From drones to social media, big data helps confront more complex disasters in Asia

Big data refers to the analysis of very large data sets to reveal patterns, trends and associations. The data can come from a range of sources, including satellite imagery, drone videos, simulations, crowdsourcing, social media and global positioning systems. — Bay Area News Group/TNS

BANGKOK: Technological innovations – from unique digital identities for drought-hit farmers to use of data from drones and social media – can better predict increasingly complex disasters in the Asia-Pacific region and limit their impact on vulnerable people, the United Nations said in a report on Aug 22.

Rising global temperatures have increased the frequency and intensity of floods, cyclones and droughts in the region, making it harder to accurately forecast and monitor them, according to the report by the UN's Asia-Pacific social agency (UNESCAP).