Evolving Threats: New Disaster Types and Responses
There was a time when disasters occurred in expected patterns. Cyclones tracked seasons. Earthquakes struck along known fault lines. Floods rose with the monsoon. But those rhythms are changing. Today, the world faces cascading, compound, and unconventional disasters. Climate change is melting glaciers, shifting storm tracks, and intensifying rainfall. Urban sprawl is pushing settlements into hazard-prone zones. And technological or industrial hazards, like fires or chemical leaks, can trigger humanitarian crises in minutes.
In this era of complexity, space-based support has become essential. The International Charter: Space and Major Disasters stands as a global mechanism for delivering satellite data, actionable information, and international cooperation during some of the world’s most devastating events. What follows is a story of how this Charter is evolving to meet the needs of an evolving planet.
When the Unthinkable Becomes the Norm
In August 2020, explosions tore through an industrial facility in Lebanon, sending shockwaves across the city. Thick smoke blanketed the skyline, and responders were hindered by both fire and contamination risks. With limited access and visibility, the International Charter was activated to support response. Satellite tasking was initiated within hours. High-resolution imagery helped delineate the extent of the damage, identify impacted infrastructure, and map hazardous zones.
Charter products were not just used to understand what had happened, but they were used to guide real-time decisions about where to send help and how to navigate a dangerous urban landscape. This activation underscored the Charter’s versatility. It demonstrated that disaster risk is not defined by the origin of the disaster alone, but also by the impact it creates. The Charter’s expansion into industrial and technological hazards reflects its adaptability to address evolving global risks.
Floods, Then and Now – From Rivers to Cities
In September 2024, heavy rains caused the Budameru rivulet in Vijayawada, India, to breach its limits. What followed wasn’t a typical riverine flood, but an urban inundation exacerbated by rapid construction, blocked natural drains, and fragile municipal infrastructure. The Charter was activated, and satellites from ISRO and other partners were mobilized. Within a day, flood extent maps were disseminated using Cartosat-3, Sentinel-2, and PlanetScope data.
These maps became crucial to state authorities for planning emergency evacuations and organizing relief logistics. The seamless collaboration between data providers and end users improved the efficiency of on-ground operations. One of the end users, Shri Nagaraju from Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, reflected, “The speed with which we received high-resolution maps after the flood was unprecedented. It changed the entire tempo of our rescue operation.”
Fragile Mountains, Sudden Tragedies
Mountain disasters are evolving rapidly due to the impact of climate change. In February 2021, the Chamoli disaster in India’s Uttarakhand region began with a high-altitude rock and ice avalanche. Within minutes, it evolved into a debris flow that destroyed hydropower projects and caused many casualties. The Charter was activated (ID 698), enabling the rapid delivery of satellite data from the Charter. Within 12 hours, about 15 damage maps were prepared by ISRO. This event illustrated not just the importance of speed, but the need for interpretation. Scientists worldwide used the Charter-provided images to understand the disaster’s evolution, contributing to a better understanding of the high-altitude cascading hazards.
In October 2023, a massive Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) from South Lhonak Lake in Sikkim, India, devastated the Teesta Valley. Triggered by a sudden rockfall, millions of cubic meters of water surged downstream, destroying hydropower facilities, bridges, and homes. Charter Activation 842 brought together the data from multiple satellites. SAR and optical images allowed rapid mapping of the breached lake and downstream destruction.
These visuals provided the first real evidence of the scale of destruction, hours before the field teams could access the site. As the mountain systems are destabilized, becoming more and more fragile, these events underscore a trend of the Charter’s role in GLOF high-resolution monitoring, and the need arising for early warning becomes indispensable.
Just nine months later, in Wayanad, Kerala State of India, torrential rain on July 30, 2024, triggered massive landslides in Chooralmala village. With cloud cover, the Charter’s SAR satellites, including RISAT and TanDEM-X, provided the only clear images. Activation 900 supported ISRO’s VAP teams in producing debris flow maps and slope analysis, allowing local responders to plan safer routes for search and rescue. The data also contributed to post-disaster risk mapping and highlighted the need for stricter hillside development regulations.
As one Value-Adder, Priyom Roy from ISRO noted, “VAPs are always focused on creating products that are not just scientifically accurate but practically useful for those making life-saving decisions on the ground.”
Disasters Without Borders – Myanmar Earthquake Response
The recent Myanmar earthquake is a profound testimony of how the International Charter aided relief and rescue. On March 28, 2025, at 12:50 p.m., the ground beneath Myanmar’s Sagaing Region heaved violently. A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, turning cities into rubble and taking the lives of at least 3,770 people. Over 5,100 people were injured (according to news reports), and centuries-old religious sites lay in ruins. The International Charter was activated, Activation ID 956. The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) was nominated as Project Manager, working alongside ISRO’s NRSC as value adder. Within a day, India’s Cartosat-2S and Cartosat-3 satellites began scanning Mandalay and its surroundings.
By March 30, four detailed damage assessment maps were uploaded in the Charter Dashboard by ISRO. Over time, that number grew to 23, created by agencies around the world using high-resolution optical data. The maps didn’t just show the rubble, but they told a story of neighbourhoods flattened, roads blocked, and pockets of survivors waiting for help. Using this data, responders navigated collapsed infrastructure, identified safe zones, and planned effective aid delivery.
Beyond response, the activation influenced urban risk assessments and catalyzed interest in infrastructure resilience in quake-prone regions of Southeast Asia.
The Power of Satellite Data Products
The Charter’s value lies in the quality and usability of its products. Damage assessment maps reveal the true extent of destruction. Flood inundation maps, derived from both SAR and optical data, provide rapid situational awareness even through cloud cover. Landslide inventories generated from terrain models help planners assess slope stability and long-term risks. Maps showing blocked access routes enable logistics teams to chart alternative paths to affected regions.
Perhaps most critically, change detection products allow analysts and responders to compare before-and-after conditions, ensuring rapid prioritization of aid. All outputs are developed with a clear focus on end-user utility and tailored for local authorities, first responders, and humanitarian teams.
Learning, Evolving, Leading
The Charter continues to evolve, and its ecosystem of partners is pushing the boundaries of geospatial disaster response. As disasters grow more complex, the Charter is transforming from a data provider into a real-time decision-support mechanism by blending science, technology, and local knowledge into one global safety net. The disasters of the past few years, whether glacial, seismic, hydrological, or industrial, signal a world in flux. They also point to a vital truth that the way we respond must evolve alongside the threats we face.
The International Charter on Space and Major Disasters is not merely a data-sharing platform. It is a global operational framework, with Project Managers, VAPs, satellite operators, and end users all playing coordinated roles. Together, they transform pixels into protection, and maps into missions.
From the flood plains of Andhra Pradesh to the icy craters of Sikkim, the Charter’s value lies in its speed, reach, and adaptability. With each activation, it strengthens the bridge between space science and humanitarian relief, by proving that, in a world of uncertainty, global cooperation and timely intelligence can still chart a path to safety. As threats evolve, so must our tools. The Charter ensures that wherever the next disaster strikes, the world is better prepared to respond, not just with data, but with purpose, precision, and hope.