After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the aid agencies for their efforts in the disaster area promptly secure and meaningful information on the situation on the ground need the state of the infrastructure and the extent of the damage. Scientists at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) here provide basic work: make news, maps derived from satellite data freely available to the troubled region. Currently, Port-au-Prince, which is particularly affected by the destruction of the capital of the island nation in the Caribbean, the focus of researchers.
Damage assessment map: Port-au-Prince after the earthquake on 12 January 2010 assessing damage to the image map: Port-au-Prince after the earthquake on 12 January 2010
The geographer and DLR scientist Dr. Tobias Schneiderhan coordinates the work of the Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI) in the event of a disaster, "Haiti". ZKI is under the umbrella of the German Remote Sensing Data Center in Oberpfaffenhofen, part of the DLR. The center is under contract to DLR at the "International Charter on Space and Major Disasters" involved in a major initiative of space agencies in the context of natural disasters. For crises in Germany but also worldwide, is ZKI under this charter satellite imagery, especially the developed and operated by the DLR radar satellite TerraSAR-X, available to evaluate satellite data and perform other functions such as coordinating the project manager.
An overview of the international relief agencies
The port area of Port-au-Prince before the earthquake on 12 January 2010 The image to the port area of Port-au-Prince before the earthquake on 12 January 2010
"Shortly after the earthquake which took place at 21.53 Universal Time Clock (16.53 clock time) on 12 January 2010, triggered by the United Nations (UN), the so-called 'charter call out,'" says Dr. Schneiderhan. In Germany, which are then queried for this event produced, for example, satellite-based maps and location-reporting by the Community Center at the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief. From here the information then reach, inter alia, aid agencies like the Agency for Technical Relief, or the German Red Cross. This initial assessment of the situation supported rescue teams in their work, but also helps in finding suitable sites for installation of water treatment plants and mobile hospitals. At the European level, the ZKI products in the "Monitoring and Information Center (MIC) is used in Brussels.
"The earthquake in Haiti, it is a very complex situation with an extremely high damage and a large number of people affected," explains Dr. Schneiderhan. To provide national and international relief agencies an overview of the quality and quantity of the destroyed infrastructure, have been working in recent days about 25 DLR scientists in multi-shift operation in the collection, processing and analysis of radar and optical data. "We have to litigate as quickly as possible and provide high-resolution raw data than is generally understandable maps to enable aid workers to the disaster area to know where all roads are still passable, where are these houses, where open spaces such as large parking lots or stages are, for example, for emergency equipment can be used, "said DLR scientists Schneiderhan. Damage Evaluation Board: The port area of Port-au-Prince after the earthquake on 12 January 2010 assessing damage to the image map: The port area of Port-au-Prince after the earthquake on 12 January 2010
Before-after comparison Cards
A quick reference card, which gives an overview of the road network and major buildings and facilities like the airport in the state before the earthquake, the DLR researchers added late on Friday evening, a card with information on the current state of infrastructure after the disaster. In addition to this overview may be asking about the web site of ZKI also download clips of the total maps showing the individual tiles in detail.
ZKI is a service of the German Remote Sensing Data Center of DLR. Its task is the rapid acquisition, processing and analysis of satellite data for natural and environmental disasters, for humanitarian relief activities and for civil security. The evaluation is done accor
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