GIS Application in Disaster Management

The Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 calls for a “significantly strengthened capacity to track, collate, monitor and disseminate information on phenomena and activities...” Furthermore, it states that "a key to having good information systems is to invest in mechanisms and capacity for surveillance, monitoring and evaluation”.

The power of GIS lies within its ability to answer questions posed in analyzing trends and displaying geographical data for decision making purposes. GIS act as consolidator of various kinds of data, spatial and non spatial, and is the best equipped tool for visualization of an emergency situation.

GIS plays a central role in the development of the National Disaster Management Center's (NDMC) enhanced National Disaster Management Information System (NDMIS). The system relates to various aspects such as Risk Assessments, Hazard Analysis, Vulnerability Assessment, Situational Awareness, Contingency Planning, Reporting Systems as well as Early Warning Systems.