Grassland under water in the Shannon Callows near Athlone last NovemberAI to be used in early warning system for flood-prone areasAthlone was one of four areas around the county which was studied by Ireland's centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence in the development of a sophisticated early warning system for communities at risk of severe flooding. As well as conducting studies in Athlone as part of the project, CeADAR also examined ares of Carrick-on-Shannon in Leitrim; Midleton in Cork and Limerick City. The overall project is being jointly funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Enterprise Ireland. The development of an early warning system for flood-prone communities comes at a time when flooding in Ireland is predicted to worsen due to climate change, with increasing concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions leading to more intense precipitation events during winter, worse floods in historically vulnerable areas as well as in areas that never flooded previously. The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has warned that extreme flooding events resulting from climate changes could cost the State around €500 million a year by the end of the decade.

Source: Irish Independent January 29, 2024 15:21 UTC