What would happen if there was an Earthquake? How many buildings and bridges will be damaged and how many casualties to expect? All this can be estimated a bit easier now with InLET, a web based GIS application which uses Microsoft Virtual Earth.

Chris Pendleton writes:

Earthquake damage assessment just got a little easier. In the spirit of the close of the ESRI User Conference, I figured it was appropriate to post a little something about a GIS application using Microsoft Virtual Earth - enter Inlet (Internet-based Loss Estimation Tool) - okay, my post name is unoriginal. Inlet is a web-based loss estimation and transportation modeling platform used to evaluate whether Information Technology (IT) solutions can reduce the impacts of disasters on transportation systems.

According to the site, "INLET currently incorporates GIS, a risk model, and a transportation model to provide online estimates for building damage, transportation impacts, and casualties. Additional features include a demonstration of a model simulating the effect of IT on evacuation routing. Specifically, the model illustrates how awareness of a disaster scenario and familiarity with routing alternatives can impact traffic congestion and evacuation time."

On his blog Chris demonstrates how this works by blowing up Santa Clarita CA, where he went to High School. Rough time at school I guess…

The site currently only works for California. Besides custom scenarios, which Chris used, the application also includes USGS Earthquake Simulations (ShakeMap), Census Track Results, Thematic Mapping, and plotting of facilities.