Geographic information systems (GIS) refer to systems that consist of computer software and hardware, among other functions (Hu and Liu, 2017; Minh, 2017). GIS help in gathering, maintaining, processing, reviewing, modeling, and displaying spatial data to assist in addressing complicated planning and management issues.
These systems are, therefore, decision-making support models that are closely linked to other information management systems. On the other hand, Yin-can YE, Xinmin Jiang, Guofu Pan, and Wei Jiang, (2018) editors of “Submarine Optical Cable Engineering” define GIS as systems that have two components.
First, GIS can be considered as a science, assessment, portrayal, and storage of spatial information. Secondly, it can be regarded as a geospatial database that offers spatial and dynamic geographic data. These systems portray the real world as a collection of geographic components and phenomena that contain both spatial and non-spatial location data (Jain, et al., 2012).
GIS is useful in a variety of fields as they significantly assist in managing geographic data (Tojo and Hirasawa, 2014). One of these fields is the natural disaster field. Besides that, GIS is useful in the natural disaster field as they help in disaster risk management.
In other words, GIS is an essential tool for managing disasters (Manfré, et al., 2012). These systems are revolutionizing the potential of assessing risks, hazards, as well as vulnerability as they are powerful instruments for recording, managing, analyzing, and outputting data (Van Westen, 2013; Minh, 2017). Besides that, GIS is required in the natural disaster field since they guide the risk decision-making procedure by using the “what if” breakdown to verify parameters and generate different scenarios within a spatial setting (Van Westen, 2013).
GIS also helps in pre and post-disaster management activities because they evaluate remote-sensing data, which enables the comprehension of processes and recognition of links and standards among variables. Pre-disaster activities deal with preparedness and prevention efforts, while post-disaster activities handle recovery and response (Manfré, et al., 2012).
References:
Hu, Y. & Liu, K., 2017. Inspection and monitoring technologies of transmission lines with remote sensing, London: Elsevier.
Jain, R., Urban, L., Balbach, H. and Webb, D., 2012. Handbook of environmental engineering assessment. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Manfré, L., et al., 2012. An analysis of geospatial technologies for risk and natural disaster management. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 1(2), pp.166-185.
Minh, N.D., 2017. Using GIS to assess natural hazards in NW Vietnam. Modern Environmental Science and Engineering, 3(7), pp.492-498.
Tojo, S. & Hirasawa, T., 2014. Research approaches to sustainable biomass systems, Amsterdam: Elsevier, Academic Press.
Van Westen, C., 2013. Remote sensing and GIS for natural hazards assessment and disaster risk management. Treatise on Geomorphology, pp.259-298.
Ye, Y., Jiang, X., Pan, G. and Jiang, W., 2018. Submarine optical cable engineering. Cambridge: Academic Press.
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