Summary of Thematic Session "Space-based Information for Disaster Management"

4 October 2010 (13:30 – 17:30)

Chair Mohammad Asif Khan, University of Peshawar, Pakistan
Co-Chair P. S. Roy, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, ISRO, India
Rapporteur Tek Jung Mahat, ICIMOD
Coordinator Amarnath Giriraj, ICIMOD


Support from space: The United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UNSPIDER
Shirish Ravan, UN-SPIDER, Austria

Managed by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) Programme works as a platform to facilitate the use of space-based technologies for disaster management and emergency response. Currently operating from its head quarter in Vienna and another office in Bonn, soon UN SPIDER will start working from Beijing with the focus in the Asia-Pacific region.

UN-SPIDER aims to improve coordination among the geo-spatial community, improve access of members to space-based information, increase awareness and help develop capacity of the users. UN-SPIDER gets data from International and Regional Initiatives/Institutions, including ICIMOD, Regional Support Offices, UN Agencies and National Focal points.

Rapid response mapping to support disaster management in Himalayan region
Amarnath Giriraj, ICIMOD

For any countries in the region, developing capacity to deal with the disasters is the biggest challenge, which is very complicated due to nature and distribution of the disasters. Several organisations are in working in this area which needs to be further enhanced to have more harmonised response in order to meet regional challenges. Starting from floods and earthquakes to forest fires and to GLOF events, application of space technologies is very critical in effectively addressing the disaster events.

Space-based information for assessing the community vulnerability to flood disasters in mountainous Himalayas
Shakil A. Romshoo, University of Kashmir, India

Himalayan ecosystem is very fragile hence we need to have better understanding of any problems before we start responding. A small failure in our disaster plan may fail the overall response, which leads to increased cost in the next phase with exaggerated loss. Only the better understanding of all the contributing factors will help to develop effective disaster response. The research methodology established should help “socialization” of the science and technology that benefits for the flood disaster prone communities by developing robust strategies for reducing their vulnerability and risk to disasters through appropriate development planning.

Monitoring vulnerability: Integration of earth observation for enhanced disaster risk reduction
Stefan Kienberger, Salzburg, University, Austria

Vulnerability has to be seen in different contexts; temporal, spatial and subject. For the information generated by the experts in very technical ways, to be better noticed by the policy makers, the information has to go in condensed form. There should be clear understanding from community to district level and if needed to other higher levels too. Understanding of the driving forces from a perspective of the communities is very important which later should be quantified and prioritized for effective response


Spatial modelling of fire-induced carbon emission in tropical forests: a case study of Afram Headwaters
Forest Reserve, Ghana
Yousif Hussin, ITC, Netherlands

Tropical forests are a major reservoir of global terrestrial carbon, and thus play an essential role in the carbon cycle. However, the alarming rate of deforestation and degradation in recent times is changing the status of tropical forests in the global carbon-climate regime. Fire does not only reduce the forest, but also implies that more carbon remain in the atmosphere because they are not sequestered. More importantly, large amounts of carbon held in the forest biomass are released into the atmosphere when the trees are burned. Degraded forest experienced the most intensity fires in the experiment sites in comparison to others.

The Attabad debris dam, Upper Hunza Valley, North Pakistan: A potential hazard
Ghazanfar Khattak, University of Peshawar, Pakistan

On January 04, 2010, a massive landslide was triggered in upper Hunza Valley. The landslide buried the lower Attabad village, damaging 3km stretch of Karakoram Highway (KKH) and resulted in 20 fatalities. The landslide mass also blocked the Hunza River and impounded a lake within the blocked drainage. However this issue didn’t receive much attention after the Pakistan Flood and similar disaster in neighbouring countries. This has shown the increase disaster incidences and a clear need to be better prepared to respond to these disasters more effectively, and even within very short period of time.


Seismic vulnerability assessment for Chittagong Hill Tract municipalities of Bangladesh
Anisur Rahman, Asian Disaster Preparedness, Centre, Thailand

Vulnerability assessment is very important to indentify areas that may require planning considerations, assess level of readiness and preparedness to deal with a disaster before disaster occurs, estimate potential losses (before or after earthquake or other disaster hit) and to prioritize mitigation measures that need to be implemented to reduce future losses.


Reconstructing Indian census variables using remotely sensed environmental metrics
Gary Watmough, University of Southampton, UK

Limitations of the census can limit the usefulness of risk maps. Remote sensing increased spatial and temporal resolution may provide methods for up-dating census between enumerations. Hence for better reliability of out information it is important explore relationships between census variables and earth observation data.

Spatial and non-spatial information on flood monitoring and early warning system
Ponthip Limlahapun, Keio University, Japan

Integrated Flood Analysis System (IFAS) is a freeware. The result derived using IFAS is displayed over the web-based - increase local recognition on critical disaster information and it provides better visualization of flood occurrence - Flood extent affected areas local infrastructure such as houses, roads, etc. in order to be prepared for mitigation and recovery plans. The data format can be converted and transferred to compatible GIS software.


Glacial Lakes and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in the Himalayas
Pradeep Mool, ICIMOD

Monitoring of ice, snow and glacial lakes is not one time event. It needs to be regularly monitored considering its complexity, uncertainty, dynamics and risks associated with it. Hence we have to go for regular mapping of the glacial environment, its monitoring, operation of early warning systems, continuing mitigation works, develop capacity of the people associated, including local communities and promote knowledge and experience sharing at regional scale. Professionals in the Himalayan region can benefit from similar experience in the Andes.

Current Technologies to Better Assess and Monitor Potential Glacial Hazards
Jeffery Kargel, University of Arizonia, USA

Application of state of the art technologies, like UAV and USV platforms and other sensor signals can are critical to better monitor moraine dams and GLOF.

Overall summary:

All the presentations emphasized the use of Earth Observation data in making effective decisions and executing smart responses to disaster incidences. Fostering regional cooperation among ICIMOD member countries and others would help better understand different phases of disaster management cycle. It was stressed often times to bridge the data gap and promote the culture of sharing of information and knowledge among the research communities for decision making process, where Earth Observation plays pivotal role. In order to maximize the benefits from Earth Observation technologies, it was suggested that the regional member countries activate charters and transfer that information to disaster communities.