Damage Exposure
An exploratory tool from the OCHA Centre for Humanitarian Data, consolidating satellite-derived damage assessments — expert-mapped, AI per-building, and SAR-based radar — into one harmonized view for side-by-side comparison.
For additional information, please reach out to zachary.arno@un.org and leonardo.milano@un.org.
Behind the map
Every source is projected onto one shared base of Overture building footprints, so all sources use the same unit: buildings. A footprint is flagged as damaged for a source where that source's data intersects it. Microsoft footprints are matched directly. Copernicus EMS and HotOSM damage points are snapped to the nearest footprint within 20 m. The radar sources (IMPACT SAR, OSU) are sampled at each building.
Each source is evaluated only within its area of interest, such as a Copernicus activation footprint, a radar swath, or a model's coverage mask. Only buildings inside that area are counted as analysed. Outside it, the source has no data (not zero damage). All rates use the analysed area.
Per source, each unit reports:
Per-building flags are aggregated to OCHA COD admin units (0–3) and an H3 grid, graded on the Copernicus EMS scale (Possibly, Damaged, Destroyed). When several sources are selected, each unit takes the maximum value across them, and the hover lists each source separately.
An exploratory tool from the OCHA Centre for Humanitarian Data.