Flood warning system: Saarland starts AI project for disaster defense!

Flood warning system: Saarland starts AI project for disaster defense!

Today, on March 20, 2025, the Saarland took a decisive step in flood and heavy rain prevention with a pilot project in the districts of St. Wendel, Neunkirchen and the Saarpfalz district. After the devastating damage to the Pentecostal water on buildings, infrastructure and nature, which was luckily without loss of human life, the foundation stone for the new early warning system in the St. Wendel disaster protection center was carried out. The Environment Minister Petra Berg (SPD), who emphasized the importance of the project, was also present

The project bears the name "Climate risk defense system Blies" (Kligas) and consists of three phases. First, an independent early warning system is built up in each of the pilot landing. This is followed by the merging of these systems into a common system in which artificial intelligence (AI) is used. The third phase includes the development of new methods that have not yet been used in the flood warning. Professor Dr. Alpaslan Yörük from the University of Technology and Economy (HTW) Saar will scientifically support the project.

technological innovations by KI

The innovative system aims to deliver faster and realistic forecasts that should support the rescue workers more efficiently. Here, a wide database is used, which includes historical measured values ​​and simulated climate data. This procedure is particularly relevant in the context of climate change, which is one of the greatest challenges of our time. It is expected that the project serves as a blueprint for a nationwide early warning system.

The Ministry of the Environment promotes the three counties in the first phase, each with 17,655 euros. Minister Petra Berg presented the granting notices, which underlines inter -municipal cooperation and commitment to a comprehensive security network in the region.

global trends in the flood forecast

In the context of the global flood warning, Google's research department has also developed a AI model that is intended to enable flood forecasts on rivers. This system does not use data from classic measuring stations, but is based on publicly accessible weather data. This means that predictions are reliable up to five days in advance and can achieve wider sections of population via push messages on smartphones, which could be particularly important in developing countries.

Compared to conventional systems that often require a lot of expertise and personnel, AI models offer a more efficient alternative, although their predictions are less understandable. The test phase of the Google system is still pending, but the current developments indicate that AI is becoming increasingly important in the flood warning.

The need for more precise handling of climate data is also increased by the challenges that are associated with climate change. AI has the potential to optimize the weather and climate models in climate research by recognizing patterns that human scientists could overlook. In the past, scientists have already started to use AI to analyze satellite images and to identify long -term climatic trends.

Overall, it shows that both local and global initiatives in the fight against the challenges of climate change and flood risks are necessary. The new early warning system in Saarland is a promising step in the right direction and could serve as a model for other regions in the long term.