Natural hazards like earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, volcanoes and floods threaten lives and cause billions in damage every year. Geoscientists are working to better monitor and research these hazards so policymakers and the public have information to improve preparedness, response and resilience. Hazard maps that identify risks from multiple geological threats are important tools for planning, development and raising awareness. Such maps integrate data on geology, terrain and historical hazard events. They indicate hazard locations, likelihoods and impacts in a clear format to guide various stakeholders and authorities. Developing accurate hazard maps requires collecting and combining relevant data from different sources and disciplines to assess risks from natural phenomena.

1. Myanmar Geologist Society (Singapore) 21st
Annual Memorial Magazine, 2016
English Section (Page 170-176)

2. Every year, natural hazard events threaten
lives and livelihoods, resulting in deaths and
billions of dollars in damage. Many
geoscientists and various institutions are
working with many partners to monitor,
assess, and conduct targeted research on a
wide range of natural hazards so that
policymakers and the public have the
understanding to enhance preparedness,
response and resilience. For planning and risk
assessment to tackle the Natural Hazards for
public awareness, alarming and evacuation,
Hazard Maps are essentially needed for
institutions and governmental working
committees of Natural Disaster Prevention, in
future.
Introduction
Generally, there are five Natural Hazards
related with geology: Tsunami Hazard,
Earthquake Hazard, Landslide Hazard,
Volcano Hazard, Flood and Drought Hazard.
The development of Geographical Information
System (GIS) technology in recent days,
combination with information from geological
maps may help in the building of a related
database for all faces of disaster events and
managements. Hence, geology-related hazard
mapping and application will be important role
for geoscientists and can help to initiate public
awareness and to improve understanding
between stakeholders and diverse
governmental bodies in coming years.
Recent days, disaster patterns are increasingly
complicated, thus disaster prevention action
needs for multi-hazards, multi-scale, multi-
faced, and multi-disciplinary. Combination of
geological data on a topographic map with
other geographic information is an initial stage
to develop a Natural Hazard Map for a specific
area. Sometimes, those maps can be useful not
only for prevention and mitigation but also for
Urban Planning and Development.
Geologic Hazards
Geologic hazards are responsible for great loss
of life and destruction of property. In the 20th
Century more than a million people worldwide
have been killed by earthquakes alone, and the
value of the property destroyed by
earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis amounts
to scores of billions of dollars with many
subsequent social and environmental
disordered impacts.
There are many Geoscience disciplines and
specialized subjects involve in Geologic and
Natural Hazards such as Volcanology,
Seismology, Coastal and Marine Geology,
Sedimentology, Hydrogeology, Structural
Geology, Remote Sensing, Stratigraphy,
Engineering Geology, and Geotechnical
Engineering,
In order to get a Hazard Map, there are steps
(3-C Concept) to create databases based on the
Topographic Map in various scales including
2D and 3D.
(1) Classification of hazards (Single,
Combined, Multiples)
(2) Correlation with historical hazards
(Predictability, Probability and
Repeatability)
(3) Casualties of hazards (Severity, Area
extent and Lives)

3. Table (1) A SIMPLIFIED CLASSIFICATION OF MAJOR GEOLOGIC HAZARDS
Hazard Map Format
Maps are the most effective way to convey actual and relative location and can be simply defined as
flat geographic portrayals of information through the use of symbols. A good introduction to types
and contents of maps includes data overlays and extractions, and land use and land cover mapping.
Such approaches help the multiple hazard maps not just convey that natural hazards exist, but also to
note their location, severity, and likelihood of occurrence in an accurate, clear, and convenient way
with appropriate scales.
Except for its orientation information (roads, rivers, railways, Canals, Tunnels, Airports, coastlines,
names of places such as Schools, Community Centers, Civil Defense Shelter, Hospitals,
Communications Centers, Fire stations, Police Stations, Office Buildings, Warehouses, Evacuation
Assembly Points, Auditoriums, Theatres, Stadiums, Shrines, Temples, Churches and Monasteries)
the map should be as uncluttered and stripped down as much as possible. There are 3 kinds of maps
to study and/or to refer as databases before developing the Natural Hazard Maps. Moreover, Utility
Power Plants, Petrochemical and Nuclear Facilities, Industrial, Agricultural and Transportation
information should be included in Hazard maps.
Geologic Event Hazards They Cause
Earthquake
A. Ground shaking
B. Surface faulting
C. Landslides and liquefaction
1. Rock avalanches
2. Rapid Soil flows
3. Rock falls
D. Tsunamis
Volcanic Eruption
A. Tephra falls and ballistic projectiles
B. Pyroclastic Flows
C. Lahars (mud flows) and floods
D. Lava flows and domes
E. Poisonous gases

