The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) of Pakistan announced that all rivers of Punjab will be monitored by satellites operated by SUPARCO. The aim is to receive updated information of flow of water in rivers and nullahs in order to monitor floods.
UN-SPIDER's Regional Support Office (RSO) in Pakistan, SUPARCO, has elaborated a booklet on lessons learnt from floods in the country. The booklet is part of a new series of publications on experiences and best practices by UN-SPIDER's RSOs in the application of Space-based information in disaster risk reduction and emergency response.
Heavy monsoon rains initiated flash floods in Azad Kashmir, Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan regions of Pakistan during the first week of September 2014. The heavy rains and flash floods overflowed rivers Chenab and Jhelum, destroying hundreds of houses causing human and property losses. The damages included destruction of houses and buildings, road infrastructure, breaching in canals, collapsing of bridges, damages to rice, cotton, sugar cane crops and inundation of agriculture land.
UN-SPIDER's Regional Support Office (RSO) in Pakistan, SUPARCO, has elaborated a booklet on lessons learnt from floods in the country. The booklet is part of a new series of publications on experiences and best practices by UN-SPIDER's RSOs in the application of Space-based information in disaster risk reduction and emergency response.
On 20 May 2014, Pakistan’s Agriculture Secretary, Ahmed Bakhsh Narejo, inaugurated the country's first satellite remote sensing laboratory specifically dedicated to monitoring crops in the province Sindh.
UN-SPIDER's Regional Support Office in Pakistan supported emergency response efforts following the massive landslide in Afghanistan on 2 May 2014. The experts prepared impact and damage maps for Ab Barek in the Province Badakhshan.
The maps depict an analysis based on SPOT 5 satellite imagery from 17 January 2014 received at SUPARCO's Satellite Ground Station in Islamabad and Worldview 2 imagery acquired on 2 May 2014 and provided by the US Geological Survey. The maps were prepared in collaboration with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), which hosts one of UN-SPIDER's Regional Support Offices, will support the Pakistani Capital Development Authority (CDA) in preventing encroachments in Islamabad and improve urban planning and monitoring in Pakistan's capital. This was reported by the website The News.
UN-SPIDER's Regional Support Office in Pakistan, SUPARCO, has been participating in the international humanitarian satellite-aided search and rescue COSPAS-SARSAT Programme since 1990 as a ground segment provider. The programme provides global distress alert and location data free of charge and on non-discriminatory basis. It utilizes satellites and ground facilities to detect and locate ships, aircraft and land mobiles in distress. The Pakistan ground segment consists of Mission Control Center (PAMCC) and Local User Terminal (PALUT).
An earthquake measuring 7.7 Richter scale struck Pakistan's South Western region in Balochistan province at 16:30 hours on 24 September 2013. The epicenter of earthquake was 10 km deep and 120 kilometers south-west of Khuzdar district. The tremors of the earthquake were felt across the country, seriously affecting Awaran and Kech Districts of Balochistan. According to National Disaster Management Authority about 375 individuals were confirmed deaths and 815 injured.
The UN-SPIDER Regional Support Offices in Iran (ISA) and Pakistan (SUPARCO) through Inter-Islamic Network on Space Sciences and Technology (ISNET) jointly held a two week Workshop on Space Applications for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management during 7-19 September 2013 at Iranian Space Agency (ISA) in Tehran, Iran. The workshop was attended by 28 scientists and researchers from ISNET member states who work in matters related to applications of space technology for disaster risk reduction and management particularly on early warning, prevention, response and mitigation.