Applications of geographical information systems and remote sensing in natural disaster hazard assessment and mitigation in Taiwan

Geographic Information Systems (GISs) provide a powerful tool in managing and analysing spatial data. Geographic Information System has been applied successfully to large variety of fields, one field of particular interest is the field of disaster mitigation. The island of Taiwan is well known for the typhoons and earthquakes which in recent past has claimed lives and caused significant damage. It is well understood that hazard identification and land management play a major part in the reducing the impact of natural disasters. This is a role GIS is well suited to especially when combined with remote sensing data. This concept has been used throughout the world for purposes including identification of risk areas, real-time modelling of events and scenario modelling. Where this has the greatest potential in Taiwan is in the steep and rugged mountain areas of the Central Mountain Range which are sparsely populated and often difficult to access making conventional ground-based investigations impractical over large areas. Geographic Information System combined with remote sensing data provides the ability to effectively analyse various risk factors over large areas or inaccessible areas to identify localities which have the potential to be at higher risk from the impact of natural disasters.