Researchers have developed a new AI model to speed up tornado damage assessments and recovery.
Researchers have developed a new AI model to speed up tornado damage assessments and recovery.
It started as a low, haunting roar building in the distance. It grew into a deafening thunder that drowned out all else. The sky turned an unnatural shade of green, then black. The wind lashed at trees and buildings with brutal force. Sirens wailed. Windows and buildings exploded.
In spring 2011, Joplin, Missouri, was devastated by an EF5 tornado with estimated winds exceeding 200 mph. The storm caused 161 fatalities, injured over 1,000 people, and damaged and destroyed around 8,000 homes and businesses. The tornado carved a mile-wide path through the densely populated south-central area of the city, leaving behind miles of splintered rubble and causing over $2 billion in damage.
The powerful winds of tornadoes often surpass the design limits of most residential and commercial buildings. Traditional methods of assessing damage after a disaster can take weeks or even months, delaying emergency response, insurance claims and long-term rebuilding efforts.
Read more at Texas A&M University
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