Wirasinghe, Sumedha ChandanaZanzotto, LudovitCaldera, Hallupathirage Jithamala2017-04-182017-04-1820172017http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3704Attaining a sense of the real magnitude of a disaster's severity cannot be easily comprehended, as there is no consistent method to distinguish disaster severity levels. Moreover, no current scale identifies the relationship between severity and impact factors. Consequently, no common system has been developed to help emergency responders measure the impact of natural disasters, to determine the proper allocation of resources, or to expedite mitigation processes. This novel research develops an universal disaster severity classification, applicable to both civilians and responders, to generate a common communication platform comparing the impacts of disasters. This system provides an overall picture of the severity of natural disasters, yields independent estimates of a disaster’s magnitude, helps understand the disaster continuum, and gauges the need for regional, national, and international assistance. This research aligns with the priority of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 as it improves understanding of disaster risk.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Information ScienceStatisticsEngineering--CivilDisaster Severity ClassificationExtreme eventsNatural DisasterDisaster DefinitionsImpact assessmentDisaster ImpactDisaster Severity ScaleSeverity IndexExtreme Natural Disastersmaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/24811