BIG DATA AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Key findings of report: 

• Since 1970, natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region have killed two million people — 59% of the global death toll for that period. 
  
  
• Disasters also cause more damage in Asia and the Pacific, measured as a percentage of GDP, than the rest of the world, and this gap has been widening. 
  
  
• However, big data innovations reveal patterns of complex disaster risks which helps to understand and predict the risk of extreme and slow-onset events. 
  
  
• Flood and cyclone forecasting now relies on computer simulations. Sensor webs and the Internet of Things have enabled efficient earthquake early-warning systems. Remote sensing via satellites and drones provide quick assessments of damage and people affected, and help in relief efforts. 
  
  

Big Data? 

• Big data refers to the analysis of very large data sets to reveal patterns, trends and associations. 
  
  
• The data can come from a range of sources, including satellite imagery, drone videos, simulations, crowdsourcing, social media and global positioning systems.