Landslide Analysis of April 2019 Central Luzon Earthquake using Aerial Imagery
On August 7, 2020, researchers from the UP Resilience Institute-NOAH Storm Surge and Landslide team and Mr. Richard Ybanez of the VolcanoTectonics Laboratory, National Institute of Geological Sciences presented the results of the landslide analysis of the 22 April 2019 Central Luzon Earthquake via Zoom. The attendees include the Philippine Flying Lab (PFL) Director Dr. Heidi Abiad, SRDP Consulting Inc. President and Technical Director of PFL Engr. Joel F. Cruz, Project Coordinator Ms. Rosenia Niebres and SRDP Consulting Inc. Engineer Ms. Phoebe Cartilla.
Researchers from the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute and the National Institute
of Geological Sciences conduct a meeting with Philippines Flying Labs and SRDP Consulting, Inc.
to discuss the analysis of landslides caused by the April 2019 M6.1 Central Luzon Earthquake.
SRDP Consulting, Inc. is a company with extensive experience in mapping, surveying, planning and civil engineering, giving a distinct edge in the implementation and maintenance of successful engineering solutions. Whereas the PFL is a humanitarian group dedicated to creating innovative solutions to critical health, environment, and humanitarian problems.
The UPRI together with the said groups established an agreement to conduct a data-collection survey related to the Central Luzon Earthquake in the mountain ranges of Zambales and Pampanga to ascertain the geologic effects and mechanisms related to the earthquake. The UPRI analyzed and processed the gathered aerial images of SRDP-PFL.
The UPRI discussed the processed data pertaining to the visual analysis of images, specifically landslide scarps. The team presented the landslide inventory, distribution, delineation and slope. Additionally, the team compared and analyzed the pre- and post- landslide statistics and characteristics to available satellite images (PlanetScope).
Landslide Comparison of SRDP aerial images and Planetscope images. The detected 153
landslides validated the smaller area (not less than 200 sq m) imaging of the aerial
imagery from SRDP Consulting, Inc.
The acquired aerial data was proven useful in identifying landslides produced by the earthquake as well as those that existed prior to the event. Although no fault trace was found, the data provided was useful in establishing a data processing framework for identifying landslides and as a complement to satellite imagery that has long been a data source for UPRI researchers.
Engr. Joel F. Cruz further recommended to improve filtering of cloud cover from there end and utilize other technologies such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Light Detection and Ranging (UAV LiDAR) to improve data collection and quality. With this impressive data acquired by the PFL and the technical capabilities shown by SRDP Consulting, Inc., the UP Resilience Institute is hoping for future collaborations during times of disaster.