3-3. Transmitting Image of Disaster Area and Offering
Image Analysis Technique3-3-1. Sentinel Asia
(1) Objective
The Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) continues to participate in the “Sentinel Asia”
project, which was endorsed and launched by the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum(APRSAF). The project was launched in 2006 with an objective of establishing a disaster risk
management system by making the use of satellite images in Asia. ADRC functions as the focal
point to receive emergency observation request in the framework of the Sentinel Asia. Upon
receiving a request from the disaster management agencies of Asian countries, ADRC decides
whether the request is appropriate considering the emergency observation should be utilized
mainly for the assessment of damages and casualties etc. Once the request is decided asappropriate, ADRC will forward the request to six space agencies, namely, ISRO (India), JAXA(Japan), GISTDA (Thailand), KARI (Korea), NARL (Taiwan) and CRISP (Singapore) that are
participating in the Sentinel Asia Project.
On 4 June 2009, in accordance with the Cooperation Agreement between the UnitedNations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and ADRC, “ADRC UN-SPIDER
Regional Support Office (ADRC UN-SPIDER RSO)” was established, for the purpose of UN
disaster management and immediate response, within ADRC premises and operated byADRC staff members as coordinators of the ADRC UN-SPIDER RSO.
ADRC, as a UN-SPIDER RSO, should work towards ensuring the successful completionof the UN-SPIDER Work Plan thereby facilitating countries in Asia to make access to anddevelop the capacity of utilizing space-based information to support the full disastermanagement cycle.

Fig. 3-3-1-1

Flow of emergency observation22

3. Collection and Distribution of Disaster Information(2) Activities for this year
① Emergency observation
From January to December 2012, twenty-five (25) emergency observations wererequested, and nineteen (19) were undertaken. And from January to October 2013,
eighteen (18) emergency observations were requested, and sixteen (16) were undertaken.

Fig. 3-3-1-2②

Changes in the number of emergency observation 2007-2013

Participation in Sentinel Asia Joint Project Meeting Step-3(JPTM)
The 1st Sentinel Asia Joint Project Meeting Step-3 (JPTM) was held on 27-29
November 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. It was organized jointly by the Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) of Thailand.
Relevant organizations of Sentinel Asia, such as space agencies, disaster management
agencies, international organizations and academia participated in JPTM. At the meeting,
ADRC reported on the status of the emergency observations that have been implemented,
and presented suggestions for improving the questionnaires that are sent out after
emergency observations have been conducted.

Fig. 3-3-1-3

23JPTM

3-3-2. Achievements of the Sentinel Asia in the HFA andrecommendations for the Post-HFA(1) Objective
It has been more than six years since the Sentinel Asia began to operate a system in 2007 toprovide satellite image data of a disaster in the Asia-Pacific region. Participating disastermanagement /satellite agencies requested implementation of this activity a total of 190 times asof the end of December, 2013.
Meanwhile, as the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction that succeeds theInternational Decade for National Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) proposed in the 1990s, theHyogo Framework for Action (HFA) adopted in 2005 will serve as action guidelines until 2015.
There are about two years left until the end of the HFA implementation. Review of the past
activities based on the HFA and inputting work toward the formulation of a new framework(post-HFA) after 2015 are being performed by domestic and foreign agencies.

(2) Achievements of Sentinel Asia in terms of the HFA①

Achievements in the application of space and satellite
technologies concerning Priority for Action 2: “To identify, assess,and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning.”
Sentinel Asia is a voluntary initiative founded for the sharing of disaster information
within Asia-Pacific region, operated by ARPSAF. It is currently working to realize effective

utilization of earth observation satellites for regional disaster management using technologies
such as remote sensing, Geographical Information System (GIS) and Information
Communication Technologies (ICT.)In a disaster, to a varying degree of urgency depending on the current phase of the disaster(prevention and preparedness, response, recovery or reconstruction), there is a need to“communicate the necessary information accurately and quickly to those in need in theaffected area/country.” The emergency observation activities under the Sentinel Asia program
proceed according to the following work flow: an observation request is received from theaffected area/country, the request is accepted, archived data (of the affected area) is provided,
observation data of the affected area is provided, and finally, the analyzed product isprovided. A system is being constructed for quickly providing services while sharing
information through an online system. Data showing the time required for services to beprovided using Sentinel Asia in recent disasters (Jan 2011 to Aug 2013) is shown in Fig.
3-3-2-1 and Fig. 3-3-2-2.
Sentinel Asia responds to most Emergency Observation Requests within 48 hours, as
shown in Fig. 3-3-2-1.

24

3. Collection and Distribution of Disaster Information

100%

80%

60%

Frequency %40%

Cumulative%
20%

0%
0Fig. 3-3-2-1123456

Number of days between submission of requests and initiation of action in response

Fig. 3-3-2-2

Number of days between submission of requests and provision of satellite
imageries (after disaster)Achievements in building regional partnership concerning②

Priority for Action 3: “Use knowledge, innovation and education.”
Major characteristics of Sentinel Asia scheme are the provision of satellite data by member
space agencies upon requests of users (disaster management agencies of the affectedarea/country) and the additional value by analyzed products of relevant data produced by
specialist institutions when needed (see fig. 3-3-2-3 below.)25

Fig. 3-3-2-3

System of data and information for users

Achievements through application of space and satellite③technologies in the area concerning knowledge, innovation andeducation as outlined in Priority for Action 3.
In order to continue and strengthen the network among space agencies, specialists anddisaster management agencies, Sentinel Asia has so far carried out a total of nine operational
training sessions inviting total 179 users from relevant fields of relevant countries. Inaddition, ADRC has been disseminating knowledge and information concerning utilization of
space-based technologies in disaster management in international conferences such as theAsian Conference on Disaster Reduction, which is the annual conference of ADRC’s member
countries, or the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.
④Implementation as an international agency, provision of platform
for follow-ups and achievements from the application of space &satellite technology“Implementation of follow-up” for international agencies defined in the HFA states: “Inclose collaboration with existing networks and platforms, cooperate to support globallyconsistent data collection and forecasting on natural hazards, vulnerabilities and risks anddisaster impacts at all scales.” With its intended use in disaster risk reduction, the platform isrequired to be versatile, rapid and robust. The latter part of the same section from the HFAstates that “these initiatives should include the development of standards, the maintenance ofdatabases, the development of indicators and indices, support to early warning systems, thefull and open exchange of data and the use of in situ and remotely sensed observations”
referring to the use of satellite imageries in networks and platforms. In this respect, Sentinel
Asia, which is a voluntary-based initiative but supported firmly by various potent

26

3. Collection and Distribution of Disaster Information

organizations such as JAXA or AIT, would meet this requirement.

(3) Recommendations for Post-HFA
Given the challenges yet to be fulfilled by Sentinel Asia as an international cooperation
project for the HFA, it makes following recommendations for post-HFA:
Utilization of space and satellite technology for monitoring in all disaster phases

Promotion of multi-stakeholder dialogues and discussions

Promotion of integrated use of satellite and ground data and studies

Collection, gathering and sharing of information on the needs of the affected area andthe feedback

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