The Municipality of Guatemala recently reported on an earthquake drill carried out in the city, this was devised with magnitude at the Central American level, the main objective of said activity is to determine the impact that having geospatial information can have on decision making and strengthening of alliances with key organizations in the region.
The activity included the participation of The NASA Disasters Program team, who provided top-level technology and guided the participants on the actions to take based on their experience.
Ricardo Quiroga, disaster coordinator commented: “Having access to exact times and data is necessary to be able to reduce natural risks in communities, since waiting until disasters happen can represent a challenge for governments in obtaining necessary resources”.
It is worth mentioning that search and rescue groups from 7 Central American countries participated in the drill, as well as international humanitarian organizations, Central American military rescue forces, governments of different countries, among others.
NASA TEAM IMPLEMENTED
Within the drill, the technology of Navteca, a service company that constantly works hand in hand with NASA, was implemented. One of the systems used was 3D visualizations, where the terrain and its possible risks could be observed.
Complex scientific data was also translated into a more user-friendly visual format, allowing a better interpretation for professionals involved in this type of disaster, thus benefiting participants from different organizations and authorities in making decisions based on accurate information.
“Through drills like these, Central American governments and humanitarian organizations can prepare using data from NASA and obtain an aid and rescue response,” Quiroga said.
