Wildfires are a significant and growing concern in the United States, with an average of 70,025 fires burning approximately 7 million acres annually in the past decade. Climate change and increased development in wildland-urban interface areas have exacerbated the frequency and intensity of wildfires, leading to longer fire seasons and more destructive blazes across the country
Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene caused significant destruction in the Southeast, Tropical Storm Milton has quickly formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is barrelling towards Tampa, Florida where it is forecasted to land as a Category 3 Hurricane.
The majority of offshore assets are located to the north; however, this path places a cluster of holiday resorts and hotels directly in the line of hurricane-force winds, intense rainfall, and storm surges. Additionally, there are 11 cruise ships valued at $2.7 billion within the hurricane’s cone, with three currently departing to evade the storm.
Skytek utilised aerial imagery captured on August 12th, 2024, and September 28th, 2024, shortly after Hurricane Helene made landfall near Perry, Florida. Skytek applied its proprietary machine learning algorithm to detect, highlight, and quantify the damage inflicted by the hurricane. The platform ingested aerial images from relevant areas along the hurricane’s trajectory, analysing the impact of the storm surge and flooding, along with wind damage.
Hurricane Helene is the ninth hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. It has rapidly intensified from a tropical storm on September 24th and is expected to reach Category 3 major hurricane status, with forecasts indicating sustained winds of at least 125 mph as it approaches the Florida Gulf Coast. The storm is currently advancing in a north-northwest direction and is anticipated to make landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on Thursday evening, potentially near Mexico Beach and Cedar Key. Given its large size, there are concerns about extensive impacts, including a significant storm surge and flooding. The National Hurricane Center has warned of possible surge heights between 10 to 15 feet in the Big Bend area, which could lead to severe flooding.
Pre-Event: image of Pacific Palisades on January 23rd, 2023
Post-Event Image: Satellite image dated January 09th, 2025.
Maritime Incident: Francis Scott Key Bridge
Pre-Event Image: Satellite image dated February 24th, 2024, of the Francis Scott Key Bridge – Credits @PlanetLabs
Post-Event Image: Satellite image dated March 29th, 2024, of the damage and the containership “Dali” – Credits @PlanetLabs
Hurricane Ian: Salty Sam Marina, Fort Myers, Florida
Pre-Event Image: Satellite image dated August 25th, 2022, of the Salty Sam Marina in Fort Myers – Credits @AirbusSpace
Post-Event Image: Aerial image dated September 30th, 2022, of the damage in the Salty Sam Marina in Fort Myers – Credits @ NOAA
Ukraine War: Pre and post-satellite images of the Azovstal Steel Plant
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