Free Natural Hazards Data Sources for GIS: Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Floods and More

Natural hazards data is critical for disaster risk assessment, emergency planning, and climate adaptation. Here are the best free global datasets.

USGS Earthquake Catalog

The USGS Earthquake Catalog provides real-time and historical earthquake data with magnitude, depth, location, and shake intensity from 1900 to present.

• Update frequency: Real-time + historical
• Format: GeoJSON / CSV / KML
• Best for: Seismic hazard mapping and earthquake monitoring

GEM Global Active Faults

The GEM Global Active Faults Database provides active tectonic fault traces with slip rate and type data for seismic hazard assessment worldwide.

• Coverage: Global
• Format: Shapefile / GeoJSON
• Best for: Fault mapping and earthquake risk modeling

Global Flood Hazard Maps

The Global Flood Hazard Maps from UNEP GAR provide flood inundation extents for riverine and coastal flooding at 10-yr to 500-yr return periods.

• Resolution: ~90m to 1km
• Best for: Flood risk assessment and emergency planning

NASA FIRMS Wildfire & Hotspots

NASA FIRMS provides real-time and historical active fire data from MODIS (1km) and VIIRS (375m) satellites for global wildfire monitoring.

• Update frequency: Near-real-time (3-hourly)
• Best for: Wildfire monitoring and burn scar assessment

Smithsonian GVP Volcano Database

The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program database provides ~1,500 Holocene volcano entries with location, type, eruption history, and hazard metadata.

• Format: CSV / KML
• Best for: Volcanic hazard mapping and research

IBTrACS Tropical Cyclones

The IBTrACS dataset provides global hurricane, typhoon, and cyclone track data from 1842 to present with wind speed, pressure, and storm status.

• Temporal: 1842–present
• Best for: Hurricane research and climate change analysis

Combining Hazard Datasets

1. Layer faults and earthquakes for seismic risk analysis.
2. Combine flood maps with population data for exposure assessment.
3. Use GeoDataViewer Studio to overlay hazard layers with building footprints and infrastructure data.