Satellite-Detected Flood Waters in Albay and Camarines Sur, Philippines, November 2020

Albay and Camarines Sur provinces in the Bicol Region of the Philippines were observed via Sentinel-1 satellite imagery on 12 November 2020. The analysis indicates approximately 250 km² of land was flooded, an increase of about 130 km² from six days prior, potentially affecting around 170,000 people. This preliminary flood extent data was produced by the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT).

Use Cases

• Map flood extent evolution based on satellite-detected surface waters from 6 and 12 November 2020.
• Estimate population exposure to flooding based on WorldPop population data integrated with detected water extents.
• Support field validation and ground truthing efforts for disaster response teams.
• Analyze flood patterns in built-up and vegetated areas with consideration for radar signal limitations.

Strengths

• Covers an analyzed area of about 5,000 km².
• Provides specific flood extent figures (250 km²) and change metrics (130 km² increase).
• Includes a population exposure estimate of about 170,000 people.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The analysis is preliminary and noted as unvalidated in the field.

Provenance

Source

United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT)

Collection Method

Analysis of Sentinel-1 radar satellite imagery.

Time Range

Observation date 12 November 2020, with comparison to 6 November 2020.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-04 10:11:28.263903; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Albay and Camarines Sur provinces, Bicol Region, Philippines.