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Use of advanced earth observation capabilities for disaster management – the example of the Oder River flood, 1997

Wolfgang Steinborn, Thomas Ruwwe
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Königswinterer Str. 522, 53227 Bonn, Germany.
Tel. : +49-228-44 75 99, Fax: +49-228-44 77 00,
E-mail: wolfgang-steinborn@bo.dlr.de

Abstract:
From the Oder flood that hit the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany in July and August 1997, more than 30 satellite images were acquired and evaluated. The German Space Agency (DLR) has co-ordinated and contributed mainly to the joint efforts made by the EU, ESA and national agencies in this respect. During and after the disaster, close contact with users in GO and NGO aid organisations was maintained, and the benefits or limits of this kind of information worked out, as well as requirements to future systems formulated.

Present emphasis of the use of space-based information is on the prevention and post-crisis analysis side, but satellite operators are striving - not least thanks to the lessons learned from the Oder case – to also better support crisis management itself.