Developing decision support systems for mitigating natural hazards risks through relocation

ABSTRACT

This paper explains the need for integrating decisions for mitigating natural hazards risk with other socio-economic factors based on the fact that some mitigation measures can reduce the risk of natural hazards, but they might introduce new risks for communities. Relocation is among these mitigation alternatives, which has a high potential for creating new risks especially impoverishment and social destruction risks. While planners and decision-makers would like to consider all possible impacts, they are constrained by financial and time issues. In such conditions decision support systems can help planners make better decisions. The process of developing a decision support system using multi-criteria valuation technique and GIS and non-GIS based development tools for relocation and regrouping of rural settlements exposed and affected by natural disasters has been illustrated. The experience shows that such systems can improve the quality and speed of decision making process significantly