ESA Portal - Extended cyclone relief efforts aided from space

Media Centre

Press Releases ESA Television Launch Media Corner Exhibitions

Services

Calendar Publications Frequently asked questions ESA-sponsored Conferences Help Site Credits Portal terms of use Comments Subscribe

Extended cyclone relief efforts aided from space

3 July 2008

Back to article

Survivors of Cyclone Nargis are seen in Labutta in the Irrawaddy Delta on June 14, 2008. New guidelines recently adopted by Myanmar's ruling generals are further delaying emergency efforts six weeks after deadly Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta and the main city of Yangon, leaving more than 133,000 dead and 2.4 million in need of humanitarian aid.

Credits: AFP

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 1715 kb)

Flooded areas of the central Irrawaddy division derived from ALOS Palsar radar data of 6 May 2008 (in light blue), with normal water levels as shown by Landsat-7 data from 2000 (in dark blue). Flooded areas may also contain regions covered by water before the disaster due to the prevalence of wet rice cultivation.

Credits: DLR ZKI, Charter (EO data: ALOS Palsar - JAXA 2008; Landsat-7 - USGS 2000)

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 1333 kb)

Preliminary Damage Assessment for the town of Labutta, Myanmar, based on analysis of SPOT-5 data acquired on 20 and 24 May 2008. Damaged industrial/warehouse buildings as well as boat terminal/docking facilities have been individually identified by site location. Additionally, approximate areas of likely severe damage / destruction have been classified on the map according to dominant building type: residential, mixed residential/commercial and industrial/commercial. These zones help to identify those areas with the highest proportion of damage, however areas outside those marked may also have been severely affected. This is an initial damage assessment and has not yet been validated in the field.

Credits: UNOSAT, Charter (EO data: CNES 2008 distributed by Spot Image)

Back to article

Mapping examples produced by non-Charter members; Very High Resolution Optical (VHRO)-based detailed assessment maps assembled in overview map of building damages in 18 selected villages, Southern Ayeyarwady Delta, Myanmar, 4 June 2008.

View all 18 high-res maps.

Credits: UNOSAT (EO data: WorldView, Quickbird, Digital Globe; data processing: Pacific Disaster Center)

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 1823 kb)

Flood situation after the passage of Cyclone Nargis over coastal areas south of Yangon providing estimates of affected areas using Envisat ASAR imagery acquired on 15 May 2008 and archived pre-disaster data.

Credits: SERTIT, Charter (EO data: Envisat ASAR - ESA 2007-2008)

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 1069 kb)

Overview of all crisis mapping and damage assessment maps produced by RESPOND partners using Charter data (in red) and pre-disaster topographic mapping delivered by RESPOND partner Keyobs (in green) a month before Cyclone Nargis hit.

Credits: Infoterra UK

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 746 kb)

Proactive mapping services for risk mitigation purposes delivered one month before Cyclone Nargis by RESPOND partner Keyobs to a Myanmar-based humanitarian user organisation. This image illustrates the coverage of the topographic maps delivered in April 2008: yellow indicates the areas mapped proactively by Keyobs (GIS data and mapping have been generated using conventional maps and 2007 Aster imagery); for comparison, the red indicates UNOSAT's post disaster initial assessment of areas affected by the cyclone.

Credits: Keyobs, UNOSAT (EO data: NASA)