Satellite-Detected Flood Waters in Guatemala Departments as of November 2020

18 November 2020 is the observation date for this satellite-derived flood extent map covering Alta Verapaz, Izabal, and Zacapa departments in Guatemala. The United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) produced the data, which estimates about 170 km² of flooded land and identifies approximately 17,500 people potentially exposed. This is a preliminary analysis based on a Sentinel-1 radar image and has not been field-validated.

Use Cases

• Assess flood extent and severity based on satellite-detected surface waters covering about 15,000 km²
• Estimate population exposure to flooding based on integrated WorldPop population data
• Plan humanitarian response and resource allocation based on identified flooded areas and potential impact
• Validate or compare flood models using observed satellite data from a specific event

Strengths

• Analysis covers a defined area of about 15,000 km²
• Provides quantified estimates of flooded area (about 170 km²) and potentially exposed population (about 17,500 people)
• Uses Sentinel-1 radar imagery, which can penetrate cloud cover

Limitations

• The analysis is preliminary and noted as not yet validated in the field
• Flood detection may underestimate standing water in built-up and densely vegetated areas due to radar signal properties
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download

Provenance

Source

United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT)

Collection Method

Satellite radar image analysis from Sentinel-1

Time Range

18 November 2020

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-24 09:54:25.526465; freshness should be verified

Geography

Alta Verapaz, Izabal, and Zacapa departments, Guatemala