** May 2024 News from Sentinel Asia Project Office **- * - * - * - * - * - *- * - * - * - * - * - *- * - * - * - * - * - *Topics:
1. [News] Emergency Observation of Disasters (as of 30 May)
2. [Interview] Mr. Ulan Abdybachaev, Central Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences (CAIAG)
3. How to send an Emergency Observation Request
4. Using Sentinel Asia Operation System, OPTEMIS- * - * - * - * - * - *- * - * - * - * - * - *- * - * - * - * - * - *1. [News] Emergency Observation of Disasters (as of 30 May)
(1) Storm flooding in United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 2 May, 2024 (GLIDE Number FL-2024000062-ARE)
On May 2, there were heavy rains again in the United Arab Emirates following record
downpours two weeks ago. According to CNN, the rainfall was not as heavy as the event two
weeks ago, but Dubai experienced 20 millimeters in 12 hours, more than twice what it usually
receives over April and May combined. Abu Dhabi saw 34 mm in 24 hours, more than fourtimes what it would usually see over April and May.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/02/middleeast/uae-rain-storm-dubai-flights-disruption-climateintl/index.html
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) made an Emergency Observation Request(EOR) to Sentinel Asia on 1 May. Among Data Provider Nodes (DPNs), JAXA, ISRO andTASA provided data. Among Data Analysis Nodes (DANs), JAXA, MBRSC and TASA
provided their Value-Added Products (VAPs). Information on the latest response by Sentinel
Asia is available at the link below.
https://sentinel-asia.org/EO/2024/article20240502AE.html

Value-Added Product by MBRSC

Value-Added Product by TASA

Post-disaster satellite image (ALOS-2) provided by JAXA

Post-disaster satellite image (Resourcesat-2) provided by ISRO

Post-disaster satellite image (FORMOSAT-5) provided by TASA
(2) Flood and Landslide in Indonesia on 2 May, 2024 (GLIDE Number LS-2024-000067-IDN)
A flood and a landslide hit Indonesia’s Sulawesi island. CBS reported that torrential rain
pounding the area since 2 May triggered a landslide in Luwu district in South Sulawesi
province, a local rescue chief was quoted as saying. Floods up to 3 meters (10 feet) haveaffected 13 sub-districts as water and mud covered the area. More than 1,000 houses wereaffected, with 42 of them swept off their foundations, killing at least 14 people.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/indonesia-sulawesi-island-flood-landslide/
The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) of Indonesia made an EOR to Sentinel
Asia on 12 May. This EOR was escalated to the International Disasters Charter. BRIN assumed
the role of Project Manager for this Charter activation. Among DPNs, JAXA and TASA
provided data. Among DANs, JAXA and MBRSC provided their VAPs. Information on thelatest response by Sentinel Asia is available at the link below.
https://sentinel-asia.org/EO/2024/article20240502ID.html

Value-Added Product by MBRSC

Post-disaster satellite image (ALOS-2) provided by JAXA

Post-disaster satellite image (FORMOSAT-5) provided by TASA
(3) Flash Flood in West Sumatra, Indonesia on 11 May, 2024 (GLIDE Number LS-2024000067-IDN
Flash floods and cold lava flow hit Indonesia’s Sumatra island. According to AP News, heavy
rains and torrents of cold lava and mud flowing down a volcano’s slopes on Indonesia’s
Sumatra island triggered flash floods that killed at least 37 people, with more than a dozen
others missing.
https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-mount-marapi-flash-flood-cold-lava-flow56a874306a7f5e3e3d6a521c8c999a92
BRIN made an EOR to Sentinel Asia on 13 May. This EOR was escalated to the International
Disasters Charter. BRIN assumed the role of Project Manager for this Charter activation.
Among DPNs, JAXA and ISRO provided data. Among DANs, MBRSC and AIT provided their
VAPs. Information on the latest response by Sentinel Asia is available at the link below.
https://sentinel-asia.org/EO/2024/article20240511ID.html

