From drones to social media, big data helps mitigate impact of complex disasters in Asia

  1. According to the UNESCAP report,rising global temperatures have increased the frequency and intensity of floods,cyclones and droughts in the Asia pacific region.
  2. Since 1970,natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region have killed two million people which is around 59% of the global death toll for that period. 
  3. However,technological innovations have helped in reducing some of that vulnerability.Big data innovations has revealed patterns of complex disaster risks which helps to understand and predict the risk of extreme and slow-onset events.
  4. Big data refers to the analysis of very large data sets to reveal patterns, trends and associations. 
  5. The data can come from a range of sources including satellite imagery, drone videos, simulations, crowdsourcing, social media and global positioning systems.
  6. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region.
  7. It has 53 Member States and 9 Associate Members from Asia-Pacific Region including India.It serves as the UN ‘s regional hub promoting cooperation among countries to achieve inclusive and sustainable development.