N. Korea: Satellite Photos of the Explosion Site(before and after the explosion)

GlobalSecurity.org ^ | 04/27/04 (?) | N/A

[TigerLikesRooster]

Click on the small image to view a larger version
New Post-blast Satellite Imagery from DigitalGlobe
Pre-explosion overview of the area of devastion (Source: DigitalGlobe 13 May 2003)	Overview of the area of devastion (Source: DigitalGlobe 27 April 2004)
Comparative overview of the blast-affected town of Ryongchon
Approximate location of the explosion (Source: DigitalGlobe 13 May 2003)	Approximate location of the explosion, post-blast The explosion's crater appears to have been partially filled in (Source: DigitalGlobe 27 April 2004)
Comparative overview of the approximate location of the explosion in the town of Ryongchon
The Ryongchon Primary School, pre-explosion (Source: DigitalGlobe 13 May 2003)	The Ryongchon Primary School, post-explosion (Source: DigitalGlobe 27 April 2004)
Comparative overview of the damaged Ryongchon Primary School

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[Psycho_Bunny]

That's terrible. Those poor people.

[TigerLikesRooster]

ping!

[Judith Anne]

Amazing photos. Thank you for posting.

[AZWest]

bump

[AGreatPer]

These photos are amazing but I don't get it.

Are these photos telling us that we are scanning every inch of the earth for before and after photos?

Of course, we have no clue when a disaster is going to happen. So, how did they get the before photos?

[swilhelm73]

Well, I would guess we tend to pay a very close eye on N Korea and its major rail links. That way you can see troops movements...

[dfwgator]

All I can think of to say is "just damn."

[Simmy2.5]

Stunning. All this from...whatever was in those trains.

Did we ever find out what was in those trains?

[Ken H]

Do you know the scale on the top photos?

[bpjam]

There are photos being taken every day. Normally, nobody would bother to look at photos of this particular site unless you are an intel weenie at NRO or DIA. There are satellite photos being taken of your house all the time also. Its just that nobody really wants to post them on the web. (Unless you like in Area 51, of course).

[eastforker]

Bumping this for a later reply, that crater sure looks perpendicular to that rail line though. It remindes me of the crater left by the Pan Am jet at Lockerbie, not like the hole left at OKC that was deep and round. Something happened and it wasn't an oil tanker hitting a powerline that ran into a train where everything mixed together and then blowed up, just my 2 cents worth.

[kayak]

WOW! Quite dramatic pictures!

[eastforker]

And one more thing, doesn't it seem likely we should have as good of photos of Iraq and the Syrian border, I am sure we have and am positive they will be released at a later date.

[TheLion]

Great Post....This was one hell of an explosion!

From the site linked above:

"According to an UN Office For The Coordination Of Humanitarian Affairs Report from 24 April 2004, the explosion resulted from the contact of two train wagons carrying ammonium nitrate with a wagon containing fuel oil. Each wagon contained 40 MT of ammonium nitrate which were enroute to a construction site for the Pakma-cheol san irrigation project. This resulted in a massive explosion creating a large crater and leveling everything in a 500 m radius."

[DB]

Is that a trick question?

We're talking about N. Korea here. You can bet every inch of industrial and military area is constantly watched.

It is also highly probable that you home is photographed here:
http://www.terraserver.com/

Mine is...

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #10

Items mentioned in the news report so far: ammonium nitrate, fuel oil, liquid propane gas, and dynamite.

Maybe all of them or maybe some of them, who knows?

[eastforker]

You ain't buying that explanation are ya?

[TheLion]

What is the real scoop?