UPDATE: Satellite images of Katrina affected communities

UPDATE Fri. Sep 1st/2:54pm EDT: Updated satellite images are now available from the Digital Globe website via this link. These images do not appear to be available from http://maps.google.com just yet.

I was reading a comment-post a day ago by someone making a request to receive updated satellite images of Katrina affected communities on Google Maps. We all know the lapse in time that exists in current satellite imagery available on Google Maps and Google Earth so I really didn't expect to see the call being answered.

Digital Globe, the company that provides the satellite imagery we use in Google Maps and Google Earth, has said they will make updated images of Katrina-affected communities available via sites like Google Maps in the coming days.

Here is an excerpt from a notice on their website:

DigitalGlobe is aware of the extreme humanitarian need in the communities impacted by Hurricane Katrina and is making every effort possible to collect usable satellite imagery of the impacted areas. We have five potential satellite accesses planned for the next week.

Weather conditions permitting, this imagery will be posted on our website and available through our partners.

DigitalGlobe, Google and GlobeXplorer (www.globexplorer.com) are working closely to provide the updated imagery via Google Maps, Google Earth, and the GlobeXplorer suite of products including ImageAtlas as quickly as is possible.
(Full announcement)

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