This area on the west side of Cancabato Bay bore some of the heaviest brunt. Debris from the storm surge is seen in the lower left area.
Photo is courtesy of DigitalGlobe.

As with any natural disaster, rapid, comprehensive, unclassified satellite coverage can be an invaluable tool for responding to these major events.

On November 07, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. EST, several hours before Typhoon Haiyan made landfall, DigitalGlobe activated FirstLook, an online subscription service for emergency managers and enterprise customers that provides fast, web-based access to pre- and post-event imagery of natural and manmade disasters. In the first few days, following the initial devastation, DigitalGlobe’s satellites collected and delivered more than 19,000 square kilometersof imagery in the hardest hit areas, including Tacloban City and the surrounding areas. FirstLook’s frequent revisit times have enabled rapid delivery of quality imagery content during this time-critical event.

Below is a chilling image chip, depicting the impact from typhoon Haiyan.

WE NEED YOUR HELP—JOIN THE CROWD: The scale of the storm’s destruction has been massive. In addition to collecting imagery, Digital Globe needs volunteers to help the firm map the devastation. In support of such efforts, DigitalGlobe has activated a crowdsourcing campaign, open to anyone willing to help. More information is available at http://www.tomnod.com/nod/challenge/haiyantyphoon2013.