paper is to present improved automated procedures for a rapid map** of large disastrous hazard events (floods, earthquakes, cyclones and volcanoes) using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and available global datasets. Up to 82% of the events and 88% of the reported victims could be geo-referenced and the results highlight both the potentialities and limitations of the methods applied.

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Abbreviations

CNSS:

Council of the National Seismic System

CRED:

Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters

DEM:

Digital Elevation Model

DFO:

Dartmouth Flood Observatory (University of Dartmouth, USA)

EM-DAT:

Emergency Events Database (OFDA/CRED)

FAO:

Food and Agriculture Organization

FEWS:

Famine Early Warning System Network

GIS:

Geographic Information System

NGDC:

National Geophysical Data Center

OFDA:

Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance

PREVIEW:

Project of Risk Evaluation, Vulnerability, Information & Early Warning (UNEP/GRID-Geneva)

UNEP/GRID-Geneva:

United Nations Environment Programme/Global Resource Information Database – Geneva

VEI:

Volcanic Explosivity Index

WRI:

World Resources Institute

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  1. UNEP/GRID-Geneva, 11 ch. des Anémones, 1219, Châtelaine-Geneva, Switzerland

    P. PEDUZZI & H. DAO C. HEROLD

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  1. P. PEDUZZI
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  2. H. DAO C. HEROLD
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Correspondence to P. PEDUZZI.

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PEDUZZI, P., HEROLD, H.D.C. Map** Disastrous Natural Hazards Using Global Datasets. Nat Hazards 35, 265–289 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-004-5703-8

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