Potential use of AI for Natural disaster and crisis response
- Quentin Bottéon
- Apr 7
- 3 min read
Over the years, natural disasters’ occurrence increased everywhere in the world. Hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, floors, they happen more often and start becoming a more common situation for all of us. It has tripled in the last 30 years and it will cost developing countries between 140 and 300 billions of dollars annually by 2030.
The recent improvement of AI help to prevent and manage natural disaster in a more effective way, from predicting disasters to assisting in recovery efforts. This technology helps us in data analysis and improve decision-making.
AI-Powered Systems : A helpful tool for getting prepared
AI can be a useful tool for helping the population to be prepared to face natural disasters. It can help authorities to analyze risks thanks to accurate information gathered by satellites and technology to and be ready for emergencies and act quickly on the field to save lives. AI technology can be used in computer vision and image analytics solutions to track weather patterns and prevent from cyclones or hurricanes disasters. Michael Scott Fischer, a researcher at the University of Miami, developed a way to improve the prediction of rapid hurricane intensification by using artificial intelligence and machine learning. These tools allow him to control the quality of data captured by hurricane hunter aircraft and focus on what interest him the most to prevent natural disasters in the region of Miami.
Still in Florida, artificial intelligence helped policymakers to put traffic sensors at the strategic areas of Tallahassee, to detect road blockages and avoid people to get stuck in an affected area, notices Monique Kuglitsch from the World Meteorological Organization.
AI used for assisting rescue teams during a natural disaster
Artificial Intelligence can also be used when a natural disaster is currently occurring and not only for prevention. It can represents a considerable help for rescue teams operating on the field as every second counts and AI is significantly faster than humans. If we take the example of the aftermath of the earthquake occurred in 2023 in the city of Adıyaman in Turkey, the American Department of Defense used satellite imagery combined with AI to identify the damages on infrastructures and building and to determine how destructive the earthquake was. This method gave results quicker than traditional detection methods that are on-site inspections, aerial surveys and crowdsourcing from the ground, that require people.
During a natural disaster, AI is also a powerful tool for emergency team which is often overwhelmed by numerous distressed calls from people affected by the situation. High volumes of calls and messages can be managed thanks to AI, which can contribute to an acceleration of emergency responsible, vital in such circumstances.
Post-disaster : How AI can help in providing mental health support
A natural disaster can have devastating consequences on people’s lives. Several documentaries on Los Angeles wildfire that destroyed more than 16 000 structures, showed how difficult this situation was for every people affected, both wealthy and lower-income individuals. What they were attached to disappeared within few hours and is lost forever. It is even more the case for people who spent their whole life to work hard and save money to buy their dream home in the city. Seeing helplessly their home being consumed by fire can be devastating for some people, and then may require mental health support from emergencies. That’s where AI comes in. Chatbots can be used to support people suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). AI can track symptoms such as hyperarousal, intrusive thoughts or avoidance behaviors and analyze them to identify triggers and offer suggestions for calming down or managing intrusive thoughts.
Conclusion
Natural disaster is intensifying over the years and affect all regions of the world. People affected by this situation can lose everything they have and can also be mentally impacted. Technologies are also evolving and the emergence of artificial intelligence cannot be ignored and its use can be beneficial for both emergency and affected people and for every type and at every stage of a natural disaster. AI as a tool can always be improved to become more efficient and faster, as every second counts in such a situation.
References
Abirami, V. (2024). AI in Natural Disaster Management. https://www.ultralytics.com/blog/ai-in-natural-disaster-management
R. Jones Jr. (2024). A powerful, new tool in hurricane forecasting. https://news.miami.edu/stories/2024/09/a-powerful-new-tool-in-hurricane-forecasting.html
Booth, H. & Pillay T. (2024) How AI is being used to respond to natural disasters in cities
M. Philipps. (2024). AI : A new tool for PTSD Management
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