About PDC


Reduce disaster risk.
Step into a safer world.

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  • Snow Squall - Wawa, Ontario, Canada

    5 minutes ago WARNING

  • Severe Weather - Forteau, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

    10 minutes ago ADVISORY

  • Freezing Rain - Forteau, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

    10 minutes ago WARNING

  • Volcano - Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia

    17 minutes ago WARNING

  • Rainfall - Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

    25 minutes ago WARNING

  • Volcano - Barren Island, India

    27 minutes ago WATCH

  • Rainfall - NW of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada

    30 minutes ago WARNING

  • High Wind - N of Baddeck, Nova Scotia, Canada

    34 minutes ago WARNING

  • Rainfall - Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

    34 minutes ago WARNING

  • Earthquake - 5.1 - 57 km SSW of Ashkāsham, Afghanistan

    7 hours ago ADVISORY

  • Volcano - Popocatepetl, Mexico

    1 hour ago WARNING

  • Volcano - Ebeko, Russia

    1 hour ago ADVISORY

  • Volcano - Marapi, Indonesia

    1 hour ago WARNING

  • Severe Weather - Vietnam

    1 hour ago WARNING

  • Severe Weather - Northern India

    1 hour ago WARNING

  • Flood - Boston, MA--NH--RI Region, United States

    1 hour ago WARNING

  • Volcano - Sabancaya, Peru

    1 hour ago ADVISORY

  • Heavy Snow - Central Asia

    3 hours ago WARNING

  • Extreme Heat - Southern Africa

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Drought - Southern Africa

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Tropical Cyclone - Gamane

    5 hours ago WATCH

  • Volcano - Semeru, Indonesia

    2 hours ago WARNING

  • Volcano - Dukono, Indonesia

    2 hours ago WATCH

  • Flood - Slidell, LA Region, United States

    2 hours ago WARNING

  • Severe Weather - Northeastern India

    3 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Storms - Eastern Malaysia

    3 hours ago WARNING

  • Storms - Peninsular Malaysia

    3 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Manchester, NH Region, United States

    3 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Pittsboro, NC Region, United States

    3 hours ago WARNING

  • Volcano - Sangay, Ecuador

    3 hours ago WARNING

  • Severe Weather - Tanzania

    3 hours ago WARNING

  • Rainfall - Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

    3 hours ago WARNING

  • Volcano - Santa Maria, Guatemala

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Western Tian Shan, E of Shieli, Qyzylorda, Kazakhstan

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - South Sumatra Highlands, SE of Lahat, Indonesia

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Maoke Mountains, NE of Timika, Papua, Indonesia

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Luzon, E of Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines

    4 hours ago WATCH

  • Landslide - Sulawesi, N of Palu, Sulawesi Tengah, Indonesia

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Southwest Ethiopian Highlands, SW of Jima, Oromia, Ethiopia

    4 hours ago WATCH

  • Landslide - Mindanao, W of Davao, Davao del Sur, Philippines

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Western Tian Shan, NE of Kentau, South Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Albertine Rift Mountains, N of Kalemie, Tanganyika, Congo, DRC

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Northern Highlands, E of Ambanja, Antsiranana, Madagascar

    4 hours ago WATCH

  • Landslide - Marungu Highlands, SE of Moba, Tanganyika, Congo, DRC

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Southwest Ethiopian Highlands, NW of Arba Minch, Ethiopia

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Dry Andes, S of Rodeo, San Juan, Argentina

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Patagonian Andes, W of Rio Verde, Chile

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Suleiman Range, S of Zhob, Baluchistan, Pakistan

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Landslide - Eastern Hindu Kush, E of Pol-e Khomri, Baghlan, Afghanistan

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Volcano - Fuego, Guatemala

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Philadelphia, MS Region, United States

    4 hours ago WARNING

  • Wildfire - SW of Reykjavík, Reykjavik, Iceland

    4 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Severe Weather - Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada

    5 hours ago ADVISORY

  • Severe Weather - Timmins, Ontario, Canada

    5 hours ago ADVISORY

  • Highwind - Advisory (Hawaiian Islands)

    5 hours ago ADVISORY

  • Special Marine - Rimouski, Québec, Canada

    6 hours ago ADVISORY

  • Air Quality - Prince George, British Columbia, Canada

    7 hours ago ADVISORY

  • Wildfire - S of Ciudad Altamirano, Guerrero, Mexico

    7 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Wildfire - S of Ciudad Altamirano, Guerrero, Mexico

    7 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Wildfire - E of Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico

    7 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Wildfire - SE of Ciudad Altamirano, Guerrero, Mexico

