Disaster Preparation and Earthquake Response

In August 2015, Ecuador declared a state of emergency after Cotopaxi shot ash 7 miles into the air on August 2015. The volcano has since continued spewing ash and steam, causing continued concern for those living in the vulnerable areas nearby. USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance helped to increase the amount of OSM open spatial data for the region, since many high populated areas are located nearby – including the nation’s capital, Quito. Several YouthMappers chapters at US universities contributed data and exchanged information with counterparts in Quito. When the Earthquake hit another region in Ecuador in 2015, the team quickly shifted to map areas affected by the disaster. That data was used by on-the-ground aid organizations, including the national mapping agency, for rescue efforts.