AI And Satellites Help Assess Myanmar Earthquake Damage

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Mandalay which is Myanmar’s second-largest city on Friday leading to extensive destruction.  In response, satellites and AI technology worked together to assess the damage and guide relief efforts, as first reported by Fortune.

The AI for Good Lab, operated by Microsoft in partnership with Planet Labs, employed satellite imagery to rapidly determine which regions suffered the most damage.

Microsoft chief data scientist Juan Lavista Ferres said that the operation was initially difficult due to weather conditions. “The biggest challenge in this particular case was the clouds […]There’s no way to see through clouds with this technology,” he said as reported by Fortune.

New satellite images reached Microsoft’s team in Redmond, Washington after the clouds parted hours later. The team achieved better damage assessment results through their customized AI model, which they customized specifically for Mandalay analysis.

“The Earth is too different, the natural disasters are too different and the imagery we get from satellites is just too different to work in every situation,” Lavista Ferres explained, as reported by Fortune.

The AI analysis showed that 515 buildings were almost completely destroyed and 1,524 buildings suffered significant damage. Fortune explains that the data helps emergency response teams receive critical guidance from aid groups who need to direct their efforts.

“This is critical information for teams on the ground,” Lavista Ferres said, as reported by Fortune.

Microsoft claims that AI assessment results are valuable but need verification by personnel who are present on the ground, according to Fortune. The company has shared its findings with aid organizations, including the Red Cross, to help prioritize relief efforts..

Fortune reports that Planet Labs is currently operating 15 satellites, monitoring affected regions of Myanmar and Thailand to provide responders with up-to-date disaster impact information.