Satellites to help disaster management

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) Satellites will be used to give the extent of damages in a disaster-hit area to pinpoint rescue and search operations, the government today informed the Rajya Sabha.

Under the disaster management support programme of the Department of Space, agencies involved in search and rescue will be given data in the form of maps depicting the impact of a disaster and damages, Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan said in a written reply.

Space technology will be used to support disaster management efforts in the country, mainly through satellite-generated information and emergency communication support, Mr Chavan said.

The Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Agency has been made the nodal agency to disseminate space inputs for disaster management to agencies at Centre and state levels, he added.

The disaster management support programme had responded comprehensively to the December 26, 2004 tsunami and monitoring of artificial lake in Sutlej basin that caused flash flood threat in parts of Himachal Pradesh, he said.

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