The common information platform for natural hazards in Switzerland

Abstract

With the increasing frequency of hydrological hazard events during the last years, also the problem of combined rain and snow melt hazards has increased. A series of remarkable hazardous events in Switzerland, particularly the severe flood in August 2005, triggered a cooperation between the official Swiss warning centres for individual natural hazards. This cooperation became increasingly supported and was pushed politically. A main outcome was a joint project to launch the so-called Common Information Platform for Natural Hazards GIN (“Gemeinsame Informationsplattform Naturgefahren”). The objective was to achieve a system to allow a combined and user-friendly visualisation of safety relevant data in real time along with granting access to substantial information provided by the warning centres. A further goal was to strengthen the collaboration between the Swiss warning centres, particularly by the provision of joint bulletins in critical multi-causal events. In this way, GIN will become the central information hub for natural hazard events in Switzerland. A first user satisfaction evaluation of the web-based information platform revealed positive results. This paper focuses on the description of GIN and discusses the development work behind it.