Satellites to the rescue | UN Dispatch

Satellites to the rescue | UN Dispatch: "When cyclone Nargis passed over Myanmar in May 2008, the Irrawaddy delta was severely flooded from one of the most damaging flood surges in recent history. Due to the limited presence of international actors in Myanmar at the time, there was almost no verifiable field information coming from the affected areas, except for what was immediately observed from satellites. Two days after Nargis had passed, detailed satellite damage assessments on flooded areas and affected population was available at minimum cost to the international humanitarian community – and that over an area where no major field assessments where to take place for several weeks due to the access restrictions by the Government in Myanmar."