Value-Added Product by MBRSC

Value-Added Product by AIT

Post-disaster satellite image (ALOS-2) provided by JAXAPost-disaster satellite image (EOS-04) provided by ISRO
(4) Flood in Turkmenistan on 16 May, 2024 (GLIDE Number FL-2024-000072-TKM)
Turkmen.news reported heavy rains persisted in Ashgabat for several days. It caused manyroads to flood in the Choganly residential area.
https://turkmen.news/v-ashabade-idut-silnye-dozhdi/
The Central Asian Institute of Applied Geosciences (CAIAG) made an EOR to Sentinel Asia on
18 May. Among DPNs, JAXA,TASA and ISRO provided data. Among DANs, JAXA, AIT and
MBRSC provided their Value-Added Products (VAPs). Information on the latest response by
Sentinel Asia is available at the link below.
https://sentinel-asia.org/EO/2024/article20240516TM.html

Value-Added Product by AIT

Value-Added Product by MBRSC

Post-disaster satellite image (ALOS-2) provided by JAXA

Post-disaster satellite image (FORMOSAT-5) provided by TASAPost-disaster satellite image (EOS-04) provided by ISRO

* - * - * - * - *- * - * - * - * - * - *- * - * - * - * - * - *2. [Interview] Mr. Ulan Abdybachaev, Central Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences (CAIAG)
Since its participation in 2009, the Central Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences (CAIAG) has
been an active member of Sentinel Asia. It was founded by the Government of the Kyrgyz
Republic and the German Research Center for Geosciences but it also works to respond thedisasters in Central Asian countries, not limited to Kyrgyz. The Sentinel Asia Secretariat
interviewed Mr. Ulan Abdybachaev, Depute of Head of Department of Geodynamics andGeorisks, CAIAG, to introduce the latter’s activities relating to Sentinel Asia.

Mr. Ulan Abdybachaev,
Central Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences (CAIAG)

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
CAIAG joined as a Joint Project Team (JPT) member of Sentinel Asia in the very early days andhas contributed as a Data Analysis Node (DAN). The Secretariat is very grateful for yourcontribution. First of all, could you introduce your organization to our readers?

