Mapping project assists humanitarian efforts in the aftermath of the Turkey and Syria earthquake

March 9, 2023 Students at ASU YouthMappers Use Geospatial Data to Help Organizations Respond to Disaster

From a conference room on the ASU campus in Tempe, a group of students has found a way to help survivors of the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

The students are members of ASU’s YouthMappers, part of a rapidly growing global network of 354 campuses in 72 countries that have mapped specific areas in the two countries’ hardest hit regions.

The United Nations estimated that 1.5 million people were left homeless in the aftermath of the February 6 disaster.

“They (humanitarian groups) need to know what’s going on and where it’s going,” said Patricia Solis, an ASU branch faculty instructor in the group. Solis is Co-Founder and Director of YouthMappers.

“By making communities and the built environment visible, they can respond better,” said Solis, who is also the executive director of the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience at ASU.

In the weeks following the earthquake, buildings were flattened and roads smashed. There has been a major infrastructural failure across both countries. Without maps, it would have been impossible for charitable organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross to find people and provide them with food, shelter, and medical supplies.

“It was an amazing opportunity to be able to help those who provide humanitarian aid,” said Brian Lipa, President of YouthMappers ASU. “And do it all from afar.”

Mapping meetings

Every Friday at noon for the past few weeks, Lipa — along with about a dozen members of YouthMappers ASU — has gathered at the Rob and Melani Walton Center for Planetary Health for a marathon mapping, or as they like to call it, “Mabby’s Hour.” “

There, the student-led group used geospatial data—time-based information about specific locations in Syria and Turkey—to respond to the natural disaster.

The team used Open Street Map – an open source platform that combines satellite imagery and computing technologies to provide free, accessible and up-to-date maps of the world.

Anyone can contribute to the platform and use it in myriad ways. For example, recent images can be compared to old images to identify changes to the Earth’s surface, an ability that is especially useful after a natural disaster such as an earthquake.

NGOs and aid organizations can create tasks related to their specific data needs, which are then made available to the Open Street Map community to complete.

Maps are available and everyone can access them at the same time. ASU students worked alongside students around the world, contributing to, creating, and adding spatial data to tasks in progress.

Once the maps are complete, they are formally verified to ensure accuracy before being released to charitable organizations.

“We’re working with mapmakers all over the world and updating maps as quickly as we can,” said Natalia Arruda, a graduate student in urban planning in ASU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Open Street Map can identify buildings that have fallen onto the road and provide information about the condition of roads that may not be operable.

“It’s surprising that there were places where there were no roads at all,” said Lipa, a graduate student in urban and environmental planning in ASU’s College of Sustainability.

Students can identify alternative routes so that charitable groups can reach those in need. The technology can also locate large public spaces such as stadiums, where temporary shelters can be created.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos