Geographic Information Systems and Their Use in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Cuba

Abstract

With the current development of informatics and communications technologies, geographic information systems (GIS) have become an important tool for decisionmaking in Cuba. The use of GIS in risk reduction management is a necessity for implementing state directives for the country’s planning, organization and preparation for disaster situations. This presentation outlines experiences in the use of geographic information systems in our country, undertaken by National Defense Civil and the Territorial Risk Reduction Management Centers for various extreme weather events, such as tropical hurricanes and seawater flooding. These GIS are made up of databases and software applications for tracking tropical hurricanes, evacuation plans, damage from seawater flooding and for the establishment for different protection phases, among other tasks.