Uncovering Community Disruption Using Remote Sensing: An Assessment of Early Recovery in Post-earthquake Haiti
Date
2010
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Disaster Research Center
Abstract
This work is part of an exploratory study that seeks to describe the levels of community-scale building damage and socio-economic disruption following the January 2010 Haiti earthquake. Damage and disruption were analyzed for pre-event, post-event, and early recovery time periods in seven Haitian communities. Specifically here, remote sensing analysis related to early recovery and a remote sensing-based early recovery scale are presented. Damage datasets from the GEO-CAN post-disaster assessment were combined with analyses of fine resolution satellite imagery, captured 4 months after the earthquake, to quantify the early recovery status of damaged buildings. Disruption was established from community-level interviews conducted in May 2010. Preliminary results show little correlation between disruption and physical damage, although the integration of remote sensing, field data, interviews and community meetings was a successful approach for assessing disruption. Remote sensing was seen to be an effective tool in establishing levels of early recovery and supporting cross-community comparisons.
Description
Keywords
Computer Technology, Earthquake-Case Studies, Structural Collapse, Public Works, Disaster Recovery