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GIS Application for the Tonga Cyclone Emergency Response Management Project.
Samuela Mailau
Tonga
Ministry of Lands Survey and Natural Resources, Tonga
sammailau@lands.gov.to
Tevita Malolo
Tonga
Ministry of Lands Survey and Natural Resources, Tonga
malolo@lands.gov.to
Abstract :
Tonga, a country with many islands, lies with in the South Pacific notorious cyclone belt and has experienced many devastating events over the years.
On 30th December 2001, Tropical Cyclone Waka struck Tonga. The damage caused by this cyclone was estimated to T$104.2 millions and was confined to infrastructure, houses and schools.
The directing of emergency aids to most critical areas was difficult due to the lack of a comprehensive system for land management, planning and damage assessment. This indicates that the existing disaster management mechanisms of Tonga were too slow in responding to emergencies.
This traumatic events and recognizing the inherent weaknesses impeding effective emergency planning and response, the World Bank responded to a request from the Tongan government by supporting the Cyclone Emergency Recovery and Management (CERM) Project.
The Project aims are to strengthen and to upgrade the emergency and risk management capacity of the country and to provide for the upgrading of land and risk information by establishing of a Geographical Information System (GIS) for national use.
This paper describes and discusses the potential application of GIS for planning and hazard mitigation measures, thereby reducing the risk. GIS application can also provide an estimate of losses for a hazard event, either before it occurs or immediately after.
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