Google has outlined how its artificial intelligence technologies are helping governments, humanitarian agencies and international organizations improve disaster preparedness, early warning systems and emergency response. The announcement coincides with the release of the United Nations report, Leveraging AI to Enhance Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems, which examines how AI can support disaster risk reduction worldwide.

Google said it has supported the UN's Early Warnings for All initiative since its launch at COP27. The company stated that its AI research now contributes to forecasting floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires while providing emergency alerts and post-disaster damage assessments.

AI Forecasting Supports Early Action Before Disasters

Google's WeatherNext forecasting model was used by the US National Hurricane Center during the 2025 hurricane season. According to Google, the model predicted Hurricane Melissa's landfall in Jamaica five days in advance, allowing local authorities to issue public warnings.

Google also said its Flood Hub platform now provides flood forecasts for nearly 2 billion people across more than 150 countries. In Nigeria, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and nonprofit GiveDirectly have used these forecasts to trigger early interventions, including shelter preparation and pre-disaster cash assistance.

The company added that a pilot project with the World Meteorological Organization and national agencies in Czechia, Nigeria, Uruguay and Vietnam found that combining local hydrological data with AI models improved flood forecasting accuracy.

Real-Time Alerts and Satellite AI Improve Emergency Response

Google said its Public Alerts system distributes official emergency warnings from authorities in more than 90 countries through Search, Maps and Android devices using the Common Alerting Protocol. The company reported that its crisis information services connected users with emergency information more than 10 million times each day on average during 2025.

Google also highlighted its Android Earthquake Alerts System, which uses Android smartphones as distributed seismic sensors. During the June 2026 Venezuela earthquake, the system alerted millions of users outside the epicentre seconds before strong shaking reached their locations.

For post-disaster response, Google said its AI-powered DISHA platform, developed with UNOSAT, has supported damage assessments after earthquakes, floods and cyclones. Following Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, the system analysed more than 385,000 buildings to assist recovery planning. Similar technology was used after the February 2026 floods in Colombia.

Google also announced the launch of three additional FireSat satellites, developed with the Earth Fire Alliance and Muon Space, to improve global wildfire detection.