A Web-Based Decision Support System for Debris Flow Disaster Management in Taiwan

Due to the fragile geologic structure and torrential rainfall brought by typhoons, debris flows have become one of the most serious disasters in recent years in Taiwan. The Soil and Water Conservation Bureau (SWCB), Council of Agriculture, is the national level department in charge of the debris flow disaster management according to the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act. In this paper, a web-based decision support system-Debris-flow Disaster Management Information System established by SWCB is introduced. By the way of advanced information techniques and user-friendly interface through the internet, the system provides the state-of-art debris flow knowledge and real-time debris flow warning information to various agencies of debris flow disaster management as well as to the general public. A rainfall-based debris flow warning model is also introduced herein. This warning model has effectively helped us in the debris flow management, including the people evacuation, risk warning and debris flow knowledge education.