A team of GIS and remote sensing experts at ICIMOD are mapping possible helicopter landing sites for village development committees (VDCs) in earthquake-affected districts of Nepal.

Using remote sensing imagery from Google Earth, experts identify flat areas of land, after which potential landing sites are chosen and mapped based on the proximity to affected settlement areas. The maps produced provide helicopter pilots and dispatchers transporting relief materials with vital information that supports decision making on appropriate and safe landing sites to ensure each trip is successful.

VDCs in the following districts are being mapped: Dhading, Dolkha, Gorkha, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, and Sindhupalchok. The maps are available for download on underVDC Maps. Proper field verification of the landing sites has not yet been carried out.

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