Rapid assessment of exposed populations in the aftermath of natural hazard events: Lessons from the Sumatra 2004 Tsunami regarding the use of SAR data

Inhalt:
Natural hazards are uncontrollable and unexpected and often affect large populations and vast geographic areas. The ability to respond quickly and provide assistance directly to the populations most affected is a key element in the rehabilitation of the area and of the lives of those exposed. In the aftermath of the Tsunami that occurred in Asia in December 2004, we used remotely sensed data alongside population estimates to assess the areas and the populations most affected by the Tsunami. The process of analysis and the conclusions from this work will be presented in this paper.