Google Maps’ building Data to help flood response efforts

Google has expanded its Open Buildings 2.5D Temporal Dataset to show how mapped buildings have changed over time and their estimated heights.

The tech giant said this is crucial for urban planning, disaster response, and understanding population density. It stated that new data on the tool will cover 2016 to 2023, offering a detailed picture of how cities and settlements across Africa and the Global South have grown.

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By 2050, the world’s urban population is expected to grow by 2.5 billion, nearly 90 percent of that growth happening in cities across Africa and Asia. Google pointed out that governments, humanitarian organisations, and researchers need accurate information on buildings and infrastructure to keep up with this rapid urbanisation.

It stated that it first launched the Open Buildings project in 2021, which started at the AI Research Lab in Accra, Ghana. It has helped map 1.8 billion buildings across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean—about 40 percent of the globe. “This data has been used by governments, NGOs, and researchers to improve services and respond to disasters,” it said.

According to the tech company, estimates from the projects are being used by UN agencies and governments in Nigeria to identify areas where children have not received routine immunisations.

Google highlighted that governments and organisations can use its new ‘Open Buildings 2.5D Temporal Dataset’ for flood preparedness, measure urban growth, and with disaster recovery.

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Severe flooding has been on the rise in Nigeria, and according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it has so far affected more than 610,000 people and displaced more than 2250,000. 201 deaths were reported in 15 of the country’s 36 states, and about 115,000 hectares of farmland were inundated.

Google, whose Flood Hub platform is also available in Nigeria, stated, “In flood-prone areas, accurate data can help authorities predict which buildings and neighbourhoods are most at risk.”