Introduction

The aim of this project was to design an interactive storytelling dashboard focusing on global natural disasters and their impacts in different regions of the world. The dashboard combines geovisualization techniques with interactive charts and filtering tools to communicate spatial patterns, temporal trends, and economic consequences of disasters.

The project was created as part of the course Geovisualisierung und Geokommunikation using Tableau Public.

Data Source

The dashboard is primarily based on the EM-DAT Global Disaster Database, which contains records of natural disasters worldwide, including information about disaster types, affected population, deaths, injuries, and economic damage costs.

Additional spatial context was provided through global boundary datasets and geographic base maps integrated into Tableau.

Dashboard Design

The dashboard was designed using a dark theme to improve visual contrast and direct attention toward the map and statistical graphics.

The overall layout focuses on:

  • Global spatial distribution of disasters

  • Disaster type comparison

  • Temporal trends of deaths and affected population

  • Economic damage analysis

  • Regional and country-based filtering

A consistent color scheme was applied across maps and charts to improve readability and maintain visual coherence.

Interactive Components

The dashboard includes several interactive elements:

  • Region and subregion filters

  • Country selection

  • Year filtering

  • Interactive map exploration

  • Linked charts and highlighting actions

  • Hover tooltips with additional information

The interaction between maps and charts allows users to explore disaster impacts dynamically across different spatial and temporal scales.

Key Insights

The visualization highlights several important spatial and temporal patterns:

  • Asia and North America experienced high concentrations of disaster events

  • Certain years showed significant spikes in deaths and affected population

  • Economic damage costs varied strongly between regions and disaster types

  • Floods, storms, and earthquakes represented some of the most impactful disaster categories globally

The dashboard demonstrates how geovisualization can support storytelling and improve the communication of complex spatial information.

Final Dashboard