Over the past 15 years, scientists and disaster responders have increasingly used satellite-based Earth observations for global rapid assessment of disaster situations. We review global trends in satellite rapid response and emergency mapping from 2000 to 2014, analyzing more than 1000 incidents in which satellite monitoring was used for assessing major disaster situations. We provide a synthesis of spatial patterns and temporal trends in global satellite emergency mapping efforts and show that satellite-based emergency mapping is most intensively deployed in Asia and Europe and follows well the geographic, physical, and temporal distributions of global natural disasters. We present an outlook on the future use of Earth observation technology for disaster response and mitigation by putting past and current developments into context and perspective.

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The 'Sentinel Asia' initiative was established by regional space agencies, to use Remote Sensing information and Web-GIS data-delivery technologies in support of disaster management in the Asia-Pacific region. Sentinel Asia is 'voluntary and best-efforts-basis initiatives' led by the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) to share the disaster information in the region using the 'Digital Asia' (Web-GIS) platform and to make the best use of earth observation satellites data for disaster management in the Asia-Pacific region. The system is to initially be an internet-based, node-distributed, information distribution backbone, eventually distributing relevant satellite and in-situ spatial information on multiple hazards in the Asia-Pacific region. The system will also be used by member countries of Sentinel Asia in the Asia-Pacific region to 'trigger' dedicated satellite-data acquisitions by regionally operated satellites through their participating and cooperating space agencies during major and minor disasters in their countries. Operations of Sentinel Asia are to be commenced in October 2006 through a dedicated web site.