HPU to use AI to develop early warning system for natural disaster in Himalayan regions
The centre has already started studies in four disaster-sensitive districts in Himachal Pradesh – Shimla, Dharamshala, Mandi, and Kullu
Himalayan Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) is planning to combine artificial intelligence (AI) with conventional local knowledge for developing a futuristic early warning system for natural disasters in Himachal and the Himalayan region.
The centre has already started studies in four disaster-sensitive districts in Himachal Pradesh – Shimla, Dharamshala, Mandi, and Kullu. “The initiative aims to mitigate the impact of climate change and global warming by integrating advanced scientific research, community wisdom and policy-level outreach,” said Dr Mahesh Sharma, deputy director of Himalayan Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience (HIM-DR³)
HPU vice-chancellor professor Mahavir Singh, said, “The main objective of this centre is to take research from campus to community and up to the policy level. We will incorporate AI and local community knowledge not only to develop an early warning system but also to introduce disaster mitigation and reduction courses in universities, colleges, and schools.”
The centre has partnered with Norway’s Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) and Italy’s University of Padua to conduct studies using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology for monitoring hazards.
V-C Mahavir added that Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), the National Disaster Management Institute (Government of India), and international partners have already approved collaborative agreements. “We will organise training programmes and workshops in disaster-hit or sensitive districts, and also bring community representatives to our campus for awareness. Data accuracy is crucial whether from NASA or satellite-based systems and AI tools will help us pinpoint specific local vulnerabilities, such as why land is sinking or frequent landslides occur,” he said.
HPU is also working with the Himachal Pradesh education department to integrate localised disaster-related content into school curricula, building upon NCERT’s existing disaster education modules.
Prof. Mahavir said the centre aims to become a landmark institution for tackling climate change impacts, disaster risk mitigation, and promoting sustainable, eco-friendly technologies. “In the next 8–9 months, we expect to reach a stage where specific data can be shared with both government and the public for early warnings. This will save lives and reduce losses in the Himalayan region,” he said.
Scientist and assistant professor Sansar Raj Meena, a researcher at the University of Patova, Italy, said his team will bring advanced AI and machine learning expertise to the project. “We work on slope stability, predictive modelling and remote sensing data analysis for landslide risk detection. The Himalayas are vast, so we use satellite, LiDAR, UAV, and drone data for hazard mapping,” Meena said.
He stressed that scientific reports must be written in accessible language for government officials to act upon.
He said, “In developing countries, reports often remain unused because officials don’t understand the technical content. We need willingness from governments to work with research institutions and local communities to implement disaster preparedness tools.”
