Azerbaijan Suggests Applying Artificial Intelligence In Flood Risk Prediction

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 8. Artificial intelligence (AI) can be applied to predict flood risks in Azerbaijan, First Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency Khayyam Mammadov said during a high-level roundtable on "Advantages and Challenges of AI-integration to the Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems" within the framework of the 4th Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW), Trend 's correspondent reports from the event.

He noted that the significant increase in flood events in Azerbaijan in recent years necessitates the wider use of AI and early warning systems to predict these risks in advance and take preventive measures.

According to him, if previously flood events were observed in the country about 10-20 times a year, in recent years this indicator has increased by 10-15 times.

"These indicators show that only the development of infrastructure and operational response to events isn't enough, and require us to switch to a more proactive approach. We need to monitor the processes taking place in the atmosphere and river basins in real time, predict what will happen in the next stage in advance, and take necessary preventive measures by identifying possible threats in advance," said Mammadov.

He pointed out that climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events around the world.

"Longer droughts, more severe flood and flood events, and intensive precipitation have serious impacts on various sectors of the economy, including agriculture, urban infrastructure, and the well-being of the population," emphasized the first deputy chairman of the agency.

According to Mammadov, Azerbaijan is also a country sensitive to climate change in terms of the water sector, and the implementation of adaptation measures is of particular relevance.

He said that Azerbaijan is highly dependent on transboundary rivers. Fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea, the reduction of the region's snow reserves, the shrinking area and volume of glaciers, and changes in precipitation regimes create additional pressure on the formation of water resources.

The official also said that currently, 84 hydrological stations operate across the country to assess water flows in rivers.

"40 of them use automated measuring devices, and 44 use traditional gauges," he noted.

Mammadov further noted that one of the main goals within the framework of the "National strategy for ensuring the efficient use of water resources" is to expand and modernize the observation network, form a more flexible, accurate and operational database.

According to him, these steps can allow for the prediction of water consumption and water levels in rivers, earlier identification of flood and drought risks, detection of risky areas, and preliminary assessment of possible impact zones.

"In the next stage, analysis with the support of artificial intelligence, taking into account historical hydrological data, meteorological observations, satellite data, GIS maps and climate scenarios, may allow for the identification of climate risks at an early stage," added Mammadov.

Mammadov noted that a number of strategic steps are being taken in Azerbaijan to manage the emerging flood waters.

According to him, the "State program on the improvement of water supply, rainwater and wastewater systems in Baku city and the Absheron peninsula for 2026-2035" was adopted at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev.

The program envisages the construction of 12 new sewage collectors with a total length of 346 kilometers and the repair and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, as well as the separation of rainwater and wastewater systems from each other.

He noted that the construction and reconstruction works carried out at the Sugovushan, Khachinchay, Zabukhchay and Kondalanchay reservoir complexes located in the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions, as well as the construction of the Yengija reservoir in the Gabala district, Alijanchay reservoir in the Oghuz and Shaki districts, will be of great importance in the fight against floods, in addition to improving water supply.

Mammadov noted that work on the construction of the Aghsuchay, Zayamchay, Hakarichay and Bargushadchay reservoirs is also ongoing.

He stressed that the water resources of the rivers of the East Zangezur and Karabakh economic regions, which amount to 2.35 million cubic meters, constitute 24% of the country's internal water resources.

"Their use is of great importance in solving the problem of water shortage in the country and combating floods," the official said.

He added that President Ilham Aliyev's decree No. 1016 dated April 28, 2026, instructed to ensure the continuity of the work done to combat the dangerous and harmful effects of floods and landslides and to implement appropriate measures to prevent similar situations from recurring in the future.

The First Deputy Chairman of ADSEA noted that the application of artificial intelligence systems requires a large amount of high-quality information, computing capabilities, technical expertise and financial resources.

He said that in this regard, international cooperation should be aimed not only at technology transfer, but also at the development of national potential and human resources.

"Strong regional cooperation is especially important between countries that share river basins and climate-related risks. Because the establishment of an early warning system within one country alone cannot fully provide the expected effect," Kh. Mammadov emphasized.

According to him, dangerous hydrometeorological events are the result of broad regional atmospheric and hydrological processes and are not limited to state borders.

Mammadov added that joint cooperation and coordinated information exchange can have a positive impact on forecasting river flows, identifying periods of water scarcity, optimizing reservoir management, and assessing the impacts of climate change on water resources.

"The combination of all these factors can allow us to predict climate events earlier, manage water resources more effectively, protect communities, and strengthen climate resilience," he added.

MENAFN08092026000187011040ID1111634301