The Importance of Data in Disaster Risk Management

Why raw data is the most powerful preparedness weapon. In the fight against disasters, data is our most powerful weapon. Building truly resilient communities isn't just about brick and mortar; it's about leveraging the power of data analytics to understand risks, inform preparedness, and strengthen our collective ability to withstand shocks. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) champions the role of data in disaster risk reduction, emphasizing that informed decisions save lives and resources. Data analytics allows communities to: Map Vulnerabilities: Identify which areas are most susceptible to specific hazards and which populations are most at risk, optimizing resource allocation before a crisis. Predict Impacts: Model potential flood depths, wildfire spread paths, or earthquake shaking intensities to inform evacuation plans and building codes. Geoscience Australia and Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience Optimize Resources: Analyze historical data to strategically pre-position emergency supplies and train personnel where they'll be most effective. Track Progress: Monitor the effectiveness of mitigation efforts and adapt strategies based on real-world outcomes. By turning raw numbers into actionable insights, we empower local leaders, emergency managers, and citizens to make proactive choices that save lives and build enduring strength. Is your community harnessing its data to build a more resilient future? #DataAnalytics #CommunityResilience #DisasterPreparedness #UNDRR #DataForGood

📢New Article ➡️ Access, Signal, Action: Data Stewardship Lessons from Valencia’s Floods 🌊 In our latest piece, co-authored with Marta Poblet Balcell and Anna Colom, PhD, at the The Data Tank, we dive into the critical role of data stewardship in disaster response, with the recent devastating floods in #Valencia as a case study. 🤔 Despite the abundance of data in our hyper-connected world, the floods revealed a tragic disconnect: ⚡ Access to data wasn't enough. ⚡ Signals were lost in the noise. ⚡ Timely action was hindered. Key lessons explored in the article: 1️⃣ Addressing First Mile Challenges: Ensure seamless, real-time access to validated, critical data. 2️⃣ Improving Signal-to-Noise Ratio: Curate and amplify trusted data to cut through misinformation. 3️⃣ Tackling Last Mile Challenges: Build systems that turn signals into swift, coordinated community action. 📊 By enhancing data accessibility, elevating crucial signals, and fostering collective decision intelligence, cities like Valencia can better navigate crises. 👉 Read the full article on Medium: "Access, Signal, Action: Data Stewardship Lessons from Valencia’s Floods" at https://lnkd.in/enPyX-jv #DataStewardship #DisasterResponse #DataGovernance #ValenciaFloods #DigitalResilience #CrisisManagement

Flood resilience is not just an infrastructure challenge. It is a data coordination challenge. We have been working with Ordnance Survey on an Intelligent Flood Readiness Model to explore how existing datasets can better inform national and local decision-making. With England experiencing well-above-average rainfall in early 2026, including record levels in some regions, the limitations of static planning cycles are becoming increasingly visible. Using Snowflake as the intelligence layer, we brought together building-level data, deprivation indices, and flood risk policy datasets to create a more integrated view of exposure and vulnerability. The findings highlight important considerations for policy: ➡️ Up to 1.2 million buildings may sit outside current flood defenses ➡️ 68% are in the most deprived communities, raising questions of equity and resilience ➡️ 85% are exposed to surface water flooding, which remains underrepresented in planning discussions ➡️ 84% were built before flood risk was systematically embedded into planning policy. This is not about identifying gaps in any single dataset. It is about what becomes visible when data held across institutions is connected and analyzed collectively. There is a clear opportunity to complement existing Flood Risk Management Plans with more dynamic, data-driven approaches. This can support better prioritization of interventions, more targeted investment, and improved long-term resilience. The same principle applies beyond flooding. Many complex policy challenges depend on fragmented datasets owned by different organizations. Connecting them can materially improve decision-making. Data sources used in the solution include: 1️⃣ Buildings Data from Ordnance Survey 2️⃣ Indices of Multiple Deprivation from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 3️⃣ Flood Risk Management Policy Documents 2021-2027 from the Environment Agency 4️⃣ Flood Defenses from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Further details: https://lnkd.in/e6UYfFAZ Rebecca O'Connor | Camilla Dowson | Daniel Reeves | Tim Chilton | Abs Gandhi | Katherine James |

The tragedy at Camp Mystic is a heartbreaking reminder of what can happen when we build without data—and why we must do better. Recent flash flooding swept away cabins and claimed many lives, while FEMA’s maps failed to identify the area as high-risk, despite clear hydrologic evidence to the contrary. It’s also important to note that Camp Mystic was originally developed before meaningful floodplain data or hydrologic modeling existed. It was built on assumptions, not analysis. 💡 As someone who works with and analyzes hydrology data and site design, I see this disconnect far too often. FEMA data, while foundational, is frequently outdated or incomplete, especially in areas with limited historical records or rapidly changing conditions. Zoning regulations often lag behind current risk realities, and minimum design standards are just that—minimum. This is where we, as engineers and design professionals, must lead. 👉🏽 We must: • Push for zoning and policy reform that reflects current and future flood risks, not just historical precedent. • Design beyond the minimum, especially in flood-prone or vulnerable areas. • Educate stakeholders about the limitations of existing maps and the importance of robust, site-specific hydrologic analysis and due diligence. • Advocate for data modernization and interdisciplinary collaboration to close the gap between policy and reality. Design is not just about compliance; it is also about responsibility. It’s about protecting lives, anticipating risk, and building with foresight. The tragedy at Camp Mystic is a call to action. Let’s ensure our work reflects the full scope of risk and not just what’s on a map. 💜 My thoughts are with all those impacted by this tragedy.

