Satellite-Detected Damage Assessment for Daraa, Syria, 2013-2017

Daraa, Syria, was analyzed for structural damage using satellite imagery from 2013 to 2017. UNITAR - UNOSAT identified 1,503 affected structures, categorizing 224 as destroyed, 498 severely damaged, and 781 moderately damaged. This preliminary analysis was conducted for the REACH initiative and the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.

Use Cases

• Mapping the spatial distribution of structural damage based on satellite imagery analysis
• Tracking the progression of damage over time based on imagery from six dates between 2013 and 2017
• Prioritizing humanitarian response based on the severity classification of affected structures
• Conducting impact assessments for urban planning and reconstruction efforts

Strengths

• Analysis is based on satellite imagery from six specific dates between September 2013 and February 2017
• Provides precise counts for three damage severity levels: 224 destroyed, 498 severely damaged, and 781 moderately damaged
• Identifies 419 structures newly damaged between April 2016 and February 2017

Limitations

• Preliminary analysis not validated by ground truth; accuracy requires field verification
• Excludes pre-war military bases and facilities, potentially undercounting total damage
• Row count and column-level documentation are unknown, limiting suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT)

Collection Method

Satellite imagery analysis

Time Range

Imagery acquired between September 2013 and February 2017

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-27 10:27:52.986731; freshness should be verified

Geography

City of Daraa, Daraa Governorate, Syria