The International Charter Space and Major Disasters has been activated to provide satellite-based emergency maps to local authorities in charge of response operations after torrential rain and floods affected eastern Iraq on 5 November 2015. The request for activation was elevated to the Charter by USGS on behalf of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Heavy rainfall triggered floods in eastern areas of Iraq, overwhelming drainage systems, causing sewage to overspill into streets. Houses and other infrastructure suffered from flooding and the overspill of sewage. Estimates reported the death of seven people attributed to floods. Furthermore, the floods damaged electrical systems, causing another 58 casualties due to electrical shocks. Additionally, thousands of displaced refugees in eastern Iraq have been affected by floods.
The International Charter Space and Major Disasters has been further activated to provide satellite-based emergency maps to Brazilian local authorities in charge of response operations after a dam collapse in Bento Rodrigues on 5 November 2015. The dam failure triggered the spilling of liquid waste into the city of Bento Rodrigues in Minas Gerais State. The request for activation was elevated to the Charter by the Brazilian Disaster and Risk Management Agency.
Reports estimate the death of 17 people and another 45 people missing after the collapse of the iron ore tailing dam. The dam stored toxic waste materials from a local iron ore mine, which lead to a contamination of the city after the dam collapsed. Environmental officials evaluated the situation as "catastrophic". Residents of Bento Rodrigues have been ordered to evacuate to higher areas, as further mudslides could be feasible, exacerbating as well disaster response efforts.
