The provision of mapped hazard data –
availability and best practice in SE Asia
Robert Muir-Wood & Owen Gough
OECD 2nd International Cat Risks
Conference
Bangkok, Sept 25th 2009
Bringing Science to the Art of Underwriting™
TM
Agenda
 Best practices in the provision of hazard data
 Relevant perils in SE Asia
 Availability of mapped hazard data across SE
Asia
 Implications of the hazard data deficit – where
should provision and access now be focused?
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Best Practices
Key to tables
Hazard Map – Producing Authority
Type of map
Parameters
Risk Boundaries
Information
Retrieval Method
Access
Coverage
Either risk based (probabilistic/historical) or forecast
Damaging agent A, damaging agent B, damaging agent C
Boundaries for damaging agent A, boundaries for damaging agents B and C
Preparedness, evacuation or response information
How the data is retrieved by the user (e.g. address search or coordinates)
How the user initially locates the map or the search form
Stars approximately represent the coverage of the risk area e.g. US hurricane maps achieve 
coverage despite only including the East/Gulf Coast
Key to colours
Very Good
Good
Average
Poor
Very difficult to improve
Sufficient but minor improvements possible
Functional but requires some improvement
Very limited requires substantial improvement
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Tsunamis
Maximum wave heights
along the WA coast for
return periods of a) 100
years, b) 500 years, c)
1000 years, d) 2000
years
Tsunami Threat Map – FESA Western Australia
Type of map
Parameters
Risk Boundaries
Information
Retrieval Method
Access
Probabilistic
Wave height
100/500/1000/2000 year RP
None
Not searchable
Map available on FESA website, full report linked from GA website
Coverage
 Covers entire area at risk from tsunamis
© 2006 Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
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Earthquakes
Screenshot of the
information page
showing the risk level
of hazards, the
checklist of suggested
steps to prepare and
the tabs to view flood
and fire risk
My Hazards – CALEMA
Type of map
Parameters
Risk Boundaries
Information
Retrieval Method
Access
Probabilistic
Shaking, liquefaction, landslide, fault rupture
High/medium, at risk areas
Preparedness information tailored to each risk level, multi-format
Search by zip/address/coordinates
Prominent banner link from California state and emergency website
Coverage
 Covers all areas of the state of California
© 2006 Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
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Tropical Storms
NHC map of the Gulf
Coast showing return
periods for Category 5
hurricanes
Hurricane Preparedness – NHC/NOAA
Type of map
Parameters
Risk Boundaries
Information
Retrieval Method
Access
Probabilistic
Intensity (Saffir-Simpson scale)
Exact return periods for 75nm areas
None (available in other sections of NHC website)
Selectable by three areas of coast (Gulf, Southeast, Northeast)
Link from NHC website
Coverage
 Covers all of East and Gulf coast but only at discrete points
© 2006 Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
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Storm Surges
Example of 1% flood
heights for the French
Quarter, New Orleans
New Orleans Risk – US Army Corps of Engineers
Type of map
Parameters
Risk Boundaries
Information
Retrieval Method
Access
Coverage
Probabilistic
Height of inundation
2%/1%/0.2% annual probabilities on separate maps (50/100/500 year RP)
None (available in other sections of New Orleans Risk website)
Selectable by city area
Whilst this is easily available on NOR website, links should be available from more obvious sites such as
Louisiana or New Orleans disaster planning sites
 Covers New Orleans and Plaquemines but not entire NO metro area
© 2006 Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
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Floods
Screenshot of map
showing regions of
likely flooding, extreme
flooding and protected
zones. Data on specific
location risk is
available by clicking on
the map
Flood Map – England and Wales EA
Type of map
Parameters
Risk Boundaries
Information
Retrieval Method
Access
Probabilistic
No information
1%/0.5%/0.1% annual chance of flooding (100/200/1000 year RP)
Tailored information for each flood risk category
Search by postcode or browse map
Prominent link from Environment Agency website
Coverage
 Covers all of England and Wales
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Volcanoes
Extract from hazard
map for Mt. Rainier,
Washington
Mt. Rainier – USGS
Type of map
Parameters
Risk Boundaries
Information
Retrieval Method
Access
Probabilistic
Lahars, all other volcanic hazards
1-100/100-500/500-1000 year RP, 100-1000 year RP
None (available on other sections of USGS volcano site)
Viewed by volcano
Easily located from main USGS hazards page
Coverage
 Detailed mapping only covers areas surrounding major volcanoes
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Landslides
Extract from the IFFI
GIS map. Dark green
areas are at risk from
superficial landslides,
Light green areas have
COLAMENTO RAPIDO,
Purple hatching
represents urban
development and Red
areas have experienced
collapse or tipping.
Progetto IFFI – ISPRA
Type of map
Parameters
Risk Boundaries
Information
Retrieval Method
Access
Probabilistic/Historical
Superficial landslides, subsidence, collapse, expansion
Only given as ‘at risk’ areas
None
By address or area
Theoretically easily accessed but site frequently goes down
Coverage
 All of Italy covered CHECK THIS
© 2006 Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
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Survey of Hazard Information
in South East Asia
Key to tables
Country – Major Hazards
Map Type
Hazard
Coverage
Damaging Agents
Boundaries
Retrieval
Accessibility
Information/Reporting
Key to colours
Eq
Fl
Ls
Tr/Ss
Ts
Vo
Earthquake hazard
Flood hazard
Landslide hazard
Trop. storm and surge hazard
Tsunami hazard
Volcanic hazard
Perfect
Good
Average
Poor