    7 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Wildfire - E of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

    7 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Wildfire - NW of Santa Cruz Del Quiche, Quiché, Guatemala

    7 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Wildfire - W of Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico

    7 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Severe Weather - St-Augustin, Québec, Canada

    8 hours ago ADVISORY

  • Rainfall - Natashquan, Québec, Canada

    8 hours ago WARNING

  • Wildfire - N of Fang, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    9 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Snowfall - Hinton, Alberta, Canada

    9 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - NW of Aripuana, Mato Grosso, Brazil

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Extreme Heat - Haiti and the Dominican Republic

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - SW of Wewak, East Sepik, Papua New Guinea

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - E of Santarem, North Brazil

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Extreme Heat - Central America

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Tagus Basin, Spain

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - E of Barcelos, Amazonas, Brazil

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Comodoro Rivadavia, Patagonia Argentina

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - NW of Chattogram, Chittagong, Bangladesh

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Drought - Central America

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Drought - Hawaii, United States of America

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Drought - Southern United States

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Drought - Northwestern United States

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Drought - Central United States

    11 hours ago WARNING

  • Drought - Puerto Rico, United States of America

    12 hours ago WARNING

  • Drought - Italy

    12 hours ago WARNING

  • Drought - Greece

    12 hours ago WARNING

  • Drought - Spain

    12 hours ago WARNING

  • Volcano - Ibu, Indonesia

    14 hours ago WATCH

  • Earthquake - 5.1 - 53 km NNE of Pucallpa, Peru

    14 hours ago ADVISORY

  • Flood - S of Nabire, Papua, Indonesia

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - W of Atrek Basin, Azerbaijan, Iran and Caspian Sea

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - NE of Asosa, Benshangul-Gumaz, Ethiopia

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - N of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - W of Santiago Tuxtla, Veracruz, Mexico

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - SW of Mitu, Amazonas, Caquetá and Vaupés, Colombia

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Kimbe, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Nile Basin, Egypt

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - SW of Nabire, Papua, Indonesia

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Yangtze Basin, Yangtze, Yuan Jiang and Xiang Jiang Rivers, China

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - SE of Halls Creek, Northern Territory and Western Australia, Australia

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Liao He Basin, China, South Korea and North Korea

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - E of Izmayil, Odessa, Ukraine

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Hai He Basin, SE of Daqing He River, China

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Niger Basin, Nigeria

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - S of Fuyang, Anhui, China

    15 hours ago WARNING

  • Wildfire - Northwest Paraguay

    16 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Extreme Heat - Mexico

    16 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Port Arthur, TX Region, United States

    16 hours ago WARNING

  • Avalanches - Western Canada

    16 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Mineola, TX Region, United States

    16 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Longview, TX Region, United States

    16 hours ago WARNING

  • Earthquake - 5.7 - 178 km WSW of Port Orford, Oregon

    1 day ago WATCH

  • Flood - Reidsville, GA Region, United States

    17 hours ago WARNING

  • Wildfire - SW of Ciudad Bolivar, Bolívar, Venezuela

    17 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Wildfire - N of San Carlos, Cojedes, Venezuela

    17 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Wildfire - SE of San Carlos, Cojedes, Venezuela

    17 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Flood - Thomasville, GA Region, United States

    17 hours ago WARNING

  • Earthquake - 5.0 - south of the Fiji Islands

    19 hours ago ADVISORY

  • Earthquake - 6.4 - Vanuatu region

    20 hours ago WATCH

  • Flood - Tsiribihina Basin, Madagascar

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Saint John Basin, Canada

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - La Paz, Baja California, Baja California Sur and Sonora, Mexico

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - NW of Aripuana, Mato Grosso, Brazil

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Breves, Pará, Brazil

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - SW of Remanso, Northeast Brazil

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - NW of Itupiranga, Pará, Brazil

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - NW of Canavieiras, Bahia, Brazil

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Amazon Basin, Amazon, Paru de Este and Maicuru Rivers, Brazil

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Pascua Basin, E of Pascua River, Argentina and Chile

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Uruguay Basin, NW of Uruguay River, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Olavarria, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Parana Basin, South America, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - E of Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - SW of Wewak, East Sepik, Papua New Guinea

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - E of Mahakam Basin, Indonesia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - S of Windorah, New South Wales and Queensland, Australia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Bengawan Solo Basin, Indonesia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Tanjungpinang, Kepulauan Riau, Indonesia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - W of Mildura, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria, Australia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Newcastle Waters, Northern Territory, Australia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Irrawaddy Basin, W of Irrawaddy River, Myanmar

