A method for predicting the likely impact of future natural disasters, including casualties, has been revealed.
Riskscape is a joint project between NIWA and GNS Science and was being launched on Wednesday at a natural hazards management conference in Christchurch.
It is the first planning tool in New Zealand to combine information from five major natural hazards - earthquakes, flooding, tsunami, volcanoes and wind storms.
GNS Science says the tool uses historic and current data to predict the risk of an area being affected by natural hazards.
It will largely be used by local bodies and insurance companies throughout the country and could affect the location of new developments or the cost of insurance.
