Rapid mapping of infrastructure in Maowen and Beichuan counties after the May 2008 earthquake

In case of emergencies over large areas satellite remote sensing data can become a crucial source of information for disaster management and response allowing the recognition and assessment of damages to populated areas and traffic infrastructure, the identification of focus areas, and an efficient coordination of rescue actions. On 12 May 2008, an earthquake of approximately 8.0 Ms (according to the Chinese Earthquake Administration) shook the steep eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau in Sichuan Province, China. Heavy rainfall hindered the rescue effort during the first days and increased the overall number of landslides caused by after-shocks. The heavy rainfalls during the rescue operations also hampered the acquisition of optical imagery, although SPOT Image and other EO data providers immediately tasked their satellites to monitor the affected province. In this situation TerraSAR-X imagery has been proven particularly useful. Within seven hours after reception at the ground station, the first processed and analyzed TerraSAR-X imagery was delivered by Infoterra GmbH (an Astrium subsidiary, who holds the exclusive commercial exploitation rights for TerraSAR-X) via its Partner Beijing Spot Image to the Chinese users showing the conditions in the affected area immediately after the event.