Module 5: Damage Assessment

     For this week's lab, I explored how to assess storm damage. Like the last lab, I used data generated following Hurricane Sandy hit the northeast coast of the United States. 

    We started by generating a map of the track of the storm. During this process, I learned about more advanced symbology techniques that allowed the map (see below) to look more authentic. The symbology used here matches the symbology used by the National Weather Service. 

    After generating a track for the storm and determining the general areas that were affected, I used imagery from before the storm and after the storm to complete a damage assessment for just shy of 100 parcels. I started by loading the imagery data as a mosaic dataset. Then, I created a new point feature class (Structure Damage) to record the damage assessment data. Then, I compared the pre and post storm imagery and recorded my assessments on structure type, structure damage, wind damage, and inundation in the Structure Damage feature class. See a screenshot of the results from the damage assessment symbolized based on the degree of structural damage.

    After recording the damage assessment, I counted the number of buildings and their structural damage classification based on their proximity to the shore line (100 meters, 100-200 meters, 200-300 meters). This was completed by creating shoreline buffers for 100, 200, and 300 meters. Then the 200 and 300 meter buffers were erased to achieve the desired distance ranges. This analysis is valuable because these results allow me to extrapolate  structural damage conditions for areas just outside the area that I analyzed without having to complete a full on damage assessment. See the table below for the count data that I recorded on the structural damage condition.

    There was a clear relationship between the severity of the structural damage and the distance from the coast. The houses within 100 meters of coast can all be assumed to be affected in some way; the structure was either destroyed, showed signs of damage, or was affected in some way. The houses between 100 and 200 meters from the shore appeared to be split between being impacted and unimpacted. Field reporting from this area would provide greater clarity for the houses in this area. The houses between 200 and 300 meters from the shore appeared to be marginally impacted, and when they were impacted, the damage did not appear to be as significant as houses closer to the shore.