Nepal flood response enlists global volunteers to map disaster areas from home

Nepal's ongoing flood response is reaching beyond its borders, calling upon volunteers worldwide to contribute to mapping efforts using satellite imagery. This initiative aims to assist responders by identifying affected locations and providing critical geographic data for rescue and recovery operations.

The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), a global non-profit organization, is spearheading this effort in partnership with Nepal's Prime Minister's Office and other key stakeholders. The task, while seemingly simple, tracing building outlines or roads on digital maps, becomes immensely valuable when undertaken by thousands of volunteers. These collective efforts produce detailed maps of areas potentially transformed by floodwaters and debris.

Kshitij Sharma, Product Owner at HOT, emphasized the primary goal: "The main goal is to support rescue and recovery operations by providing accurate data to the teams working on the ground." Volunteers can work remotely on designated priority areas, using satellite images to map visible features. The resulting maps are open-source and freely available to humanitarian organizations, government bodies, and rapid-response teams.

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The main goal is to support rescue and recovery operations by providing accurate data to the teams working on the ground.

The mapping platform breaks down the work into manageable tasks, suitable for individuals with no prior mapping experience. Each task includes instructions, and easy assignments can be completed in 10 to 15 minutes. Experienced mappers then review and validate the submitted work. Sharma added, "People don’t have to be on the ground to contribute. They can map small areas from home using satellite imagery, and those contributions can become useful information for responders."

Floods can drastically alter landscapes within hours, obscuring landmarks and damaging infrastructure. Satellite imagery, combined with pre-disaster knowledge, is crucial for responders assessing the situation. HOT provides tutorials and visual indicators on the platform to guide volunteers, showing which areas have been mapped and which still require attention, ensuring a dynamic and collaborative approach to disaster mapping.

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People don’t have to be on the ground to contribute. They can map small areas from home using satellite imagery, and those contributions can become useful information for responders.