Indians Gets Floods Alerts From Google’s AI

The tech giant is still taking advantages of AI technology - artificial intelligence to give predictions on almost everything, from earthquake’s effects to delays of flights. Moreover, its Google Public Alerts and SOS Alerts have been supporting the world in reducing crises in emergency situations.

However, it is still amazing to know that now Google has co-operated with India’s CWC- Central Water Commission, the highest Water Resources technical organization in the country, to create alerts about floods.

Each year, 250 millions of people all over the world suffers from floods. Besides, these damaging natural disasters are the reasons for billions of dollars worth damages and endless deaths (one-fifth of the figures belongs to India).

Threats warning

In those unforeseeable crises, efficient and correct warnings play a vital part in helping citizens and government stay updated and safe. Early forecasts could provide individuals with the instruction they need, so they can stay away from the most seriously damaged areas, go into safe houses, and also plan ahead the catastrophe.

Up to present, the forecasting systems in India have not been working effectively enough so people are still getting insufficient information about floods, and remains unsupported. This collaboration was made to fix that.

In the authorized organization’s statement, it is said that until 2 years ago, CWC could forecast flood levels best 1 day prior to the real event.

With the data from Google, the forecast will now can be released 3 days ahead. This objective is believed to achieve with the use of machine learning, artificial intelligence, hydrological observation data analysis and geospatial mapping. The expected outcome will be a system providing alerts customized to location, actionable floods.

Forecasting the emergency harshness

Earlier this month, the first ever warning in the area was sent out, after a heavy rain period, and will be now a part of Google Public Alerts. According to Yossi Matias, Google’s engineering VP, many aspects and varieties are fed into the models, including river levels, location-based elevation and terrain, and even historical events.

From these data, maps will be generated and therefore create thousands of simulations customized for each area. Provided with this data, the organization create models forecasting river flood, which can predict more accurately not only the time and the place of a potential flood, but also the severity of the event.

The cooperation is believed to help save the national budgets and also reduce damages caused by the floods. Meanwhile, Google is focusing on expanding their program to reach more geographic destinations, and also save more lives with its influence.

Matias stated that the company is hoping to broaden the system’s coverage to many other nations, to benefit more people with the accesses to early alerts of threats, and therefore protect them from dangers.