E-Paper
NASA maps damage caused by Beirut blast using satellite data
On the map, dark red pixels – like those present at and around the Port of Beirut – represent the most severe damage.
NASA has used satellite-derived data to map the likely extent of devastation caused by the August 4 explosion in Beirut which killed at least 163 people.
The Advnaced Rapid Imaging and Analysis (ARIA) team of the American space agency, in collaboration with the Earth Observatory of Singapore, analysed satellite-derived synthetic aperture radar data to produce the map.
“Maps like this one can help identify badly damaged areas where people may need assistance,” NASA said in a statement.
On the map, dark red pixels – like those present at and around the Port of Beirut – represent the most severe damage. Areas in orange are moderately damaged and areas in yellow are likely to have sustained somewhat less damage. Each colored pixel represents an area of 30 meters (33 yards).
The map contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data processed by the European Space Agency (ESA).
The destruction caused by the blast was also captured in many satellite photos.
A SkySat spacecraft, operated by San Francisco-based company Planet, captured detailed imagery of the port of Beirut both before and after the blast. Planet posted the photos on Twitter a day after the blast.
Colorado-based space technology company Maxar, too, shared before and after images from the explosion in Beirut .
The explosion in the Lebanese capital last week occurred at a port warehouse of what authorities said was more than 2,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, injuring more than 6,000 people and causing widespread destruction.
