The space born remote sensing
technology, that is satellite remote
sensing, is more apt for disaster
management owing to its temporal
repetitively.
Role of Satellite remote sensing
The Earth observation satellites
provide synoptic and temporal
coverage of large areas in near real
time. The repetitive images enable
the continuous monitoring of Earth
surface features and phenomena. It
facilitates the detection and early
warning of disasters, especially
those of meteorological origin.
Besides, the different spatial
resolutions of the satellite images
enable us to choose images
according to the area coverage of
disaster prone areas. The forest
fires can be detected early and
their spread can be monitored. The
images enable the mapping of flood
affected areas and also track the
direction of movement of tropical
cyclones.
The satellite images also assist
in mapping the drought and flood
stricken areas and forest fire affected
areas. The magnitude of the drought
and flood can be assessed using the
temporal images of the affected
area.
Socio-economic assessment
The success of disaster
management depends upon the
development of demographic (no
of people, age-sex groups etc.)
and economic conditions of the
vulnerable groups of the affected
area in the geospatial domain.
Satellite communication
The development of
telecommunication technology
using satellites allow transmission
of disaster warning even to remote
and inaccessible areas. Further the
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availability of mobiles enhances the
capability to locate isolated people
by disaster.
Geographic Information System
An effective and real time
disaster management programmes
requires the spatial data from
various sources which should be
collected, manipulated, analyzed,
and displayed in an organized
manner. GIS provides a set of tools
and techniques to accomplish these
tasks.
A successful, practical and real
time disaster preparedness and
management needs an up-to-date
geographically tagged database.
Disaster preparedness to a large
extent are spatial in nature. A sound
GIS provides the tools to collect,
collate, overlay, analyze, and display
these geospatial information and
help in taking informed decisions.
Institutional Dimension
The Millennium Development
Goals (MDG) recognized the link
between environmental degradation
and disaster susceptibility and called
for environmental sustainability to
reduce the vulnerability.
Subsequent to this in 2005
the United Nations promulgated
strategic directions for preparedness
and reduction of disaster risk
under the International Strategy
for Disaster Reduction (ISDR).
The World Conference on Disaster
reduction adopted the “Hyogo
Framework for Action 2005-2015”
and emphasized the need to promote
strategic and systematic approaches
to reducing vulnerability and risks
to hazards.
Vulnerability is the predisposition
to damage, in the event of a disaster,
beyond a certain threshold of
intensity which impact the society,
assets (natural and manmade) and
ecosystems.
It is high time that governed and
government realize the importance
of building resilience to disasters by
taking