Local governments are increasingly turning to cloud-based mapping to assist first responders and residents during disasters in the wake of the devastating 2017 U.S. hurricane season.
When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas on August 26, 13 Superfund sites—places contaminated by hazardous waste and designated for cleanup by the Environmental Protection Agency because of the public health risks—were flooded or damaged.
Houston police officials partnered with location technology company Mapbox to create a map that aggregated EPA data to visualize industrial facilities and other pollution-generating buildings in flooded areas, which posed a potential threat to public safety.