Japan’s space agency to advance earthquake damage estimation programme

Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has signed an agreement with Kumamoto prefecture to further develop a programme that estimates building damage caused by earthquakes using satellite imagery,  local media reported.

Under the partnership, JAXA will utilise approximately 200,000 data on building damage from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake to refine and enhance the accuracy of its technology, which is expected to be deployed nationwide, Kyodo News reported.

The programme will compare satellite images taken before and after an earthquake to assess the extent of structural damage within 2-3 hours of observation.

The programme can function effectively during nighttime and adverse weather conditions, according to the report.

JAXA anticipated the programme will be operational within a few years.

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