THE USE OF GIS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL DISASTERS AND CRISIS SITUATIONS
THE USE OF GIS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL DISASTERS AND CRISIS SITUATIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46687/jsar.v28i1.431Keywords:
GIS, Disaster management, Real-time data, Crisis response, IoT, Artificial intelligence, Cloud computing, Predictive analytics, ResilienceAbstract
The increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters highlight the urgent need for effective tools to support crisis management. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have established themselves as a key platform for collecting, analyzing, and visualizing spatial data, providing decision-makers with timely and reliable information. This paper explores the role of GIS in disaster management across all critical phases: prevention, monitoring, response, and recovery. The study emphasizes the integration of real-time data, IoT sensors, and satellite imagery, which enhance early warning systems and improve coordination between institutions. In addition, technological innovations such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and AR/VR visualization extend the potential of GIS for predictive analytics, training, and rapid response. By examining international best practices and national applications, the paper outlines the challenges and opportunities for developing resilient GIS-based solutions. The findings demonstrate that GIS is not only a technological tool but also a strategic instrument for reducing risks, optimizing resource allocation, and supporting sustainable development in the face of natural disasters.
References
Adaptation to Climate Change – Disaster Risk Management: Assessment of the “Disaster Risk Management” Sector, Republic of Bulgaria, Consultancy Services for the National Strategy and Action Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change, 2018. www.eufunds.bg.
M. Batty, K. W. Axhausen, F. Giannotti, A. Pozdnoukhov, A. Bazzani, M. Wachowicz, and Y. Portugali, “Smart cities of the future,” Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top., vol. 214, no. 1, pp. 481–518, 2012.
M. F. Goodchild, “GIScience for a changing world,” Int. J. Geogr. Inf. Sci., vol. 34, no. 12, pp. 2395–2400, 2020.
R. Kitchin and M. Dodge, “The (in)security of smart cities: vulnerabilities, risks, mitigation, and prevention,” J. Urban Technol., vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 47–65, 2019.
Official Website of Esri Bulgaria. Available at: https://esribulgaria.com (Accessed: [October 12, 2025]).
S. Li, S. Dragicevic, F. A. Castro, M. Sester, S. Winter, A. Coltekin, and T. Cheng, “Geospatial big data handling theory and methods: A review and research challenges,” ISPRS J. Photogramm. Remote Sens., vol. 115, pp. 119–133, 2016.
Y. Lu and R. Ramakrishnan, “Real-time GIS and big data analytics: Applications and research directions,” ACM SIGSPATIAL Special, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 4–15, 2019.
Stoykov, E., Data quality for hydrographic measurements, Journal Scientific and Applied Research, Volume 21, Shumen 2021, ISSN: 1314-6289 (print), ISSN 2815-4622 (Online), pp. 26 – 30,
https://jsar.ftn.shu.bg/index.php/jsar/issue/view/26.
J. Zhang, W. Li, and Q. Huang, “Real-time geospatial data processing in the era of 5G and IoT,” Int. J. Digit. Earth, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 345–362, 2022.
United Nations, The Role of Geospatial Information in Addressing Global Challenges, Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM), 2020.
European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructures and Smart Cities, ENISA Report, 2021.
ESRI, The Science of Where: Real-Time GIS Applications, Redlands, CA: Environmental Systems Research Institute, 2022.
P. A. Longley, M. F. Goodchild, D. J. Maguire, and D. W. Rhind, Geographic Information Science and Systems, 5th ed., Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2021.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 JOURNAL SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3668-6713