4. Table (2) REFERENCE MAPS FOR MULTI-HAZARDS MAPPING
1. Natural Resource Maps 2. Hazard-related Maps
3. Vulnerability and Risk
Assessment Maps
a. Climate Map a. Bathymetric Map a. Built Structure Map
b. Geologic Map* b. Desertification Map b. Cadastral Map
c. Hydrologic Map c. Epicenter Map c. Demographic Map
d. Landform or Geomorphic
Map
d. Active Faults Map* d. Drainage and Irrigation Map
e. Ecological Map e. Flash Flood Map e. Infrastructure Map
f. Soils Map* f. Floodplain Map f. Land-Use and Vegetation Map
g. Topographic Map g. Landslide Map* g. Lifeline and Critical Facilities Map
h. Earthquake Intensity Map h. Population Density Map
i. Seismo-tectonic Map*
j. Storm Surge Map
k. Volcano Map*
l. Windstorm Map
Note: (*) Geology-Related Maps
Table (3) EXAMPLES OF THE TYPES OF INFORMATION NEEDED TO ASSESS THE
HAZARD POTENTIAL OF NATURAL PHENOMENA (Bender, 1986)
EARTHQUAKE LANDSLIDE HURRICANES RIVER FLOODS
LOCATION
Epicenters Inventories Landfall Channel
Geologic
formations
Geologic
formations
Path Floodway
Slope/ Past
Landslides
Floodplain
Man-made &
Deforestation
Elevation
SEVERITY
Intensity Velocity Wind velocity Volume
Magnitude Displacement Rainfall Velocity
Acceleration Volume Rate of rise
Displacement Man-made
LIKELIHOOD
OF
OCCURRENCE
Recurrence
interval
Earthquake
recurrence
Historical
occurrence
Historical return
periods
Slip rates Slope Stability Flood of record
Historical
seismicity
Rainfall patterns Design event
Tsunamis Bank cutting rates Deforestation

5. Figure (1) MULTIPLE HAZARD MAP OF GULF OF MAXICO (Bender, 1986)
Figure (2) EARTHQUAKE INTENSITY MAP OF SOUTHERN HIMALAYA, INDIA,
BANGLADESH AND MYANMAR

6. Figure (3) RISK OF GROUND SHAKING DAMAGE FOR TILT-UP CONCRETE
BUILDING MAP (Perkins, 1978)

7. Conclusion
This article has provided only guidelines on the use of geologic hazard information for development
planning, and catalogues information at a general level. The next obvious step is to proceed to the
national level. For each steps, a compilation should be made of existing information and information
being prepared on hazards associated with ground shaking, landslides, liquefaction, volcanic
eruptions, and tsunamis and on mitigation, monitoring, and warning measures in place. Such a
catalogue could also include a brief guide on how to use the information in a development planning
study. These guides could be prepared and highlighted for role of Geologists in Natural hazard
mapping and application in future. Yet Hazard Maps could greatly increase the value of expenditures
for scientific and engineering studies of geologic hazards in our country, Myanmar.
References
Bender, S.O. (1986) Forestry Development and Resource Management Planning Project: Report on
Natural Hazards Assessment and Settlement Development Planning in Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Washington, D.C.: Organization of American States.
Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance United States Agency for International Development and
Department of Regional Development and Environment for Economic and Social Affairs
Organization of American States (1991) Primer on Natural Hazard Management in Integrated
Regional Development Planning.
Perkins, J.B. (1978) Identification of Possible Class I Site Areas, Solid Waste Management Plan.
Technical Memorandum 7. Berkeley, California: Association of Bay Area Governments.