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China GEO Supports Turkey and Syria Earthquake Disaster Response

Feb 19, 2023

Following two magnitude 7.8 earthquakes that struck southern Turkey and western Syria on Feb. 6, China GEO Secretariat activated its Collaborated network on Disaster Data Response (CDDR) mechanism to provide high-resolution satellite imagery in support of the disaster response. 

ChinaGEOSS Data Sharing Network (ChinaGEOSS DSNet) hosted by the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was responsible for the whole process. 

As of Feb. 10, 48 scenes of satellite post-disaster imagery from over 10 domestic satellite were collected, including seven optical images, nineteen SAR images, and seven hyperspectral images, and the data volume reached 12.41GB. 

The data was provided to UNOSAT/UNITAR, UNESCO IKCEST-DRR, CBAS and RIKEN to help international scientists carry out on-site verification, analysis, and evaluation of the disaster situation. 

Established in 2016, the CDDR is responsible for coordinating the provision of Chinese high-resolution satellite data and disaster analysis products to disaster-affected countries. It has also been confirmed as a long-term effective working mechanism by China GEO Secretariat since July 2021. 

Damage Assessment in Salqin of Syria provided jointly by UNITAR and AIR. (Image by AIR)

This map illustrates potentially damaged structures/buildings by the 6 February 2023 earthquake in Salqin, (Idlib Governorate) in Syria as detected by using high-resolution satellite images acquired on 9 February 2023. Within analyzed area, UNOSAT identified 96 damaged/potentially damaged structures. 

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