—Next-Generation Disaster Prevention Digital Transformation with SuperMap GIS
Even in Tokyo, reports of heavy rain and typhoons now arrive almost every year. Natural disasters are no longer a distant "what if", but rather an everyday risk that can occur at any time.
So how can we protect lives and livelihoods from increasingly frequent and severe disasters? Addressing this urgent issue requires a fundamental shift in disaster prevention. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have the power to transform how society predicts, responds to, and recovers from disasters.
This article explores what a next-generation "integrated disaster prevention platform" might look like—seamlessly supporting prediction, emergency response, and recovery—using solutions provided by SuperMap GIS.
Phase 1: Prevention and Preparation — Minimizing Damage Before It Happens
The most crucial step in disaster management is acting before disaster strikes. Here, GIS plays a vital role by visualizing invisible risks and connecting them to concrete evacuation actions.
PLATEAU Makes 3D Flood Simulation Personal
A hazard map may tell you that your house sits in a flood-prone area—but for many, that feels abstract. Now imagine seeing a 3D image showing: “At maximum flooding, the water will reach the second floor of your home.”
SuperMap's desktop GIS, iDesktopX, leverages data from PLATEAU—a 3D city model developed by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism—to create highly realistic flood simulations. When these results are shared through the Web GIS platform iPortal, residents can easily check on their smartphones or PCs how their homes, schools, or workplaces may be affected.
By transforming abstract risks into personal, visual experiences, GIS motivates people to prepare in advance and evacuate quickly when emergencies strike.
Phase 2: Initial and Emergency Response — Delivering Life-Saving Information in Real Time
Once disaster hits, the situation changes by the minute. The greatest threat is often the "information barrier" —confusion caused when government agencies, first responders, and citizens struggle to share accurate information.
Building a Real-Time Common Operational Picture
The solution is a Common Operational Picture (COP), where every party sees the same live map of the situation.
At the core are SuperMap's server products iServer and iPortal, which integrate and visualize key data such as:
Weather warnings and river levels
Traffic restrictions
Evacuation shelter status
Lifeline damages
On-site reports from field staff
This real-time disaster map enables command centers to allocate resources quickly and effectively. Meanwhile, on-the-ground teams use the mobile GIS app iMobile to upload geotagged photos of damage, ensuring the map is always up to date.
Phase 3: Recovery and Reconstruction — Building a Resilient Future
After the immediate danger passes, the focus shifts to recovery and reconstruction: helping victims, rebuilding infrastructure, and creating more disaster-resilient cities. GIS again proves indispensable.
Rapid Damage Assessment with Drone and Satellite AI Analysis
Manually inspecting every building across a disaster zone would take weeks. SuperMap's ImageX Pro software uses AI to automatically identify fully or partially destroyed structures from drone and satellite images. This enables a rapid overview of damage and accelerates critical processes like issuing disaster damage certificates.
Moreover, by simulating pre-disaster and post-reconstruction urban landscapes on a 3D city model, officials can engage residents more effectively and build consensus on rebuilding plans.
Conclusion: From an Era of "Response" to an Era of "Prediction and Cooperation"
SuperMap GIS does not merely provide separate tools—it delivers an integrated disaster prevention platform that connects all phases of disaster management: preparation, emergency response, and recovery. By linking data and fostering collaboration across agencies and communities, it transforms disaster prevention into a cooperative, proactive effort.
By harnessing the full power of GIS, AI, and 3D technology, society can move beyond simply responding to disasters. We can learn to predict, prepare, and confront them together—turning today's growing risks into opportunities for resilience.
Source: SuperMap Blog https://supermap-japan.blogspot.com/2025/08/gissupermapdx.html
