During emergencies, spatial data plays an important role in analyzing situations and informing decisions. However, accessing and managing this geospatial data across different agencies can be challenging. To address this, many countries have established national spatial data clearinghouses that serve as online portals allowing emergency forces to access and share static and dynamic geospatial data in a single place. However, issues remain such as a lack of standardization and interoperability between specialized systems, insufficient funding, and challenges managing field data. The paper proposes developing an effective clearinghouse for Nepal that can help coordinate emergency response by facilitating access to up-to-date geospatial data and information.

1. CLEARINGHOUSE FOR GEO-SPATIAL DATA FOR AN EMERGENCY
PERSPECTIVE
Er. Ashim Sharma
ashimsharmaa9@gmail.com / www.ashimsharma.com.np
KEY WORDS: Clearinghouse, Geo-portal, SDI, Spatial Data
ABSTRACT
During an emergency perspective, spatial data plays an important role for analyzing the current
situation and make the decisions accordingly. While this spatial data facilitates all the emergency
forces during such situations, effective management and assessment of all this geospatial data in
a single place is often a problem. Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is a critical aspect for planning,
discovery and exchange of information for support of disaster management. For addressing such
problems, spatial data clearing houses were established to bring together geo-data suppliers and
geo-data users. With the establishment of national clearinghouses in 83 countries by April 2005,
database and metadata information can be accessible via internet but in terms of management and
use, declining trends were found. Due to insufficient standardization of process and protocols for
data exchange, the variety of issues arises that delay their use for emergency management. In this
paper, the concept for an appropriate spatial data infrastructures clearinghouse which serves as a
generic platform for crisis management event and advises for changes are presented.
INTRODUCTION
When disaster occurs, the most important part
is the good estimation of the current situation.
Different questions may arise when disaster
happens, like where is the situation happening?
How to get there safely? Where are the
victims? Number of resources available? Lack
of response coordination and integrated
information and communication systems, and
geospatial data and tools will make situation
much worse. During such situations,
preparation of good planning may reduce their
damages. One of the main challenges is in the
spatial domain, i.e. definition of well-defined
standardized services for discovery and
exchange of information (Scholten et al. 2008).
Such services are closely related also to the
development of Spatial Data Infrastructure
(SDI) at all levels (local, regional, national and
international) for support of disaster
management. Most of the data are scattered
among different agencies, the data and tools
required by skilled manpower are often not
available in desired quantity, therefore
effectively managing and accessing all these
geospatial data in a single place is needed.
Figure 1: Worldwide distribution of spatial data
clearinghouses (456) by country

2. Addressing all these issues and problems, a
mechanism is developed for the exchange and
sharing of static and dynamic geo-spatial data
between the emergency forces, “clearing
house”; a web-portal serving as the gate-way to
geospatial data and information. Recent
research has shown that by April 2005, 83
countries have established SDI internet-based
clearinghouses to bring together geo-data
suppliers and geo-data users, whilst 25
countries have started projects to build
clearinghouses (Lemmens 2006). With the
clearinghouses available, database and
metadata information can be accessible via the
internet.
A spatial data clearinghouse can be defined as
an electronic facility for searching, viewing,
transferring, ordering, advertising and/or
disseminating spatial data from numerous
sources via the Internet. Such a facility usually
consists of a number of servers, which contain
information (metadata) about available digital
data (Crompvoets 2006). It gives uniform,
distributed search to all domestic metadata
collections through a single user interface to
find data and maps.
Figure 2: Schematic structure of clearinghouses
Clearinghouses provides a framework for
collecting, analyzing and using complex
spatial data to help countries dealing with
national and global challenges. It includes
different applications like flood management,
landslide monitoring etc. from where we can
remotely assess damage and potential dangers
without physically entering dangerous and
inaccessible areas. This helps experts to make
important decisions for further actions.
Development of effective clearinghouses help
to explore, structure and solve complex spatial
problems such as the evacuation process in
disaster response. Disaster response support
can be enhanced to provide dynamism and
flexibility with the integration of simulation
models with GIS for which can be accessed
through geoportals.
Figure 3: An overview of context-aware SDI for disaster
management
CLEARINGHOUSE IN NEPAL FOR
EMERGENCY PERSPECTIVE
In Nepal, National Spatial Data Infrastructure
(NSDI) is the common portal to view and use
geospatial data in effective and efficient way
and link with other attribute database.
Government of Nepal has initiated the National
Geographical Information Infrastructure
Programme (NGIIP) for building national
spatial data infrastructure since 2002. Nepal
Geospatial Portal is being developed with the
technical support of ICIMOD. From Nepal
Geospatial Portal, users (spatial data
producers) can upload the geospatial data
produced by them and administrator (NGIIP)
will check the quality (BC 2015). Nepal’s
national action plan on disaster management
consists of four main plans on: disaster
preparedness, disaster response, disaster
reconstruction and rehabilitation action, and
disaster mitigation. (Ministry of Home Affairs

3. 1996). During the 2015 earthquake in Nepal
which affected 31 districts, pre and post
disaster satellite images, maps and data were
provided free to support Rescue and Recovery
activities by many organizations. Survey
Department also provided vector topographic
data of the earthquake-affected districts. Many
national and international organizations
involved to prepare maps and information and
disseminated information online. A
preliminary study of displacement due to
earthquake was also carried out by Survey
Department, after the earthquake with the
observation of 5 higher order control points
around Kathmandu Valley (BC 2015). For
reconstruction and resettlements, the role of
integrated and updated statistical and
geospatial information played its part.
Figure 4: NSDI Clearinghouse provided by Survey
Department (http://nationalgeoportal.gov.np/)
In July 2, 2008 workshop was conducted on
Spatial Data Infrastructure and Disaster
management where initiatives for facilitating
the development of suitable infrastructures of
geographic information and establishment of
disaster management support system at
appropriate level in the country was discussed.
The conclusion was drawn to constitute a high
level geographic information committee to
enhance inter-agency cooperation and to
manage all sectors involved in collection and
handling of spatial data and information. Also
all government agencies should take necessary
initiatives to establish a GIS unit and to
facilitate easy sharing of data among eachother
for informed decision making and coordinated
development of NGII.
RESULTS
Most of the countries have already established
an effective SDI internet-based clearinghouses
regarding emergency management framework,
however, there are numerous underlying
obstacles that complicate an adequate crisis
response.
• Lack of good communication between
sectors in emergency response due to
operability of these sectors with
particular systems, which makes it
difficult to exchange the information
between all sectors.
• A variety of narrow specialized
systems for only emergency situations.
• Lack of appropriate platform (user-
friendly interfaces) for data exchange.
• Insufficient standardization of
processes and protocols, especially for
data exchange and proper funding.
• Management of information from the
field (reports, images, video, dynamic
data, etc.)
DISCUSSION
SDI clearinghouses is considered as a critical
aspect of decision-making in disaster
management. Disasters occurs in every part of
any country with little or no warning, so the
best defense is to plan for an effective
response. Although many of the geospatial data
needed for emergency response generally have
already been developed by communities for
other purposes, there are a variety of issues,
plans and policies that currently delay their use
for emergency management. Therefore, steps
must be taken to explicitly recognize and meet
the geospatial needs of the emergency
management field.

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