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - SE of Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Mekong Basin, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Torghay Basin, Russia and Kazakhstan

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Can Tho, Cần Thơ, Vietnam

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Aral Sea Basin, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Huai He Basin, N of Huai He River, China

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Indus Basin, India and Pakistan

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Irrawaddy Basin, Myanmar and Thailand

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - NW of Karachi, Sind, Pakistan

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Ganges Basin, India and Bangladesh

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Shatt Al Arab Basin, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Dasht Kaur Basin, Iran and Pakistan

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - S of Venice, Veneto, Italy

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - N of Turkmenbasy, Balkan, Turkmenistan

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Rufiji Basin, Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Congo Basin, SE of Malagarasi River, Tanzania

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Lake Balkhash Basin, Ayakoz and Ayagoz Rivers, Kazakhstan

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Ogooue Basin, Middle Africa, Dem Rep of the Congo, Republic of Congo, Gabon and Equatorial G

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Rukwa Basin, S of Rungwa River, Tanzania

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - N of Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis, Mauritania

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Zambezi Basin, NW of Shire River, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Congo Basin, Tanzania

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Shatt Al Arab Basin, Southern Asia, Iran, Western Asia, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Zambezi Basin, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - S of Tamale, Northern, Ghana

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - SE of Palapye, Central, Botswana

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Tagus Basin, Spain

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - E of Abuna, Rondônia, Brazil

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Flood - Langsa, Aceh and Sumatera Utara, Indonesia

    22 hours ago WARNING

  • Wildfires - Eastern Colombia

    22 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Wildfires - Southern Chile

    23 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Landslides - West Java Province, Indonesia

    23 hours ago INFORMATION

  • Extreme Heat - Sri Lanka

    1 day ago WARNING

  • Wildfire - S of Hotham Heights, Victoria, Australia

    1 day ago INFORMATION

  • Wildfire - SW of Gungal, New South Wales, Australia

    1 day ago INFORMATION

  • Volcano - Reventador, Ecuador

    2 days ago ADVISORY

  • Wildfire - La Tigra, Honduras

    2 days ago INFORMATION

  • Volcano - La Cumbre, Fernandina Island, Ecuador

    6 days ago WARNING

  • Cholera - Haiti

    1 week ago WARNING

  • Cholera - Somalia

    1 month ago WARNING

  • Cholera - Mozambique

    1 year ago WARNING

  • Dengue - Guatemala

    6 months ago WARNING

  • Measles - American Samoa

    11 months ago WARNING

  • Drought - Djibouti

    1 year ago WARNING

Working together to create a Safer World

Pacific Disaster Center (PDC Global) is an applied research center managed by the University of Hawaii that supports the most demanding governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide in helping to create a safer, more disaster resilient world. For more than 25 years, we’ve helped our partners enhance disaster management capacity, save lives, and reduce disaster losses through the application of our advanced tools and technologies, evidence-based research, and analytical information.

 

The Center’s DisasterAWARE platform is used by tens of thousands of disaster management professionals—from the senior-level decision maker to the operational practitioner. It provides global multi-hazard early warning, hazard monitoring, and risk intelligence to support rapid and effective disaster response, preparedness, recovery, and mitigation. DisasterAWARE includes the highest resolution all-hazards impact models, advanced analytical reports, and augmented information through artificial intelligence. The system features the largest, scientifically-vetted big data catalog for disaster management decision making in the world—derived in part from PDC’s unique National Disaster Preparedness Baseline Assessment as well as its Global Risk and Vulnerability data.

 

DisasterAWARE provides near real-time analytics about impacts to population, capital, and key infrastructure for multiple hazards, calculating likely humanitarian needs down to a scale of 30 x 30 meters. DisasterAWARE is free to disaster management practitioners and the humanitarian assistance community at https://disasteraware.pdc.org.

 

 Customized versions of DisasterAWARE have been deployed by PDC in locations around the world and are used operationally by national and regional disaster management agencies for all aspects of disaster management.

 

PDC’s mobile app, Disaster Alert, is also free and designed for use by the public as well as disaster managers on-the-go. It offers customizable early warning alerts for any type of natural hazard in any location around the globe. Visit https://disasteralert.pdc.org.

 

In addition to offering advanced decision support technology, PDC is pioneering the scientific application of artificial intelligence for disaster risk reduction through its AI for Humanity™ program. Learn more about these innovations at www.pdc.org/aiforhumanity.
The Center also provides specialized research on a range of topics ranging such as national fragility, national disaster preparedness, women, peace and security, and climate change. PDC also supports disaster preparedness training and exercises.

