Satellite-Detected Flood Impact in Cabo Verde Islands (August 2025)

August 13-16, 2025 satellite analysis maps mudflow extent and damage in Sao Vicente and Santo Antao, Cabo Verde. The dataset identifies approximately 16 km² of affected land, 4,660 damaged buildings, 85 km of affected roads, and 13,600 potentially exposed people. It was produced by the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) using Pleiades very high-resolution imagery.

Use Cases

• Assess population exposure by overlaying flood extent polygons with WorldPop population data to locate the 13,600 potentially affected people.
• Prioritize infrastructure repair by analyzing the spatial distribution of the 4,660 damaged buildings and 85 km of affected roads.
• Validate satellite-derived mudflow extent maps through field surveys and ground feedback to UNOSAT.
• Model flood hazard risk by using the 16 km² affected area as a training or validation layer for hydrological models.

Strengths

• Derived from Pleiades very high-resolution satellite imagery for detailed spatial analysis.
• Quantifies impact with specific figures: 16 km² of flooded land, 4,660 damaged buildings, and 85 km of affected roads.
• Includes a population exposure estimate of 13,600 people, integrating WorldPop data for humanitarian context.

Limitations

• Preliminary analysis not yet validated by ground truth, which may affect accuracy.
• Limited temporal scope to a single 4-day event in August 2025, not a time series.
• Geographic coverage is restricted to two islands in Cabo Verde, limiting broader applicability.

Provenance

Source

United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT).

Collection Method

Analysis of Pleiades very high-resolution satellite imagery acquired from August 13 to 16, 2025, integrated with WorldPop population data.

Time Range

August 13-16, 2025.

Freshness

Analysis is from August 2025; metadata was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Sao Vicente and Santo Antao Islands, Cabo Verde.