Looking from space: NASA releases before-after images of Kerala showing massive extent of floods

Image courtesy: NASA Earth Observatory

COCHIN: Kerala is reeling from its worst floods in a century that has left over 320 people dead and several homeless. The Centre has declared this calamity of 'severe nature'. 

The extent and severity of Kerala floods can be observed in the recent images released by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The first satellite image was taken on February 6, 2018.

Image 1

The second satellite image, taken on August 22, 2018, shows the extent of the flood.

Image 2

“The Operational Land Imager (OLI) on the Landsat 8 satellite acquired the left image (bands 6-5-3) on February 6, 2018, before the flood (Image 1). The Multispectral Instrument on the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 satellite acquired the right image (bands 11-8-3) on August 22, 2018, after flood water had inundated the area (Image 2). The images are false-color, which makes flood water appear dark blue. Vegetation is bright green,” writes NASA's Earth Observatory.

“Several rivers throughout the region spilled over their banks. Water from the Karuvannur River ran through 40 villages, and washed away a 2.2 kilometer (1.4 mile) stretch of land connecting two national highways. Elevated water levels along the Periyar River displaced thousands of people,”it added.

A fortnight of the devastating deluge, over 3.26 lakh people are still in relief camps across Kerala.
As per the latest government update on the flood situation, 322 people have lost their lives in the monsoon fury since August 8.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which suffered an estimated loss of over Rs 220 crore due to floods, is expected to resume full scale international and domestic operations from 2 pm on Wednesday, August 29.

A release from the chief minister's office said work of burying carcasses were nearing completion and four lakh birds and more than 22,000 small and big animals have been buried.