Satellite-derived data relevant for disaster risk reduction and emergency response is available from many sources and providers. The UN-SPIDER database on satellite data and products offers links to datasets of satellite imagery, elevation models, land use and land cover maps as well as near real-time data products for different hazard types. But how can these datasets be used for particular hazards?
Land cover information is important for many applications like flood modeling, observation of agricultural drought, climate change modeling, and monitoring of environmental changes including vegetation phenology, flooding, fire occurrence, and monitoring of carbon emission due to deforestation and forest degradation.
Soil moisture data can be used for drought prediction and to improve flood forecasts. Data sets derived from satellite sensors are freely available in near real time. The image archives on soil moisture go back to the late 1970s.
In case of a disaster, immediate access to relevant information can save lifes. Satellite imagery provides an invaluable source of information. Searching for relevant datasets can be a time-consuming task. With its Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS) Explorer the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides easy and tailor-made access to selected datasets for specific disasters.
further data sources for Philippines (Haiyan): Open here
GIST is currently processing the 44 200K Russian topographic sheets covering the area of the Philippines affected by Typhoon Ketsana and will publish them next week.
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