Satellite Images Show the Real Picture of Turkey Earthquake

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on 6 February. The official death toll is more than 8,000 people. Tall buildings have collapsed like a house of cards, filling the streets with debris, while others withstood the violent shaking. Emergency rescue operations are underway to find survivors in affected areas.

Disaster management and satellite data

Over the past few years, there has been almost a fivefold increase in disaster events, which includes landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods. In the immediate aftermath of these disasters, satellite imagery can help reduce further humanitarian impact and loss of life. Satellite technology provides accurate and reliable data using high-resolution, multispectral imaging techniques.

Turkey earthquake imagery by Maxar

European Space Imaging has collected fresh, Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite imagery over several affected areas in Turkey. Maxar Technologies acquired the images with GeoEye-1 and WorldView. The photos show detailed bird’s-eye views of three Turkish towns, Islahiye, Nurdağı, and Düziçi, after the earthquake struck.

The imagery highlights damaged residential areas, relief tents on football fields, and the congested D400 highway that has had traffic diverted to it as the TAG Highway is closed due to damage from the earthquake.

Reportedly, a Chinese Chaohu-1 satellite by Changsha-based Spacety Co Ltd also released satellite imagery of the earthquake zone. The radar remote sensing images of the surrounding area of the epicenter were obtained at 11:05 am local time on Monday. 

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera report includes Mapbox, OpenStreetMap shows that the earthquake struck southeastern Turkey along its border with Syria. The tremors were felt across Lebanon and Cyprus.