This paper explores the reuse, recycling and sharing of open data (OD) as a potential solution to bridge gaps in existing baseline data and information in areas with scarce data resources. It focuses on open data generated during disasters, and analyses how these voluminous ‘free disaster data,’ such as social media posts, images, damage assessment reports, etc., could be reused and recycled to serve purposes other than emergency response and relief. To illustrate this, the paper makes use of a previous research that analysed how the open data of Super Typhoon Haiyan, the hydrometeorological disaster which affected several nations, and gained both local and global attention, could be reused and recycled as inputs for development planning, especially in post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation, and pre-disaster mitigation and prevention planning.