Quick Response Study: The Gujarat, India Earthquake of 26 January 2001

University Of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

This exploratory research focuses on time sensitive data and field research related to the Gujarat, India Earthquake of 26 January 2001. The severity of this earthquake and the magnitude of the losses in lives and property render it an important case study in seismic risk mitigation. The research will focus on how different types of information technology are used in mobilizing disater response and the extent to which each increases or decreases the efficiency in inter-organizational response to disaster. The broader implications of this research are the foundations it lays for developing and practically implementing sound models of mitigation and inter-organizational learning to contain the cost of natural disasters in both lives and property. The results of this research will be used to develop a preliminary decision support model, which links knowledge to action at the first line of response - the community. The proposed field research will be carried out within an interdisciplinary, international reconnaissance team, organized by the Western Seismic Safety Institute and the Earthquakes in Megacities Initiative involving researchers from different disciplines and nations. Thus another outcome of the research will be an expanded global network of hazards researchers. Three different types of data will be collected: 1) interviews with public, private, and nonprofit organizations will yield information on the types of information technologies use during the hazard response; how well those technologies met their needs; and areas of improvement will be identified; 2) Global Positioning Systems (GPS) data will be collected to locate major disaster sites to identify primary locations and types of information infrastructures that were used to mobilize the response; and 3) documentary data will be collected regarding the disaster operations process. Based on these data, a map of information flows between the organizations will be generated. The GPS data will be used to develop a GIS map. A final report will be generated and submitted to the NSF.