Satellite imagery and GIS – practical tools for Emergency
Shelter Cluster
Einar Bjorgo
What is UNOSAT?
• The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Operational Satellite Applications Programme - a unique UN programme entirely dedicated to providing satellite based solutions to the UN, local governments, international organizations and NGOs
• Supports early warning, crisis response, human rights, sustainable recovery, vulnerability reduction and local capacity building
UNOSAT mission is to deliver integrated satellite-based solutions for human security, peace and socio-economic development, in keeping with the mandate given to UNITAR by the UN General Assembly since 1965.
• Humanitarian: Rapid mapping in support to disaster management and relief, human rights
• Development: Local capacity building, projects
• Training and awareness raising: Customized, from user-perspective
Three main pillars
UNOSAT works across clusters, for example:• Emergency Shelter Cluster• Emergency Telecom Cluster• Early Recovery Cluster
Satellite imagery support to Cluster approach
Food and nutrition Crop production
Vegetation cover
Food distribution
Water and sanitation Surface water
Ground water
Water pollution
Hydrographic network
Waste management
Health Hospitals
Temperature (air, water)
Humidity
Lakes and rivers
Field assessments
Emergency shelter Pre-disaster identification
Post-disaster assessment
Distribution density
Early recovery and reconstruction Baseline data
Pre-disaster situation
Debris analysis
Cluster Example theme Cluster Example theme
IT/Telecommunication Radio coverage
Logistics Roads
Bridges
Rivers
Ports
Airports
Snow cover
Land slides
Camp management Location planning
Camp layout
Shelter detection
Registration
Protection Firewood availability
Theatre of operations and international borders
Damage assessments
Education Local capacity building
School (re)location
Clusters used in South Asia Earthquake operation. Source: Humanitarian Information Centre, Islamabad
• Common baseline information about where• Common reference system for area of interest
– the map• Sharable data – can be used by various actors
inside ESC• Link to other clusters• Satellite images for up-to-date maps• Emergency assessments of destroyed
buildings• Reconstruction or re-localization planning• Progress monitoring• Re-use and update from relief to development
Why are geographic information and satellite imagery useful for ESC?
UNOSAT support to humanitarian emergencies
UNOSAT support to humanitarian emergencies2003 - 2007
Rapid Mapping technical methodology - Damage assessment: Earthquake and
conflicts
• For conflicts and earthquakes: Only level 5 damage fully detectable in imagery, some level 4 can be identified
Rapid Mapping technical methodology - Damage assessment example: Earthquake,
Indonesia
Photos by UNOSAT
Image copyright: Digital Globe distributed by EURIMAGE
Damage visible in post-EQ image is assessed to be of level 5.
Field verification, interaction, data upload
• UNOSAT sends expert to the field to verify imagery analysis
• If UNOSAT not in the field, field verification is provided by partners, e.g. OCHA FIS, UNDAC, others
A B
A
B
Pre Post
Image interpreted target locations
Damage level classification 5
Examples
Becora Camea, Dili, East Timor
7 September 2005 10 September 2006
Buildings burned between the two dates
ESC related maps for specific emergency
Pre-disaster image
Copyright: DigitalGlobe
Post-disaster image (6 May 2008)
Copyright: DigitalGlobe
Severe coastal erosion (missing houses)
missing missing houses
destroyed houses houses
Earthquake, Sichuan Province, China - 12 May 2008
Landslides as seen in satellite imagery, source: UNOSAT/NSPO
Image date:14 May 2006
Beichuan north
Earthquake, Sichuan Province, China - 12 May 2008
Collapsed infrastructure as seen in satellite imagery, source: UNOSAT/NSPO
Image date:14 May 2008
Beichuan north
Earthquake, Sichuan Province, China - 12 May 2008
Collapsed infrastructure as seen in satellite imagery, source: UNOSAT/NSPO
Image date:14 May 2008
Beichuan north Landslide
Destroyed buildings
Destroyed bridge
Online mapping
Ivory Coast
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