When you think of NASA, disasters such as hurricanes may not be the first thing to come to mind, but several NASA programs are building tools and advancing science to help communities make more informed decisions for disaster planning. Empowered by NASA’s commitment to open science, the NASA Disasters Program supports disaster risk reduction, response, and recovery. A core element of the Disasters Program is providing trusted, timely, and actionable data to aid organizations actively responding to disasters. Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana Aug. 21, 2021, as a category 4 hurricane, one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes in the continental United States on record. The effects of the storm were widespread, causing devastating damage and affecting the lives of millions of people. During Hurricane Ida, while first responders and other organizations addressed the storm’s impacts from the ground, the NASA Disasters program was able to provide a multitude of remotely sensed products. Some of the products and models included information on changes in soil moisture, changes in vegetation, precipitation accumulations, flood detection, and nighttime lights to help identify areas of power outages. The NASA team shared the data with its partners on the NASA Disasters Mapping Portal and began participating in cross-agency coordination calls to determine how to further aid response efforts. To further connect and collaborate using open science efforts, NASA Disasters overlaid publicly uploaded photos on their Damage Proxy Maps to provide situational awareness of on-the-ground conditions before, during, and after the storm. Immediate post-storm response is critical to saving lives; just as making informed, long- term response decisions are critical to providing equitable recovery solutions for all. One example of how this data can be used is blue tarp detection in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Using artificial intelligence (AI) with NASA satellite images, the Interagency Implementation and Advanced Concepts Team (IMPACT), based at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, conducted a study to detect the number of blue tarps on rooftops in the aftermath of hurricanes, such as Ida, as a way of characterizing the severity of damage in local communities. “NASA is dedicated to ensuring that our scientific data are accessible and beneficial to all. Our AI foundation models are scientifically validated and adaptable to new data, designed to maximize efficiency and lower technical barriers. This ensures that even in the face of challenging disasters, response teams can be swift and effective,” said Kevin Murphy, NASA’s chief science data officer. “Through these efforts, we’re not only advancing scientific frontiers, but also delivering tangible societal benefits, providing data that can safeguard lives and improve resilience against future threats.” #AI #NASA #IMPACT

Innovation in Emergency Management - Week 42 Spotlight: Vexcel Data Program (GreySky) When disaster strikes, the first question is simple: How bad is it? The faster we answer that, the faster recovery begins. This week’s spotlight is on the Vexcel Data Program and its GreySky post-disaster imagery operations. Vexcel is known for its UltraCam aerial camera systems and high-resolution fixed-wing collection. Through GreySky, aircraft deploy rapidly after hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes, capturing 7.5–15 cm imagery and publishing it often within 24 hours. But imagery alone isn’t the headline. Vexcel also delivers AI-enabled damage assessments aligned to FEMA’s residential damage scale: 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱, 𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿, 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗿, 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱. Outputs include property-level indicators and an approximate FEMA classification, allowing emergency managers to quickly identify concentrations of severe damage. Geospatial Damage Assessments are not a workaround. They are embedded in FEMA’s framework. The Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide authorizes GIS, aerial imagery, and remote sensing to support IA and PA determinations, using the same four residential impact levels. That means: • Rapid identification of heavily impacted housing clusters for IA • Early scoping of public infrastructure impacts for PA • Virtual PDAs to reduce field time and risk • Structured, defensible submissions across state, regional, and headquarters systems - everyone operates from the same common operating picture because everyone sees the same level of damage. FEMA’s RAPID program has also used aerial imagery and geospatial data to generate conceptual cost estimates for damaged public assets, accelerating funding decisions. The policy foundation is already there. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱. The insurance industry uses high-resolution imagery and AI damage analytics to triage claims within hours. Field adjusters deploy strategically. Billions move quickly because the data is trusted. Emergency management should operate at that same level of confidence. When imagery is paired with FEMA-aligned damage categories: • PDAs can start immediately • Field inspections become targeted • Governor requests are backed by mapped evidence • Grant timelines shorten In today’s funding environment, speed and credibility matter. Communities that produce structured, geospatially validated damage data early will accelerate declarations and recovery dollars. The takeaway: High-resolution imagery + FEMA-aligned AI classification + rapid delivery. States and locals should not wait for the next storm to build this capability. Pre-event imagery agreements and FEMA-aligned workflows can turn aerial data into immediate PDA momentum. To learn more about GreySky operations, connect with David Day and Mike Hernandez at Vexcel. Faster assessments lead to faster declarations. Faster declarations lead to faster recovery.

