USGS Provides Imagery to Assess Impacts of Myanmar Cyclone

Disaster Prevention and Management

ISSN: 0965-3562

Article publication date: 7 November 2008

61

Citation

(2008), "USGS Provides Imagery to Assess Impacts of Myanmar Cyclone", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 17 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2008.07317eab.003

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


USGS Provides Imagery to Assess Impacts of Myanmar Cyclone

Article Type: News items From: Disaster Prevention and Management, Volume 17, Issue 5

Landsat satellite imagery provided by the US Geological Survey (USGS) helped aid rescue and recovery efforts in Myanmar in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis’ landfall on May 3. International emergency response teams used the Landsat images to assess the extent of flood damage caused by the cyclone in the affected region. The first maps of the area derived from the Landsat satellite were provided to agencies within hours of initial requests. The USGS provides Landsat imagery to other participating agencies under an agreement known as the International Charter Space and Major Disasters (Space Charter). One organization that made immediate use of USGS Landsat data was the United Nations Institute for Training and Research Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT). The UNOSAT team, which consists of UN field workers, satellite imagery experts, geographers, geologists, development experts, computer programmers, and internet communications experts, developed maps showing the extent of cyclone flooding and population estimates in the flooded regions. The Space Charter consists of an international group of participating space agencies dedicated to providing satellite images to those affected by natural or human-induced disasters. Since its establishment in late 2000, the Space Charter has responded to more than 200 hazard events around the globe, including forest fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, oil spills, and flooding.

To view USGS Landsat satellite images, visit www.glovis.usgs.gov

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