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The View From Above
By Gary Ferrington
An undersea earthquake occurred December 26 at 7:58 AM local time off the western coast of northern Sumatra. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake generated tsunami waves that spread out across the Indian Ocean at about 435 miles per hour or the speed of a jet plane.
Unsuspecting villagers and vacationers alike were overwhelmed when waves up to 50 feet high crashed ashore along the coasts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and other countries eventually reaching the coastline of Africa.
Home video has provided us with detailed images of the moment waves crashed ashore. But it is the technology of satellite photography that provides us with a unique perspective and understanding of the power these waves had in changing the landscape and the lives of thousands.
The images below clearly illustrate the destructive force tsunami waves have on the land and people. The breadth of devastation in these images is overwhelming. If you visit DigitalGlobe's QuickBird satellite image Tsunami site you will find detailed analysis of these satellite photographs, and others, that the company is providing as a service to the public and press. These are well worth studying in order to help understand the enormity of this event.
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| Banda Aceh (Kutaraja) is the provincial capital and largest city of Aceh, Indonesia, located on the island of Sumatra. It was the closest major city to the earthquake's epicenter. Photo by DigitalGlobe |
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| Banda Aceh Shoreline after Tsunami Photo by DigitalGlobe |
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| Gleebruk, a small town located about 31 miles from Banda Aceh. Photo by DigitalGlobe |
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| Gleebruk Village after the tsunami. Photo by DigitalGlobe |
It is the power of photographs and moving images that have motivated millions to contribute to the rescue and recovery in Asia.
Those wanting to assist can access the Center for International Disaster Information web site for information. Two North West organizations assisting in Asia include Mercy Corps and Northwest medical Teams International.
The photographs on this page were provided by DigitalGlobe®. The DigitalGlobe company was founded in 1992 as an Earth imaging and information company. That same year, it was the first company ever to receive a high-resolution commercial remote sensing license from the U.S. Government under the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act. With the launch of its QuickBird satellite in October 2001, DigitalGlobe became the world’s highest resolution commercial satellite imagery provider.
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