Natural disasters and humanitarian crises often create disorder and panic. While basic needs such as food, clean water, and shelter often take priority, access to accurate information helps calm societal turbulence. For information to be communicated, the underlying network must function, and for information to be accurate, the supporting soft infrastructure, such as institutions and policies, must exist.
ICT infrastructure plays different roles across the disaster cycle. Although early warning is one of the most decisive uses of ICT, this study focuses on the period during disasters, from the moment a hazard makes contact with humans to the early stages of recovery. In this period, telecommunications networks and the facilities needed to keep them operational are essential for the control and coordination required for relief and recovery.
This study was prepared for the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) by Professor Rohan Samarajiva (Chair, LIRNEasia) and Shazna Zuhyle (Research Fellow, LIRNEasia), with funding support from the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning, Republic of Korea. Published in 2016, the study provides insights that can inform disaster management and is due for an update.
The full study can be accessed here: The Resilience of ICT Infrastructure and Its Role during Disasters