1. MIS in Earthquake Response
‘Dream Team’
Dan Xie( )
Ruiting Cai( )
Jessica Seddon( )
Jianan Zhang( )
Layla Delgosha( )
Pei Zhu( )
Yun Yang( )

2. Agenda Introduction to global earthquakes and their consequences
Statistics about earthquake degree and death rates
Critical evaluation of the role of MIS in disaster response
Comparing MIS in developed and developing countries (Japan's system vs. SAHANA)
Evaluation

3. Introduction
Source: OFDA

4. Earthquake degree and death rates

5. The Standard Characteristics of MIS in Earthquakes
A system that records, collects, keeps, retrieves and analyses inputs and alters the reports and required earthquake information (Sima,2009)
Once the earthquake is identified, the system will estimate the damage and loss
It contains earthquake Early Warning System (EEW) and post recovery system

6. SWOT Analysis of Earthquake MIS
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Information reliability
User involvement (information gap)
Budget constraints
Not easy to change
Preparing for disasters in the future
Government support/Collaboration
New technology and innovation
Unpredictability
Software failure (e.g. virus)
Security of hardware
Risk reducing
Forecast (before)
S:Reducing an earthquake loss take place before, during and after earthuake by using an efficiency MIS. And a rapid response to a damaging earthquake will reduce loss of life, lessen complications from injuries and secondary damage and loss, and expedite relief to victims .
W: information: difficult to collect, based on the past information to design the MIS, the existence of unreliable information; once the MIS is designed, it is diffcult to change.
O: since MIS of the earthquake area can provide a preparation for disaster in the future, so it is likely to raise fund from the government and public; adopting new technology can improve the efficiency of MIS
Reference:Sima Ajami, Mahshid Fattahi, (2009) "The role of earthquake information management systems (EIMSs) in reducing destruction: A comparative study of Japan, Turkey and Iran", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 18 Iss: 2, pp.150 – 161
Rapid response
Reconstruct (after)

7. MIS in Developed Countries
Background of Japan
Japan is the third largest economy in the world but also one of the most earthquake-prone countries.
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) uses the “PHOENIX” post recovery system:
“PHOENIX”Preement Hyogos Emergency Management Network for Disaster Information Exchange
Benefits
Drawbacks
Advanced networks
Direct connection with broadcasting media
Fast, accurate, reliable
Earthquakes are very much unpredictable
Sensitivity – false alarms
Vulnerability to human error

8. Source from: Disaster Prevention and Management (2009)
Phoenix System
Introduced in the late 1950’s
Localised systems in each town to collect information
Source from: Disaster Prevention and Management (2009)

9. MIS in Developing Countries
Lack of resources to fund MIS
Prior to SAHANA – no globally accepted standard
Response to the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake (2004)
Tsunami Evaluation Commission:
“significant effort and funding should be dedicated to organizing open source, easily shareable software and training tools to prepare for all stages of disaster response”
Open Source Software – can be improved and distributed at no cost (not built on proprietary of licensed software platforms and not owned by any single entity)
Unfortunately, developing countries, and their Governments, often don’t have the same scale of resources available to them when designing and implementing management information systems for natural disasters. Also, there are always higher priority areas competing for funding. (LAYLA – do we want to mention the lack of profits associated with software development such as this?)
Consequently the effects and fatalities of earthquakes in developing areas tend to be more significant.
Furthermore, prior to the SAHANA system, there was no globally accepted standard which governments and organisations could use.
The SAHANA system was a direct response to the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake in 2004 which devastated Indonesia amongst other areas.
The Tsunami Evaluation Commission recommended open source, shareable software which could be used by all those affected by earthquakes, and for free.
The open source characteristic of the system is beneficial as it is free to improve and distribute the software to all who require it.

10. More on SAHANA SAHANA – Low cost, FOSS approach, adaptability
Awards – Highest award in the Open Source Industry (Free Software Foundation) Award for Social Benefit (beat Project Gutenburg & Wikipedia)
Drawback – lack of a helpline
SAHANA is acclaimed for being: - Low cost to use and maintain - It uses the FOSS approach which as an open and transparent system, fits well with the principles of most humanitarian organisations. - The system can also be set up, adapted and localised quickly, meaning it can be more responsive to the specific situation. As a web based system, it doesn’t require end users to install any additional software.
(Discuss diagram?)
The system has received much attention and praise since its initial development. Namely, it received the highest award in the open source industry in 2006, from the Free Software Foundation. It also beat Project Gutenburg and Wikipedia for the award for social benefit.
Despite its many strength we have identified that a potential drawback to the SAHANA system is the lack of a helpline for users.

11. Evaluation PHOENIX Vs. SAHANA CSF for MIS in earthquake
Top management support
Planned channels for information flows
User involvement and training
Coordination and Cooperation within each department

14. References
Ajami, S. & Fattahi, M. (2009) ‘The role of earthquake information management systems (EIMSs) in reducing destruction: A comparative study of Japan, Turkey and Iran’, Disaster Prevention and Management, 18(2), pp.150 – 161
Careem et al. (2006) ‘Sahana, Overview of a Disaster Management System’, Proceedings of the International Conference on Information and Automation. Available at: ftp://ftp.umiacs.umd.edu/pub/louiqa/PUB06/Sahana6.pdf
Currion et al. (2007) ‘Open Source Software for Disaster Management’, Communications of the ACM, 50(3), pp
Daniell, J. E. (2011) ‘Open Source Procedure for Assessment of Loss using Global Earthquake Modelling software (OPAL)’, Natural Hazards and Earth Systems Science. Available at:
Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (2012). Available at:
International Free and Open Source Solutions Foundation (2012). Available at:
Leebmann, J. & Kyalo Kiema, J. B, (n.d) ‘Knowledge Representation In Technical Information Systems For Earthquake Loss Mitigation’. Available at:
Phoenix Geographics Ltd (1996) ‘Earthquake Prediction in Future’, The Phoenix, 6, pp. 1-8
Seeger, M. W., Sellnow, T. L., & Ulmer, R. R. (2003). Communication, organization and crisis. West port, CT: Quoru
Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (2012). Available at:
Reynolds, B. & Seeger, M. (2005) ‘Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication as an Integrative Model’, Journal of Health Communication, 10, pp
Woodworth, B. (n.d) ‘The SAHANA Disaster Management System: A contribution by IBM’. Available at:
Xu et al (2009). ‘Coseismic reverse- and oblique-slip surface faulting generated by the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, China’, The Geological Society of America, 37 (6), pp
Yamada et al (2004). ‘Earthquake Disaster Prevention Information System Based on Risk Adaptive Regional Management Information System Concept’ 13th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Available at:

15. It can forecast a tsunami around three minutes in advance
Benefits: The most advanced networks let JMA issue the most advanced warnings and information in the world.
The warnings and information are also provided to the public through broadcasting media.
Drawbacks: issuing appropriate warnings and information is not enough to mitigate the disasters.
Since Feb/2004 to June/2006, EEW had 26 out 855 of false alarm.
The system takes only two minutes to produce a report after the earthquake has occurred
It can forecast a tsunami around three minutes in advance