Very difficult to improve
Sufficient but minor improvements possible
Functional but requires some improvement
Very limited requires substantial improvement
Approximate representation of area covered by hazard
maps
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CONFIDENTIAL
Countries included in the report
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© 2006 Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
CONFIDENTIAL
Bangladesh
Cyclone Sidr, November 2007
Casualties: 3,300
Losses: US$470million
•Strongest Indian Ocean cyclone
ever recorded
•Caused massive storm surge
devastating low land areas
•Would have caused 100,000+
casualties had it not been for early
evacuation
Bangladesh – Eq, Fl, Tr/Ss
Earthquakes
Floods
Tropical Storms
Storm Surges
Probabilistic

Local disaster action plans, road map
for improvements
Probabilistic

Warnings and preparedness
information
Probabilistic

Warnings online, other information
available to public but not online
Shaking
Duration, depth
475 year RP
Less detailed version available on
DBM website
Combined vulnerability index
No search function
Not apparently available online
Wind risk, storm surge
At risk, high/med risk
No search function
Linked from DMB website
No search function
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Cambodia
Severe Flooding, SeptemberOctober 2000
Casualties: 350
Losses: US$160million
•Large lengths of the Mekong River
burst its banks
•22 out of 24 provinces were
affected
•More than 3.4million people
displaced
Cambodia – Fl
Floods
Historical

Thorough warnings and preparedness
info, along with forecast data
Maximum historic flood
Selectable by river stations
At risk area
No obvious website for Cambodian
Disaster Management
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Indonesia
Earthquake, 27th May 2006
Casualties: 5,800
Losses: US$3100million
•Magnitude 6.2 event some 25km
South-West of Yogyakarta
•Despite relatively low intensity,
extremely shallow depth meant it was
very damaging
•Most casualties in the Bantul district
Indonesia – Eq, Fl, Ls, Ts, Vo
Earthquakes
Floods
Landslides
Tsunamis
Probabilistic

Well reported on the BMG website, some
information on hazards
P/F

Forecast for up to 2 months available,
information available
Probabilistic

Plenty of information available on PVMBG
website
Historical

Preparedness road shows/online information
and early warning
Worst Case
Volcanoes

Hazard levels and information for major
volcanoes is on PVMBG.
© 2006 Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
Ground shaking
Landslide
475/2500 year RP
Linked from the PVMBG website. More
detailed map from USGS
High/Medium/Low risk
Maps linked from BMG website, but
information harder to find
High/Medium/Low risk
Selectable by area
Linked from the PVMBG website
Damaged area
-
Selectable by area
Not directly available on Indonesian websites
Debris avalanches, pyroclastic flows, lateral
blasts, tephra, lahars
Worst case limits, 200/300/500/700 m3/s
volume flux
PVMBG
information selectable by volcano
CONFIDENTIAL
PVMBG information easily available. Detailed
Merabi map in a paper.
No search function
Flooding
Selectable by area
TM
Lao PDR
No major disasters have hit Lao
PDR in the recent past
Lao PDR – Fl
Floods
Historical

Thorough warnings and preparedness
info, along with forecast data
Maximum historic flood
Selectable by river stations
At risk area
DMH website provides MRC and local
data
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Malaysia
Severe Flooding, DecemberJanuary 06/07
Casualties: 118
Losses: US$395million
•Caused by extremely heavy
rainfall from the remnants of
Typhoon Utor
•In some areas rainfall exceeded
10% of the total annual
precipitation
•400,000 people displaced and
evacuated
Malaysia – Fl
Floods
Historical

Good information and warnings
available on Malaysia 999 site
Maximum historic flood
At risk area
Selectable by regional map plate
Only a few example areas available
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© 2006 Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
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Myanmar
Cyclone Nargis, 2nd May 2008
Casualties: Estimates range from
100,000 upwards
Losses: Estimated US$4billion-10billion
•Most damage and casualties caused by
storm surge
• No accurate loss/casualty figures
available
• Several million left homeless
Myanmar – Eq, Fl, Tr/Ss, Ts