Mr. Ulan Abdybachaev
CAIAG was established in 2002 by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the German
Research Center for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany. At CAIAG, there are two co-directors, one
representing the Kyrgyz Republic and the other representing the German side. As of today, thetotal number of employees amounts to 62, including administrative and technical staff. Our
research spans geodynamics and geohazards; climate, water, and geo-ecology; and the usage andprotection of natural resources. We emphasize technical infrastructure development, information
management, and the education and professional qualification of our researchers. Although thefocus on remote sensing at CAIAG has somewhat diminished in recent years, our Department of
Geodynamics and Georisks remains a key player in conducting remote sensing analyses.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
CAIAG is very active in disaster response in Central Asian countries. Could you explain theframework of your cooperation with these countries? Also, could you explain how you support thesecountries in the area for the Sentinel Asia Emergency Observation Requests (EORs)?
Mr. Ulan Abdybachaev
In the context of our scientific research collaboration, our contact information is grounded inmemorandums of cooperation signed previously. We maintain our relationship through e-mailrequests.
However, considering the culture, mentality, and economic and social aspects of Central Asian
countries, and based on our experience with Emergency Observation Requests (EORs), I haveidentified a pressing issue. Specifically, there is a lack of consistent feedback from disastermanagement organizations in Central Asian countries. This problem often arises when thedesignated contact person leaves their position within the organization, and the new appointee is
not informed or engaged with ongoing projects.
A potential solution is to update existing memorandums and conduct a ‘reset’ or updating ourcollaboration with the objectives of Sentinel Asia.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
We have had 11 EORs from CAIAG so far. Could you pick out some cases and show how thedata/products from Sentinel Asia were used in these countries?
Mr. Ulan Abdybachaev
Most of the 11 cases were water-related, such as flooding in Kazakhstan in 2010, or the trigger
was rainfall resulting in landslides in Tajikistan, and also landslides and mudflows in Kyrgyzstan
and Uzbekistan in 2021. However, there were also earthquakes in Afghanistan in 2022 and a firein Kazakhstan in 2023.
Satellite images such as ALOS PALSAR as well as other optical images were often used.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
About the past EORs from CAIAG, could you tell us about memorable cases and where the data from
Sentinel Asia was used effectively, and why?
Mr. Ulan Abdybachaev
Regarding memorable cases, I recall the forest fire in Kazakhstan in 2023 and the mudflow eventin Kyrgyzstan in 2021. For these events, satellite data from members of the Sentinel Asia
organization were effectively used. These data were used by the Ministry of Emergency Situations
to analyze and assess the zones and scale of damage of these events.
I think what has been successful has been the solidarity within the Sentinel Asia community, which
is truly a key element in achieving resilience and effective response to catastrophic events. And
taking this opportunity, I would like to express my deep gratitude to everyone who is involved inthis program and who supports and contributes to its development.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
What are the merits of Sentinel Asia, for example, image processing by DAN in a timely manner?
Mr. Ulan Abdybachaev
I believe that timely image processing is a foundational aspect and one of the principal advantagesof Sentinel Asia. This efficiency is crucial for an objective assessment of the magnitude of natural
events, enabling the extraction of critical data to prioritize decisions effectively. Additionally,
Sentinel Asia is invaluable for its capacity to provide diverse types of data, including optical andradar imagery. These resources offer a comprehensive view of the situation, enhancing ourunderstanding of the unfolding events.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
Are there any challenges relating to disaster management and other socioeconomic conditions inCentral Asia that could be solved by Sentinel Asia or other satellite technologies? Or if you havealready coordinated with satellite technologies on your activities, could you introduce examples ofthem?
Mr. Ulan Abdybachaev
As mentioned earlier, one of our main challenges is the limited number of expert human resources,
which significantly impacts our activities. In addition to human resources, socioeconomic
conditions also pose challenges to utilizing satellite information, particularly in Kyrgyzstan,
Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. The field of remote sensing is not widely popular in these regions,and due to its low popularity coupled with limited budgets and incomes, young staff frequently
transition to new fields. This challenge necessitates efforts to change perceptions and raise theprofile of the remote sensing sector. Furthermore, the field of remote sensing is closely linked withnational security, often leading to conversations being curtailed due to security concerns. Despite
these challenges, CAIAG is actively working to change this situation. For instance, recent
discussions in Kyrgyzstan about developing an early warning system for earthquakes haveprovided CAIAG with an opportunity to showcase the potential of the space industry and remotesensing in enhancing evaluations for early warning systems.
One of the challenges faced in Central Asia is flooding from glacial lake outburst floods. CAIAG
is involved in implementing the project “Reducing the vulnerability of the population in theCentral Asian region to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) in the context of climate change,”with financial support from the Adaptation Fund and UNESCO, aimed at addressing suchchallenges. The project covers Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. One of the
key outcomes of this project is the use of satellite imagery to assess the level of threat from glaciallake outburst floods, which will make a significant contribution to effectively addressing thesechallenges in the target countries.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
Do you have any expectations for Sentinel Asia, and conversely, what CAIAG can contribute to
Sentinel Asia?
Mr. Ulan Abdybachaev
Our expectations from the Sentinel Asia program boil down to the continuation of cooperation andensuring sustainable development in the Central Asia region. We place particular emphasis ontechnical support and consultations, as we consider them crucial in the context of improving
disaster response. As part of the development and popularization of remote sensing methods anddata, CAIAG launched a master’s program in Applied Geology (Georisks) in 2021. The
availability of data on 11 events in the Central Asia region, which were previously mentioned, has
become the basis for creating case studies. These and other cases will be used to train young
professionals and demonstrate opportunities for target users. With the support of Sentinel Asia,
training CAIAG staff in new skills for post-processing satellite images and remote sensing

products will also make a significant contribution to enhancing the potential for quality knowledgetransfer and tools for the younger generation.
Supplementary material by CAIAG- * - * - * - * - *- * - * - * - * - * - *- * - * - * - * - * - *3. How to send an Emergency Observation Request
JPT member organizations are entitled to send an Emergency Observation Request (EOR) for
disasters in the Asia-Pacific region. Please refer to https://sentinel-asia.org/elearning/Emergency_Observation_Request.html
EOR Order Desk:
Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC)
HP: http://www.adrc.asia/
E-mail: sarequest@adrc.asia
FAX: +81-78-262-5546,
TEL: +81-78-262-5540- * - * - * - * - * - *- * - * - * - * - * - *- * - * - * - * - * - *4. Using Sentinel Asia Operation System, OPTEMIS
Sentinel Asia launched a new operation system, OPTEMIS. Please refer to the website on how tocreate an account for OPTEMIS.
https://sentinel-asia.org/e-learning/Emergency_Observation_Request.html+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+=
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