Maxar Technologies : Open Data Response to Flooding in South Africa

Devastating floods on April 13, 2022, in Durban, South Africa and surrounding areas has killed more than 260 people after hillsides were washed away and homes collapsed, and many people are still reported missing. According to government officials, the heaviest rains in 60 years pummeled Durban's municipality in what is described as the deadliest storm on record in South Africa. Mudslides trapped people under buildings and floodwaters swept away homes. Recovery efforts have been stalled due to inaccessibility to the flooded areas.

Learn more about the flooding in South Africa in the following news articles:

• BBC News
• The Guardian

When crises occur, Maxar is committed to supporting the humanitarian community by providing critical and actionable information to assist response efforts and fulfill our purpose, For A Better World. As part of our Open Data Program, Maxar will publicly release data of the affected areas to support response efforts as it becomes available.

Any imagery or data distributed through the Open Data Program is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 license (CC BY-NC 4.0). This licensing allows for noncommercial use of the information, meaning it can quickly be integrated into first responder workflows with organizations like Team Rubicon, the Red Cross and other nonprofits. If commercial companies are interested in using the data distributed through the Open Data Program, it can be purchased by contacting us here.

Imagery has been posted on our Open Data Program website. Please continue to check this site and our social media channels for updates on additional post-event data.