Media Information

 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Earth Observatory Collection
Title:
Floods in Gonaives, Haiti
Description:
The floods that claimed the lives of at least 1,500 Haitians and left as many missing, also filled a large lake basin outside of Gonaives. The basin, which was a dry dust bowl on August 8, 2001, was still completely covered with water on October 3, 2004, two weeks after Hurricane Jeanne’s heavy rains induced the flooding. Some of the water may have been present before the floods, but the recent influx of water has pushed the lake far beyond its shores. According to the Associated Press, the lake has covered the primary road connecting Gonaives to Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, with over a meter (four feet) of water, making food delivery difficult. The road can be seen here, a blurred white line under the dark blue water. The grey area at the end of the road near the shore is Gonaives.

These images were acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER). They were made by combining the infrared, near infrared, and red wavelengths (ASTER bands 4, 3, & 2). In this treatment, bare land appears pink, healthy croplands are light green, and concrete structures such as city buildings have a grey or deep purple tone.

NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory using data obtained courtesy of the of NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDA C/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Satellite - Sensor:
Terra- ASTER
facet_what:
Earth
facet_what:
ASTER
facet_what:
Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer
facet_what:
Terra
facet_where:
Japan
facet_where:
Haiti
facet_where:
Port-au-Prince
facet_where:
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_when:
August 8, 2001
facet_when:
October 3, 2004
facet_when_year:
2001
facet_when_year:
2004
UID:
SPD-ETOBS-12485
original url:

Floods in Gonaives, Haiti