HazardHunterPH is now available in Play Store (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hazardhunterph.myapplication.), allowing mobile phone users to retrieve government-generated hazards information right at the tip of their fingers!
The DOST-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), through the multi-agency GeoRisk Philippines Initiative, now launches the HazardHunterPH mobile application for Android users. Features of the mobile application include distance assessment functions, enabling the public to determine distances of specified locations from active faults, volcanoes and danger zones of active volcanoes. Mobile users are enabled to conduct earthquake-related hazard assessment for ground rupture, ground shaking, liquefaction, earthquake-induced landslides and tsunami. Volcanic hazards such as lava, lahars, pyroclastic density currents, ballistic projectiles, base surge and seiches for selected active volcanoes are also made available. Weather-related hazards included in the assessment are floods, strong winds and storm surge.
In order to generate Hazard Assessment Reports for earthquake-, volcano- and weather-related hazards, just like in the web application, users need only to look for a location on the map, double-tap the area of interest, wait for about 15 seconds and click on the green button in the hazard assessment summary pop-up. Explanations and recommendations are coming straight from the DOST-PHIVOLCS, DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the DOST-Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). To visualize the hazards on the map, mobile users need to turn on the hazard layers by checking the box that pertains to the desired hazards.
Other features in the web application that will soon be added in the mobile version include HazardHunterPH’s capability for near real-time monitoring of earthquake events and display of administrative boundaries and probabilistic seismic hazard models. Users may still access the HazardHunterPH web application at https://hazardhunter.georisk.gov.ph.
HazardHunterPH application facilitates the Ease of Doing Business in government by allowing government agencies, private institutions and the public to conduct multi-hazard assessments themselves, thereby decreasing acquisition time of hazards assessment and reports by about 5,000%. Mainstreaming of HazardHunterPH in government systems may help alleviate burdens from the Filipino citizens by skipping the need to individually secure Hazard Assessment Reports from government or private entities for approval of Projects, Building Permits and Bank Loans. In the future, detailed hazard assessment by government agencies may still be conducted for critical facilities and for areas directly affected by related hazards.
Last July 1, 2019, a directive was issued by the Cabinet for all government agencies to share information that may be useful for risk assessments to the GeoRiskPH integrated system and as well as for government agencies to use GeoRiskPH platforms, including HazardHunterPH for hazard assessment.
Another web application recently released by GeoRiskPH for LGUs and decision-makers is the GeoAnalyticsPH: Tsunami Analytics, which is able to give summary reports on population, schools and health facilities exposed to tsunami hazards nationwide. It can also calculate total area exposed to tsunami.
