Earthquake damage assessment from post-event VHR radar data: From Sichuan, 2008 to Haiti, 2010

Earth Observation (EO) systems have demonstrated their usefulness in supporting intervention and relief actions in the event of extensive disasters. In the case of earthquakes, exploitation of EO data for damage assessment purposes has been proposed under various forms. Several EO-based damage maps have been presented after every event, mostly based on optical data and manual interpretation. Though, the use of weather-independent radar data and automated methods would significantly advance the exploitability of EO data in this context. Some interesting links have already been highlighted, between post-event texture measures and the damage averaged at block level, when Very High Resolution radar images of earthquake-stricken areas. With a record of at least three events, it is now time to wrap up some facts.