Tech giant Amazon announced plans to utilize artificial intelligence to mitigate flood risks in the northeastern Spanish region of Aragon. The company is currently constructing data centers in the area.
In May, Amazon’s cloud computing division, AWS, disclosed a €15.7 billion ($17.02 billion) investment in data centers within Aragon to expand its cloud infrastructure significantly. On Monday, AWS revealed an additional allocation of €17.2 million ($17.9 million) dedicated to minimizing flood risks. This investment will fund infrastructure modernization and the application of AI to optimize agricultural water usage.
The investment follows severe floods that ravaged large areas around Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city, four months ago. The Ebro River, which has the highest flow in Spain, runs through Aragon on its route to the Mediterranean delta in Catalonia. The region is known to be prone to flooding.
Amazon will incorporate advanced cloud computing technologies to develop an early warning system. This system will integrate real-time data collection with advanced sensor networks and AI-driven analysis. The goal is to aid Zaragoza, Aragon’s capital, in monitoring flood risks. The platform will analyze weather conditions and water flow to provide advanced warnings to emergency services.
Local authorities in Zaragoza are proceeding with the construction of flood defenses at the Barranco de la Muerte, or Death Ravine, following floods in 2023.
