A Bespoke Approach to Facilitating Disaster Impact Quantification Using Locally Relevant Metrics

Disaster impact metrics (DIMs) are key outputs of natural-hazard risk models/assessments that provide a tangible way of communicating risk. However, typical DIMs are limited in that they tend to capture only direct damage/economic losses, are specifically designed for developed countries, account for just one snapshot in time, and are characterized for individual assets rather than systems. These shortcomings partially stem from a lack of understanding around the bespoke requirements of different groups with an interest in disaster impact/risk assessments. To address this knowledge gap and the lack of versatility across current DIMs, we propose a framework for characterizing context-specific DIMs that align with the priorities/requirements of relevant groups. The framework includes: (1) a comprehensive, holistic pool of DIMs developed from a literature review and a conceptual representation of societal dependencies; and (2) a toolbox for facilitating the appropriate selection of DIMs from this pool, accounting for local priorities. We demonstrate the framework for Kathmandu, Nepal, revealing that the relative importance of a given disaster impact can change for different interested groups and spatiotemporal dimensions. Impacts related to direct damage/economic losses are not the most crucial concern of the considered groups. Higher priority is placed on characterizing accessibility impacts around utilities and social networks, for instance. The framework ultimately helps to determine which context-specific DIMs to consider in predisaster impact assessments as part of important preparedness strategies (e.g., risk-sensitive urban design).