Visual Damage Assessment Using High-Resolution Satellite Images Following the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake

Visual interpretation of the building damage distribution in Bam, Iran, caused by the earthquake on 26 December 2003 has been carried out using pre-and post-earthquake QuickBird panchromatic high-resolution satellite images to produce a damage map. Two experienced interpreters carried out the assessments, and their results were compared to analyze the reasons for discrepancies likely to occur from interpretations by different interpreters. The first damage interpretation was carried out on the post-earthquake image, whereas the second interpretation compared the pre-and post-earthquake images. The analysis revealed that when using only the post-earthquake image, interpreters tend to underestimate the levels of damage, since both interpreters assigned higher damage levels when the pre-and post-earthquake image were compared than when only using the post-earthquake image. The absolute difference in the damage levels the two interpreters assigned in the post-only assessment and pre-and post-event comparison assessment remained the same.