This unit focuses on exploring Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and data-driven methods to predict floods and understand their impacts on communities, the economy, and the environment.
Emphasis will be placed on the use of AI-driven data to analyse flood behaviour, predict flood risks, and assess the extent of damage caused by such events.
By connecting AI technology with the broader societal impacts of flooding, these tools can strengthen resilience and inform more effective disaster response strategies.
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Activity: Open Google Earth and explore a region or the surrounding area of a city from your country. Zoom in to one or more rivers, and identify places that might be vulnerable to flooding. Try out the historical data option to see whether the river has changed its course.
Google Earth Engine uses AI to process massive amounts of data and deliver these insights into environmental changes that would be impossible to examine manually.
Using Drones and UAVs
Drones and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) equipped with advanced imaging technology play an important role in surveying flood-prone areas and monitoring flood events.
Activity: Play the video for more information about the use of drones to validate flood risk.
Drones enhance flood prediction by capturing real-time aerial data on water levels, terrain changes, and drainage patterns.
Equipped with AI and sensors, they improve forecasting accuracy and disaster preparedness efforts.
Consider the ethical implications of using drones to capture and process images of flood-affected areas, particularly regarding privacy, data security, and informed consent from affected communities.
Understanding flooding and its causes
There are different types of flooding, each with its own unique challenges and risks:
Activity: Examine the diagrams illustrating different types of flooding/
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– Pluvial flooding: Caused by heavy rainfall.
– Fluvial flooding: Occurs when rivers overflow their banks.
– Coastal flooding: Caused by storm surges, high tides, or sea-level rise.
– Groundwater flooding: Happens when the water table rises.
– Compound flooding: A combination of two or more flooding types.
Activity: Which of the flooding types might occur in the area you explored with Google Earth?
AI offers the potential to better understand flooding and the impact of flood management systems. By analysing hydrological, meteorological, and environmental data from river basins, the likelihood of flooding can be predicted.