Using GIS to locate Tsunami Evacuation Zones for the Big Island of Hawaii

Keywords: tsunamis, hawaii, gis, zones
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

The Big Island of Hawaii position puts the island in a precarious position when it comes to tsunamis. Being in the center of the Pacific Ocean leaves it vulnerable to tsunami strikes from multiple regions of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Due to this the residents of the island must always be prepared to evacuate in case of an emergency. The ability to evacuate quickly and efficiently can be the difference between life and death for a quick striking disaster such as a tsunami. This study aimed to find out whether GIS can be used to locate evacuation areas for the Big Island. Using multiple variables with a focus on land use it was hypothesized that the use of the software would prove to be effective at locating evacuation areas. The study found that evacuation areas could be found through this methodology and that with a more extensive study it would be possible to find the evacuation routes for the people of the island as well. The knowledge and methods gained from this study will allow for future studies to be done on other regions of the world that are at risk of tsunami strikes.