Artificial intelligence has learned to predict landslides and avalanches years before a disaster
Kyiv • UNN
The new system analyzes satellite images and detects micro-movements of the soil. The technology is already being tested in Nepal and Britain to save thousands of lives.
Researchers have developed artificial intelligence systems that allow for the early detection of landslide and avalanche risks. The technologies are already being tested in various countries and used to analyze satellite and visual data. This is reported by the BBC, writes UNN.
Details
AI analyzes radar satellite images and detects even minimal changes in the soil that are invisible to the naked eye. This allows for the tracking of ground movement days, weeks, or even years before a potential collapse.
In Nepal, the system identified an unstable area beneath the village of Kimtang, marking it as a high-risk zone. According to researcher Antoinette Tordesillas, "their village is actually located on an unstable slope."
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Similar algorithms can process huge amounts of data much faster than humans and identify thousands of potentially dangerous slopes.
Where it is already applied
In the UK, AI analyzed about 300,000 slopes and identified thousands that are in motion.
The technologies were also used to map over 4,000 landslides after a disaster in Indonesia, which helped rescuers assess the situation. Separately, a system has been developed that can detect avalanches in real-time using cameras and deep learning.
Why is this needed
Every year, landslides and avalanches claim thousands of lives worldwide. Scientists note that such phenomena are becoming more frequent due to climate change and human activity.
AI allows not only to predict disasters but also to plan evacuations, identify safe zones, and reduce risks to infrastructure.