Filtered By: Scitech
SciTech

AusAid donates 3D disaster map of Manila to NDRRMC


Almost two years after the destructive typhoon Ondoy wrought havoc on Metro Manila, the country can now be more prepared for similar disasters thanks to a high-resolution geohazard map granted by the Australian government to the Philippines. Under a P260 million grant awarded by the Australian Government Overseas Aid Program (AusAID) and Geoscience Australia, a high-resolution 1,300-square kilometer map of Metro Manila has been turned over to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) on Friday. Sophisticated LiDAR technology The map—created through a sophisticated imaging process called Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology, which uses laser beams to capture a three-dimensional model of the capital—will be used in conjunction with the disaster risk reduction efforts of the government. While having a map does not guarantee zero casualties during disasters, Presidential Adviser on Environmental Protection Nereus Acosta said it will help in better management of the government's disaster risk reduction efforts. "How can you manage that which you cannot measure? This can be used for measuring. How can you monitor effectively that which you cannot map?" Acosta said. Mapping surface elements is essential Compared with existing digital maps owned by the government, which were captured using other technologies such as satellite imagery, the LiDAR maps are more detailed in that they not only capture the topography of the area, but also the various surface elements as well. Dr. Andy Barnicoat of Geoscience Australia stressed that this is a crucial factor in geohazard mapping, since elements such as buildings, trees and houses are factors in accurately depicting risk in a particular disaster situation. "Accurate data is needed in building models for different scenarios and simulations," Barnicoat pointed out while showing the audience at a press briefing how water from a local tsunami is often contained by tall buildings. Further work with NAMRIA, others The almost 0.5-terabyte LiDAR data set given to the government, however, cannot be used for upcoming disasters just yet, Barnicoat clarified. "It still needs further work to extract relevant data, a process which will be undertaken by NAMRIA and other agencies," he explained. Once the three-year project has been firmly established, local governments can use data from the LiDAR maps to effectively carry out simulations of strong winds, flooding and earthquake scenarios in their respective areas. This is especially helpful in crafting disaster-mitigation and prevention procedures in risk-prone cities, according to Barnicoat, as it "enhances the capacity [of decision-makers] to understand the behavior and likely impacts of disasters in their cities." The project, however, is just the initial phase of a broader disaster risk-reduction development assistance program from the Australian government, which is carried under the banner BRACE program. Pilot test case in Taguig Proponents of the umbrella program have picked out Taguig City, one of the burgeoning cities in Metro Manila, as a pilot test case to implement other phases of the program, which include flood risk modeling, impact and risk assessment from severe wind, earthquake risk modeling and information education campaign. "The key challenge is taking the information from the LiDAR survey and translate that to a [concrete] understanding of disaster risk," said Andrew Egan of AusAID. "In Taguig, there would be interventions that would use the data to better inform local communities." Using data generated from the high-resolution maps, Egan said they will work with the Taguig City government to improve land use planning, crafting early warning systems, and relocation of at-risk informal settlers to safer settlements in other parts of the city. Egan said they chose Taguig because it is one of the few cities in Metro Manila which is still under early development with a significant amount of land that can be used for housing. "It will be a lot more difficult [to carry this out] in some other more congested city in Metro Manila. When you apply mapping data, part of it is looking at land use within the area, so this could also influence building codes in the city," he explained. Once the project has garnered success in Taguig, Egan said they will look into eventually rolling out the same programs in other parts of Metro Manila, or even around the country. — TJD, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT