Satellite-Detected Damage Density in Daraa, Syria, 2016

A 2016 analysis by UNITAR - UNOSAT identified 1180 affected structures in Daraa, Syria, using satellite imagery from 2010 to 2016. The data includes 217 destroyed, 400 severely damaged, and 563 moderately damaged structures, with trend analysis showing 190 newly damaged since June 2015. This preliminary analysis was conducted for the REACH initiative and the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.

Use Cases

• Mapping conflict-related structural damage based on satellite-detected damage density.
• Analyzing trends in building destruction over time based on imagery from 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.
• Prioritizing humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts based on counts of destroyed and damaged structures.
• Validating remote damage assessments with ground feedback as suggested by the description.

Strengths

• Quantifies 1180 affected structures with specific damage levels: 217 destroyed, 400 severely damaged, 563 moderately damaged.
• Provides multi-temporal analysis using satellite imagery from five dates between 2010 and 2016.
• Includes trend analysis showing an increase of 190 newly damaged structures since a specific prior date.

Limitations

• Preliminary analysis not validated in the field, as stated in the description.
• Excludes pre-war military bases and facilities, which may limit a complete assessment of the conflict zone.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT)

Collection Method

Analysis of satellite imagery acquired on specific dates, conducted as part of the REACH initiative.

Time Range

Imagery from 2010-12-14, 2013-09-07, 2014-05-01, 2015-06-04, and 2016-04-16; analysis dated 2016.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-04 09:10:53.936894; freshness should be verified.

Geography

City of Daraa, Daraa Governorate, Syrian Arab Republic.