Information on inTERRAgate

Lucy Stanbrough, of the Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre, has contacted us about the inTERRAgate project. The aim of this new project is to provide "A framework for uploading natural hazard and risk data at a national level, together with in-country contact details for disaster first-responders".

Lucy writes: "InTERRAgate was launched in March 2007, with introductory information on natural hazard threats in ten of the world’s most vulnerable nations (Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Chile, El Salvador, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Mexico and the Philippines). Like the online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, inTERRAgate is designed to be ‘owned’ by data suppliers and users, who are able to upload information and influence content. Its ultimate success will, therefore, depend upon registered data suppliers from around the world uploading textual and graphical information to supplement initial data and to expand the country portfolio.


Basic in-country contact information, targeted at disaster first responders and other appropriate national and international NGOs, is available for some of the aforementioned ten countries, and will be supplemented by inTERRAgate editorial staff in the next few months. Access to some content is unrestricted, however users can gain access to further content and gain permission to submit or edit hazard information by signing up online for a free account.

inTERRAgate is "looking for further project sponsors and data sources to provide users with the most extensive information network available in order to make informed decisions". As such, they are willing to include services or links that you feel might be useful to the project.

For more information, sign up for an account at their website. If you want to submit information to the project, you can contact Tina Hyde at t.hyde@ucl.ac.uk or Lucy at l.stanbrough@ucl.ac.uk

They are looking for "anything and everything natural hazard related", which means that the information they gather will be quite useful to YPDR members. As Lucy notes, "if you have a favourite selection of links you use to find information then share them with the community and help others".

A colleague suggested to me that YPDR members might be interested in the work of the SPIDER Network. The network, a collaborative effort between various Universities and research institituions), "have been working together to re-evaluate the role of science in disaster risk management".
They are putting together a series of meetings this summer. For more information, their website is available at www.spidernetwork.org