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OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE TOOLS THAT STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES

Disasters happen when a hazard - like a hurricane, earthquake, or volcano – strikes an exposed and vulnerable group of people. By empowering partners with tools to understand disaster risk, we reduce disaster impacts and build resilient communities.

The text "Hazard + Exposure + Vulnerabilty = Disaster Risk", accompanied by three photos in circles over each word - a hurricane from space (hazard), a beach with waves (exposure), a house on stilts on a hill (vulnerability), and a destroyed house on the beach (disaster risk).

The NASA Disasters program advances science and builds tools to help communities make informed decisions for disaster planning. We develop free and accessible resources that use Earth observations to reveal how natural hazards interact with social vulnerability, exposure, and coping capacity in a changing climate. 

Before, during, and after disasters strike, our timely information and agile network of partners help communities worldwide reduce risk, improve response, hasten recovery, and build disaster resilience. 

Get to Know Disasters


OUR FOCUS

USING EARTH DATA TO ADVANCE DISASTER SCIENCE

Our projects apply Earth observing data to support decisions across the disaster cycle. We collaborate with partners from around the world to build innovative applications and advance these tools towards operational use.

LEARN ABOUT OUR PROJECTS

AIDING DISASTER RESPONSE

We advance a one-NASA approach which uses the best-available science, technology, and expertise to aid teams responding to disasters on the ground. We work with domestic and international government agencies, disaster response teams, and humanitarian organizations to provide actionable data that informs decision-making and reduces impacts on lives and livelihoods.

LEARN ABOUT OUR DISASTER RESPONSE COORDINATION 

ENGAGING COMMUNITIES

We actively contribute to international partnerships, working groups, and science meetings to share knowledge and identify the social, environmental, and economic concerns common to communities across the globe. We work to build deeper connections, foster mutual understanding, and increase user capacity, equipping decision-makers with resources to build resilient communities.

SIGN UP FOR OUR DISASTERS COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

PROMOTING OPEN SCIENCE

Our Disasters Mapping Portal combines cutting-edge Earth data products with information on vulnerability and exposure to provide an integrated view of how disasters impact communities. StoryMaps and other interactive visualization tools on the portal help users integrate, understand, and apply the data. We provide free data in standardized geographic information systems (GIS) format to allow for easier integration into partners’ workflows and make our resources accessible to all.

VISIT THE NASA DISASTERS MAPPING PORTAL

EXPLORE BY Disaster Type

Earthquakes | Fires | Floods | Hurricanes & Cyclones | Industrial Incidents | Landslides | Oil Spills | Severe Weather | TsunamisVolcanoes