According to this organization, floods and mudflows account for nearly 40% of all emergencies. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the frequency of these events and the associated economic losses.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations reports that in 2024, the number of mudflows reached a record high over the past 30 years, causing infrastructure damage amounting to $14.5 million. This represents 90% of all material losses related to natural disasters this year.
It is noted that with the support of the Swiss government and the United Nations World Food Programme, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan is initiating a new project aimed at enhancing the capacity of its staff in disaster risk reduction and geospatial mapping of threats.
As part of the program, the focus will be on practical aspects. Training participants will learn methods that utilize radar data from satellites to detect small changes in the Earth's surface, as well as modeling techniques that allow for the prediction of floods and mudflows.
Read more on the topic Forecasting landslides and mudflows in Kyrgyzstan remains a challenge
Using this approach, emergency services personnel will be able to analyze satellite images before and after events to determine whether there were changes in soil conditions, such as uplift before a flood or movements before mudflows. Additionally, flood and mudflow forecasting modeling will enable experts to assess the volume of water, flow speed, and directions of spread.
This modeling method is crucial for risk assessment and early warning systems. It allows emergency services specialists to identify potential flood and mudflow zones in advance and evaluate potential threats to the population.
