Damage consequence chain mapping after the Wenchuan Earthquake using remotely sensed data

The Wenchuan Earthquake occurred on 12 May 2008 followed by frequent aftershocks. The earthquake suddenly caused heavy damage to roads, bridges, buildings and communication facilities. Two B4101 Citation II remote sensing airplanes from the Chinese Academy of Sciences took off to monitor the region soon after the earthquake and collected images using a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) device and an optical ADS40 sensor. Using images obtained from airborne surveys, a damage consequence chain was mapped that provided information about the type of damage and its extent. This proved to be of great help for rescue operations and after earthquake reconstructions. We present details of airborne survey, images and mapping of damages caused by the earthquake and the use of such information for a rescue operation.