India’s climate landscape is evolving rapidly, outpacing our R&D efforts. How has it changed and what can we do? Read my Op-Ed @ Hindustan Times on why “a local early warning mission is as important to the Earth’s future as any space mission” Download and Read: https://lnkd.in/dFxAZNyT _____________ As I receive the national science award, I emphasize the urgency of becoming "Climate-Equipped to Future-Proof Our World." ⦾ Future-proofing is no longer about jobs, finances or development—it's about climate readiness. The sooner we get it, the better our chances for survival. ⦾ We need to move beyond forecasts. We require localized early warning missions for landslides and flash floods and climate-sensitive diseases like Dengue. This necessitates an R&D institution for data exchange, inter-ministerial cooperation, and effective disaster management. ⦾ A proactive approach is needed, as reactive disaster management responses to forecasts do not always save lives. We need to disaster-proof regions at the district and panchayat levels. We have the technology and capacity to achieve this—we also need the will to implement it. ⦾ Publicly funded data should be available in the public domain. Poor implementation of our data accessibility policy has created barriers to transdisciplinary research. We need an urgent push to make India’s data accessible, ensuring it supports research and decision-making. ⦾ Climate adaptation requires collective action, with local communities playing a crucial role. Educating people about climate risks and engaging them in disaster preparedness can enhance response strategies. By involving communities, we strengthen our climate resilience. ⦾ A multilayered approach is needed as India stands at a critical juncture in its climate journey. By investing in early warning systems, ensuring data accessibility, and proactive policies, we can mitigate the impacts of climate change and safeguard the most vulnerable.

🚨 New Preprint Online! 🌊 Floods are among the most destructive natural hazards—and accurate susceptibility mapping is key for effective risk mitigation. In this study, we apply the Random Forest model using 25 hydrologic, geomorphic, and land surface variables, with a special focus on maximizing predictor relevance through a novel Average Merit of Information (AMI) approach. 📡 We integrated satellite data, historical flood records, and the Geomorphic Flood Index (GFI)—demonstrating excellent predictive performance (AUC > 0.9) across much of the Italian territory. 📍 Key takeaway: satellite-based geomorphic indicators can significantly improve flood susceptibility mapping, especially in data-scarce regions. 🔗 Read the preprint here: https://lnkd.in/dTrQvuY2 #FloodRisk #RemoteSensing #MachineLearning #RandomForest #DisasterManagement #Hydrology #Geospatial #FloodMapping #Copernicus Fondazione Return

We often say disasters are not natural. They are shaped by the systems we build, the policies we prioritise, and the people we choose to see. The same applies to artificial intelligence in disaster risk reduction. When Al tools are layered onto systems that already lack robust, inclusive data, failure is not accidental. If marginalised communities are missing from the dataset, they are missing from the decision. The harm that follows is designed in, not inevitable. Unchecked Al integration into weak foundations is not efficiency. It is structural exclusion at speed. If we are serious about inclusive DRR, then inclusion must sit at the core of Al strategy, from data collection to model design to implementation. Otherwise we risk reinforcing the very inequalities we claim to address. #NoNaturalDisasters #InclusiveDRR #AI

𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 With Hurricane Melissa expected to impact Jamaica later today, it is a good time to look at how OSINT supports disaster response and recovery in real operational terms. In a crisis, information rarely comes through a single channel or in a structured format. OSINT allows responders and analysts to make sense of what is already available, such as public data, satellite imagery, local reporting, and social media updates, and turn it into something usable. There are a few clear ways OSINT can make a difference during a disaster: 𝟭. 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Public posts, local media, and visual content can be geolocated to show where flooding, storm surge, or landslides are occurring. This gives emergency operations centers an early understanding of the scale and direction of impact. 𝟮. 𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴: Satellite and drone imagery combined with crowd-sourced photos and reports can be used to mark damaged areas, blocked routes, or isolated communities. It provides a fast visual reference before full assessments are available. 𝟯. 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: Open data from utilities and transport networks can be layered with weather and flood models to identify areas likely to lose power or connectivity. 𝟰. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Verified public posts about shelter availability, missing persons, or road conditions can be consolidated to support coordination between agencies and NGOs. 𝟱. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Post-event OSINT helps compare pre- and post-impact imagery, monitor recovery progress, and identify ongoing disruptions to logistics or access. As Hurricane Melissa moves across Jamaica, OSINT workflows can support:  • Continuous monitoring of social and local reporting for flood indicators and infrastructure damage  • Mapping visual evidence from public sources to identify priority areas for response  • Cross-referencing data against infrastructure maps to confirm accessibility and service status  • Sharing verified situational data with partners and emergency coordination teams OSINT is most effective when it turns public information into a shared operational picture that supports decisions on the ground. As Melissa makes landfall, that ability to collect, validate, and visualize information from open sources will be essential to understanding conditions and directing response resources where they are needed most. For those monitoring Hurricane Melissa or supporting response efforts, a number of open tools can assist with real-time mapping, verification, and coordination. Copernicus EMS already has a mapping and reporting hub set up here: https://lnkd.in/gtZmjJ4Z Information saves time, and time saves lives. #OSINT #DisasterResponse #CrisisMapping #EmergencyManagement #HumanitarianIntelligence #SituationalAwareness #HurricaneMelissa