Probabilistic
Earthquakes
Reports of significant seismic activity
on DMH website. No information
None
Floods
Tsunami
475 year RP
No search function
Not linked from any Myanmar
government website
-
-
-
Information links on DMH website do
not function
-
-
-
Information links on DMH website do
not function
-
None
-
DMH provides flood warnings.
None
Tropical Storm
Storm Surge
Ground shaking
-
DMH provides tropical storm and
storm surge warnings.
None
© 2006 Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
None
CONFIDENTIAL
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The Philippines
Typhoon Durian, 30TH November 2006
Casualties: 730+
Losses: US$1billion+
•Heavy rainfall caused huge mudslides
down flanks of Mayon Volcano
•Unlikely to ever determine full casualty
and loss data as some areas buried
under mud cannot be assessed
The Philippines – Eq, Fl, Ls, Tr/Ss, Ts, Vo
Probabilistic
Earthquakes
Floods
-
Tropical Storms
Storm Surges
Tsunamis

Information on hazards and recent activity for
all volcanoes
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Linked from PHIVOLCS website
-
-
Selectable by province
Low resolution version available from NDCC
-
-
Selectable by province
Low resolution version available from NDCC
-
-
Selectable by province
Low resolution version available from NDCC
-
-
Selectable by province
Low resolution version available from NDCC
Lahars, ash fall, pyroclastic and lava flows
High/medium/low risk, areas at risk

OCD relays warnings from the NOAA PTWC
Probabilistic
Volcanoes
No search function

OCD and NDCC issue storm warnings
-
475 year RP

Severe weather warnings issued by PAGASA
-
Ground shaking

Warnings issued by PAGASA
-
Landslides

Warnings and information on preparedness
available
TM
Selectable
CONFIDENTIAL
by volcano
Clear links from PIVS website
Singapore
Severe Flooding, December 1978
Casualties: 7
Losses: US$10million
•Caused by extremely heavy
monsoon rainfall
•Several thousand residents
evacuated and disrupted
Singapore – Fl
Floods
Probabilistic

Good information and warnings
available
Flood hazard
No search function but can be viewed
by road
At risk area
Well linked from PUB website but not
from SCDF
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CONFIDENTIAL
Thailand
Indian Ocean Tsunami,26th December
2004
Casualties: Estimates suggest 8,000+
Losses: US$1.5billion
• A tsunami, up to 30m high in some
places, was generated by a magnitude
9.2 earthquake off the northern tip of
Indonesia
•Worst hit were popular tourist regions
along the Andaman Sea coastline
•Accurate casualty numbers are hard to
determine as many bodies washed out
to sea
Thailand – Fl, Ts
Probabilistic
Floods
Tsunamis

Flood hazard
DDPM hazard training academies and
online resources.
MRC map selectable by river regions,
Chao Phraya map is not
Historical

Tsunami warnings, preparedness info
and evacuation routes
Damaged area
No search function
High/Med/Low risk
MRC map is easily available and well
linked. Chao Phraya map may be
linked.
Not directly available on Thai
websites
TM
© 2006 Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
CONFIDENTIAL
Vietnam
Severe flooding, OctoberDecember 1999
Casualties: 650
Losses: US$800million
•Caused by extremely heavy
rainfall from several storms
•1.7million people displaced or
otherwise affected
•55,000 people left homeless
Vietnam – Fl, Tr/Ss
Floods
Tropical Storms
Storm Surges
Historical

CCFSC and VRC provide information
in conjunction with MRC
None
CCFSC and VRC both provide
education and preparedness info
Flood height, maximum flood extent
Central maps, north and south maps
Selectable by area
Not obviously available online
-
Warnings provided on the CCFSC
website
-
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CONFIDENTIAL
Provision of earthquake hazard information
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Provision of flood hazard information
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Provision of landslide hazard information
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Provision of tropical storm hazard information
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Map of tsunami hazard information level
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Provision of volcano hazard information
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Background

The availability of mapped high res hazard data underpins
sustained economic development
– Informed risk management decisions need to be made at all
levels of society: from individuals, communities, corporations,
city administrations, regional and national governments

Hazard data needs to be disseminated – in particular online
– Hazard data should be regularly updated where climate
change is altering hazard levels or there is improved science
– Data also needs to be generated for indicative future hazard
– to inform long term planning/infrastructure decisions

Backed by strong risk education
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Implications of the hazard information
deficit

Cyclone Nargis in May 2007 highlighted the implications of
a situation where hazard data is unavailable

No flood hazard maps in the Irrawaddy Delta
– People did not know they lived in a storm surge flood
zone
– No evacuation plans
– No monitoring of cyclone forecasts

As a result c 100,000 died – through an ‘information
deficit’

Economic and health consequences will endure for years
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© 2006 Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
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