An overall application of Remote Sensing and GIS for disaster assessment: A case study for Chumphon Province
Dr. Suvit Vibulsresth,Dr. Darasri Downreang
Supak Wongparn,Ramphing Simking
Remote Sensing Division, National Research Council
Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Abstract
The Gay typhoon had shipped across the Gulf Thailand on November 3, 1989, terrorizing fisherman and sinking hundred of fishing vessels before it swept through the southern part of Thailand, flattering villages and agricultural land as it cut its destructive path across the isthmus.
An attempt is made to integrate remote sensing technology with geographic information system available at the remote sensing division of the national research council of Thailand in order to obtain information that could be useful and needed by the central government for establishing a plan for recovering the damaged area. This paper describes how the data are captured, selectively retrieved, analyzed for the assessment of disaster impacts related to sudden environment and landuse changes.
Introduction
The "GAY" typhoon swept across Chumphon province which is located in the southern region of Thailand, in the beginning of damages to property and agricultural area. Therefore, after the tragic situation, the government has immediately set up programmes for rehabilitation and relief. This report was prepared by RSD/NRCT in order to support the said programmes. This paper emphasized on the damages that occurred in area of economic corps via SPOT image processing technique. The results were then integrated with other information, for example, soil types, road network and elevation contours, by using geographic information system in order to make an assessment of disaster geographic impacts related to sudden environment and land use changes.
Objectives
The main objectives of the study are as follows:
- To use satellite data to map the existing resources in the disaster area. The features to be mapped include:
- the damaged economic crops
- the land use pattern before and after the Gay,
- water resources, and
- the present road network.
- To use the GIS in building up a database of the area. This database will incorporate the maps derived from satellite data in (2.1) and maps from other sources for information such a elevation contours and administrative boundaries.
- To apply the information contained in the database in the forecast for soil loss potential and its impacts on the environment.
The Gay Typhoon
Before this unfortunate situation, since October 30m 1989, the Meteorological Department of the Ministry of Transport and Communications had reported daily the weather forecasts on the formation of the typhoon called "Gay" from eh low pressure originated in the lower part of the Gulf of Thailand. About 5 days later, on November 4, the Gay struck the coastal are of Amphoe Pathiu and amphoe tha-sae. It then moved across the Kra Isthmus tot eh Andaman sea and finally became a depression on November 5.
The report of the adhoc committee for Rehabilitation and Relief of the "Gay" typhoon revelaed that 32, 301 families became the victims of the Gay. The Disaster in Chumporn province covered an are of 4,605 square kilometers including Amphoe Pathiu, amphoe Tha-sae, Amphoe Muang Chumphon, Amphoe Kraburi and Amphoe Bang-Sa-Phan. However, amphoe Pathiu, dn Amphoe Tha-Sae were considered the most severally damaged area since they were in the center of the movement of the Gay.
