This map presents a preliminary and on-going satellite-based damage assessment for the Governorates of Gaza and Gaza North. Damaged buildings, infrastructure and impact craters have been identified with Quickbird (16 January 2009) and WorldView satellite imagery acquired on 19 & 10 & 6 January 2009, and received at a reduced spatial resolution of 2 meters. Pre-crisis Ikonos satellite imagery from June 2005 was also used. Affected buildings were classified either as destroyed or severely damaged by standard image interpretation methods. Destroyed buildings have been defined by the total collapse of the structure or when it was standing but with less than 50% of the roof still intact. Severely damaged buildings were defined as having visible structural damage to a portion of one wall, or where a section of the roof was damaged but with over 50% of the roof still intact.

Please note: Buildings not marked in the map as damaged does not imply the buildings are undamaged, only that damages were not identified with the available satellite imagery at the time of map publication. Because of the reduced spatial resolution of this satellite imagery, the confidence level for damage identification within dense urban areas is significantly reduced. It is highly probable, therefore, that the damages currently identified in this map underestimate the actual building and infrastructure damages present on the ground at the time of satellite image acquisition. This damage map will be revised and updated as additional analysis and ground information is available. Please send any additions/corrections to UNOSAT.

Map scale for A3: 1:50,000
Projection : UTM Zone 36 North
Datum : WGS84
Satellite Image (1): WorldView-1
Satellite Image (2): Quickbird
Resolution: 2m (Reduced Resolution)
Imagery Dates (1): 19 & 10 & 6 January 2009
Imagery Dates (2): 16 January 2009
Copyright: Digital Globe (2008)
Damage Analysis: UNOSAT
GIS Data: UNRWA, OCHA, UNOSAT