Proceedings of the KSRS Conference (대한원격탐사학회:학술대회논문집)
- Volume 2
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- Pages.827-830
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- 2006
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- 1226-9743(pISSN)
THE ROLE OF SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING TO DETECT AND ASSESS THE DAMAGE OF TSUNAMI DISASTER
- Siripong, Absornsuda (Marine Science Department, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University)
- Published : 2006.11.02
Abstract
The tsunami from the megathrust earthquake magnitude 9.3 on 26 December 2004 is the largest tsunami the world has known in over forty years. This tsunami destructively attacked 13 countries around Indian Ocean with at least 230,000 fatalities, displaced people 2,089,883 and 1.5 million people who lost their livelihoods. The ratio of women and children killed to men is 3 to 1. The total damage costs US$ 10.73 billion and rebuilding costs US$ 10.375 billion. The tsunami's death toll could have been drastically reduced, if the warning was disseminated quickly and effectively to the coastal dwellers along the Indian Ocean rim. With a warning system in Indian Ocean similar to that operating in the Pacific Ocean since 1965, it would have been possible to warn, evacuate and save countless lives. The best tribute we can pay to all who perished or suffered in this disaster is to heed its powerful lessons. UNESCO/IOC have put their tremendous effort on better disaster preparedness, functional early warning systems and realistic arrangements to cope with tsunami disaster. They organized ICG/IOTWS (Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System) and the third of this meeting is held in Bali, Indonesia during