Satellite technology is being leveraged to improve rescue missions in Venezuela following the twin earthquakes that occurred on June 24. Space agencies have supplied images to emergency authorities and the Venezuelan government, emphasizing the scale of the disaster and aiding response teams in directing their efforts and comprehending challenges on the scene.
In the wake of the earthquakes in Venezuela, the Copernicus satellite system has engaged its emergency mapping mode at the request of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. Using imagery from Sentinel satellites and sensors, the system has generated 10 products and 25 maps that facilitate real-time evaluation of the damage extent and changes in terrain across 13 areas of interest. These resources also assist officials in pinpointing clear areas for aircraft participating in rescue and aid distribution efforts.
Preliminary data from Copernicus indicates significant damage in La Guaira and Greater Caracas, impacting communities in Aragua, Carabobo, Falcón, and Miranda. As of June 27, around 1,300 structures in the area have been affected.
NASA has mobilized its Disaster Response Coordination System to create maps illustrating how the earthquakes altered the Earth’s surface utilizing data from the NISAR mission, offering crucial insights for emergency managers and scientists.
This effort encompasses a pilot project in collaboration with Copernicus, employing radar images taken by the Sentinel-1 satellite before and after the earthquakes to assess regions highlighted by the European system.