A brief history of PDC

Following the devastating effects of Hurricane Iniki to the Hawaiian Islands in 1992, Pacific Disaster Center was conceived as a center to improve systems of communication and technology for disaster prevention at home and beyond. PDC now serves a global audience, helping to increase disaster management capacity and embolden more effective decisions, policies, and actions for a safer world.

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Our Team

Executive Management

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Ray Shirkhodai is responsible for PDC’s strategic development, market and partnership expansion, and all aspects of the enterprise operation. Serving in information management and senior leadership roles since 1991, Ray first joined PDC in 2002 as the Chief Information Officer before his selection for Executive Director in 2007. During his tenure at PDC, Ray architected PDC’s flagship DisasterAWARE® risk intelligence platform and mobile applications, developed and oversaw strategies for PDC’s expansion into the global hazard and risk reduction markets, and increased the Center’s competitive project revenues, augmenting PDC’s base research and operating budgets. Ray has led the Center’s support of major international disaster relief operations. He has served as a chief technology advisor to regional and national disaster management offices around the world. Ray has written for numerous United Nations publications on analytical software design for risk reduction. He has been an invited keynote speaker, lecturer and participant at many international events focused on technologies for risk reduction and resilience. Ray is on the advisory board of the University of Hawaii Maui College Applied Business and Information Technology (ABIT) program. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from George Mason University followed by graduate studies in Artificial Intelligence at George Mason University.

Ray Shirkhodai

Executive Director

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Chris Chiesa has more than 30 years of experience developing and leading enterprise applications of geospatial information technologies and has been actively involved in disaster management activities for the past two decades. He directs international deployments of PDC’s disaster management decision support DisasterAWARE® platform. Chris has extensive programmatic and institutional experience in the Asia Pacific region. His work has also taken him to Europe, Central and South America, and Africa. In 2005, Chris received Esri’s prestigious Special Achievements in GIS Award in recognition of the Center’s support to the Indian Ocean tsunami response. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan (BSME, MSNR) and the University of Arizona (MBA).

Chris Chiesa, MS, MBA

Deputy Executive Director

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Dr. Joseph Green is an expert in the practical application of risk information for humanitarian assistance and resilience-building initiatives worldwide. His analytical work spans more than two decades, with specialized focus on the examination of the intersection between social vulnerability, health outcomes, and disaster resilience. Joseph earned his PhD in epidemiology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Prior to earning his PhD, Joseph earned a master’s degree in medical geography from the University of South Florida and worked as a research fellow at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Joseph Green, PhD

Director of Applied Science

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Dr. Erin Hughey is the Director of Global Operation for the Pacific Disaster Center. A recognized leader in global disaster management and disaster risk reduction, Dr. Hughey developed the only operationalized approach to the United Nations Sendai Framework for Action. Known as the National Disaster Preparedness Baseline Assessment (NDPBA), this program has been implemented by more than 20 countries worldwide and aids national, regional and international disaster risk reduction initiatives. With a PhD in geography, Dr. Hughey has dedicated her life’s work to the innovation and the application of new science and technology for disaster management—empowering practitioners and senior leadership alike with the tools and information needed to support data-driven decision making.

Erin Hughey, PhD

Director of Global Operations

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Cassie Stelow brings with her more than 10 years of experience in the development and execution of enterprise-wide IT solutions and strategies. She oversees PDC’s data management solutions and was the key architect for transforming the organization’s data services into a single source. Cassie is responsible for the implementation of data governance, adherence to IT standards and the institutionalization of enterprise tools. She holds a Master of Science in Geospatial Information Science and Technology from North Carolina State University.

Cassie Stelow, MS

Acting Director of Information Technology

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Scott Okada is responsible for PDC’s fiscal planning and management in all areas of budgeting, financial analysis, procurement, and business information technology applications. He has experience and training as a financial forecaster, auditor, tax-compliance officer, and report compiler for national and governmental organizations. His experience also includes high-level oversight of human resources management and loss prevention, as well as cash management and cost control functions. He earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Scott Okada, BBA, MBA

Director of Finance & Administration

Other Staff

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Bear (Bernd) McConnell

Senior Advisor

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Steve Recca has held several security policy positions with the State Department, Department of Defense, and in academia. He was Director of the University of Colorado Springs Center for Homeland Security where he managed research programs in civil security, defense-related topics, as well as institutional and government agency collaborative relationships. He is on the Editorial Review Board of four peer-reviewed journals and is a frequent guest lecturer on civil security topics for academic institutions across the United States. Steve holds a Master’s in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Steve Recca

Humanitarian Assistance Programs Senior Advisor

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