How Access to Daily Medium-Resolution Satellite Imagery Can Aid the Global Disaster Response Community
Abstract
The devastating magnitude 7.5 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that impacted the Minahasa peninsula in Sulawesi, Indonesia caused widespread destruction and fatalities in the region on September 28th, 2018. The morning after the event on September 29th, 2018, Planet's 3-5m PlanetScope constellation captured the first post-event image at 02:22:53 UTC. Imagery over the affected region was immediately made available through Planet's Disaster Response Program, through which Planet is the first private sector data provider to directly support the International Space Charter and Major Disasters. This program makes PlanetScope imagery available to the public, volunteers, humanitarian organizations, and other coordinating bodies during disaster events to aid in relief and recovery efforts. First responders and government entities leveraged Planet imagery for rapid damage assessments and search and rescue efforts. Scientists utilized Planet imagery to observe significant displacement across Palu and surrounding region, Numerous media and news outlets highlighted Planet imagery to communicate the mass destruction of the subsequent events and continued aid needed to support the affected communities. Planet's daily, global monitoring serves as a critical information source, enabling emergency management professionals to act precisely and quickly when disaster strikes.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMNH23F3559Z
- Keywords:
-
- 4313 Extreme events;
- NATURAL HAZARDSDE: 4315 Monitoring;
- forecasting;
- prediction;
- NATURAL HAZARDSDE: 4341 Early warning systems;
- NATURAL HAZARDSDE: 4564 Tsunamis and storm surges;
- OCEANOGRAPHY: PHYSICAL