Geo-information technology in disaster management: a case study in Akkaraipattu municipal council area

Abstract

The natural hazards occur in Sri Lanka make severe impact on the country‘s economy and the social and environmental conditions. The research focuses mainly on Disaster Management in the light of Geo-information technology in Akkaraipattu municipal council area and to identify the draw backs of traditional disaster management and the potentials of Geographic Information System in disaster management and to prepare the disaster risk map for the area. The past available events of hazards of the area were incorporated with Geo-spatial Information System. All risk map layers; tsunami, disease, flood and cyclone were integrated. A comprehensive analysis of the basic data related to multi-hazards in GIS environment, resulted the disaster locations, affected community (male, female, children, families and total populations) were carried out in Council area which is the basis for relief aids and rehabilitation activities of disaster management process. In combining all disasters to produce multi-hazard zone for Akkaraipattu Municipal Council Area shows that 4.9 % of houses and 5.4 % of population are falling under very high risk zone, while 43.9 % of houses and 42.1 % of population are falling under low risk zone. The results of the present study facilitate to set up GIS Database in the area and the system will provide sophisticated data base and that can be used for relief activities.