How GSI has responded to the Sumatra earthquake
and the Indian Ocean tsunami

1. Earthquake data

• Time : 26 December 2005 at 9:58 Japan Time (7:58 Local Time)
• Epicenter: Off West Coast of Northern Sumatra (Longitude 95.854°E , Latitude 3.316°N)
• Depth: about 30km
• Magnitude: M 9.0

2. Actions

• Already started:

  Preparation and provision of an extended area map by Global Mapping Project
  
  Satellite image interpretation, Mapping, Communication and coordination with the national mapping organizations along the Indian Ocean and Global Mapping Project participant nations
  
  • Flow chart of actions underway
  • Map of the area around Sumatra (Global Map)
    [ jpeg image 440KB ]
    [ png image 5.26MB ]
  
  Application of GPS Technology to Tsunami Forecast
  
  • Technical Proposal at World Conference on Disaster Reduction (Jan. 18-22, 2005 in Kobe)
    "Detection of Ground Displacement by Kinematic GPS and its Application to Tsunami Forecast"
  
  Understanding of Inundated Area based on Satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar Images (RADARSAT)
  
  • Analysis of inundate area in Northern Sumatra Island
  
  

• Actions planned or under consideration:

  1. Planning joint researches with the organizations concerned on the crustal movement and post-sesmic crustal deformation in the neighborhood of the epicenter with the fund allocated for promotion of science and technology(emergency research)
  2. Participation in the DAPHNE (Deployment of Asia-Pacific Hazard Mitigation Network for Earthquakes and volcanoes) Project
     
     

• Others:

  Committee activities
  
  In line with the national and ministerial (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport) policy and efforts, a committee was set up within GSI to discuss on how GSI can support the affected area and nations through prompt and appropriate actions based on its expertise of geographic information and etc. The Committee is named "GSI Committee on Disaster Measures relating with the Sumatra earthquake and the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster".