GIS Technology could play a major role in disaster mitigation and management. The authors advocate that linking the GIS-based warning system with administrative machinery could save precious lives, minimize economic loss and protect infrastructure. Hence, this paper proposes a GIS technology-based conceptual model, which, on operationalization, may be extremely helpful in disaster management.
Geohazards are naturally occurring geological phenomena, such as volcanic eruption, earthquake, cyclone, landslide, flood and hailstorm, tsunami, etc., that endanger human lives and property. A proper understanding is required to better mitigate and manage the aftermath impacts of these hazards. Recently, there has been widespread panic and untold misery all over the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh besides the Andaman and Nicobar islands and coastal regions of Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, owing to the occurrence of a major earthquake measuring 9.1 on Richter scale at 260 km southwest of Ausi Island of Indonesia, followed by the tsunami that inundated southern India, Srilanka, Malaysia and Indonesia (Nair, 2005). According to the data available with the Geological Survey of India, till date, this major earthquake was followed by more than 9,500 minor and medium scale aftershocks, including the earthquake of a magnitude of 5.1, that struck Mumbai and Goa and the complete east coast of India.
Now that fairly a comprehensive picture on the origin of tsunami and its impact on the South-Asian region, in general, and India in particular is known, a few intriguing questions need to be urgently answered. India had never been struck by a tsunami in recent history, and was considered by United Nations Disaster Report as safe to tsunami, although it is surrounded by major earthquake and tsunami-prone countries such as Japan, Indonesia, etc. The reports and observations from tsunami-affected countries adjoining the Indian subcontinent and the coastal regions of south India have indicated the following factors that have aggravated tsunami impact. |
