Mapping Natural-Hazard Risks in Sri Lanka
Example maps that show natural-hazard risks for Sri Lanka.
IRI is enabling Sri Lankans to identify risks from floods, landslides and other natural disasters by using historical weather and climate data to generate detailed maps local authorities can use to make informed decisions. "Users need information at fine scales to determine, for example, how much money to budget for disaster relief in various regions, or how much medicines to stockpile," says Lareef Zubair, who leads the project. "The maps tell them right away which areas they should focus on."
The innovation here is the incorporation of historical climate information in making the risk assessments. "Clearly droughts, floods and cyclones are driven by weather or climate," says Zubair, "and yet we took little advantage of existing hydrometeorological data sets as a way to inform disaster-management policy and early-warning systems." Over the course of ten years, Zubair and his colleagues collected and compiled data on hydrometeorology, socioeconomics and disaster-relief payments, among others, from Sri Lanka. They even digitized more than a hundred years of Indian Ocean storm and cyclone tracks to use in GIS analysis.
"Having all that data allowed us to not only work at fine geographic scales, but also to look at seasonality in our risk assessments," said Zubair. Knowing when risks are highest helps people plan wisely. For example, he said, we show the risk of flooding in southwestern areas of Sri Lanka to be greatest around May. River-basin authorities in those areas can use this knowledge to ensure their drainage systems are operational and well-maintained in the months beforehand.
Relevant Links
World Bank Report, Natural Disaster Hotspots: Case Studies (PDF)
IRI Project report summary (PDF)
IRI 2004-06 Report (additional maps on page 61) (PDF)
About the IRI
The IRI works on the development and implementation of strategies to manage climate related risks and opportunities. Building on a multidisciplinary core of expertise, IRI partners with research institutions and local stakeholders to best understand needs, risks and possibilities. The IRI supports sustainable development by bringing the best science to bear on managing climate risks in sectors such as agriculture, food security, water resources, and health. By providing practical advancements that enable better management of climate related risks and opportunities in the present, we are creating solutions that will increase adaptability to long term climate change.
The IRI was established as a cooperative agreement between NOAA's Climate Program Office and Columbia University. It is part of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, and is located at the Lamont Campus.
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