A recent Silicon Valley quake showed off the Android Earthquake Alert System’s efficacy. It reiterates how the loss of life and damage to property can be minimized by timely alert delivery. Google also has similar alert systems in place to caution against incoming floods, surging wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural calamities. In a significant step towards making many inhabited places safer, the company is expanding its flood forecasting and wildfire tracking services to several new regions.

Google launched its new FloodHub platform, so people around the world can see when and where floods are expected. This could help people evacuate to safety, giving governments and aid organizations sufficient time to act. The Verge reports that Google trained a flood forecasting AI model using data from several drainage basins to make accurate predictions about flood water depth and timing in new locations where there aren’t enough data points.

FloodHub shows affected regions in yellow, extremely flooded areas in red, and normal water levels in a teal color. Clicking each pin representing a data point also reveals historical and forecast data for that location, informing viewers if water levels are expected to rise or fall. The company also explained that a transition to weather data instead of water gauges helps deliver flood warnings a week ahead, instead of up to 48 hours before disaster strikes.

Meanwhile, Google’s flood alert notification system, like the one for earthquakes, is also expanding to 18 new countries in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Those countries are Brazil, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Angola, South Sudan, Namibia, Liberia, and South Africa.

Google delivers incoming flood alerts through Search and Maps. It says it sent 115 million such alerts to 23 million people at risk last year, potentially saving several lives.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, wildfires can be equally disastrous. Since they are growing in size and frequency, a tracking system is needed, and Google says it is using new AI models reliant on satellite imagery to detect wildfire boundaries. Alerts are sent through Maps and Search, so travelers can reroute, and local fire crews can respond appropriately.

Google’s wildfire detection systems are up and running in Mexico, the US, Canada, and parts of Australia. The company proudly claims that in the US and Canada alone, it has covered 30 major wildfire incidents since July. Such an alert system with the added benefit of real-time tracking could curtail damage to the ecology, livelihoods, and property while first responders tame the wildfires.

Alert systems for natural calamities and disasters like the ones Google is developing are a boon for the average person. They are also incredibly valuable for smaller economies and developing nations that cannot afford to develop or access such technologies. After all, any level of preparedness is better than the loss of life when mother nature strikes.