CESARE*: National Damage and Event Database for Austria — From demonstrator to operational service

Losses and damages databases play a crucial role in disaster risk management by supporting informed decision-making. Despite being a data-rich country, Austria has lacked a consistent, curated multi-hazard database.  In response to the requirements of the United Nations, the European Union, and national authorities for efficient disaster monitoring and management, the CESARE project (FFG, 02/2022) was successfully implemented to develop a first demonstrator. It demonstrated that a coherent, event-based national damage database for Austria is not only feasible but also capable of supporting these international and national demands. The CESARE approach integrates data already collected by administrative bodies and federal authorities, harmonized through a unified data model, and hence preserves original data and collection processes, while enabling sustainable and consistent data sharing.

Building on this success, CESARE is currently transitioning from a demonstrator to a fully operational service. This phase includes nationwide coverage of damages and events across Austria, the integration of a broader range of hazards, further professionalization of data collection and storage processes, the upgrade of the web tool into an operational system, and the valorisation of collected data through the generation of insightful dashboards and reports. However, this transition also presents several challenges, which are actively addressed through new developments in data workflows and system architecture.

Currently covering the period from 2005 to today, CESARE provides harmonised damage data enriched with additional information such as weather data, tailored indicators, and detailed maps at the municipal level to enable evidence-based decision-making and enhanced disaster resilience. CESARE will significantly enhance quantitative analyses for the national risk assessment, the UNDRR-Sendai Framework monitoring, and federal-level disaster risk management. We will present key achievements and lessons learned to date, highlighting both progress made and challenges encountered in the transition from a demonstrator to an operational system.

* Collection, Standardization and Attribution of Robust Disaster Event Information