Mandalay, Myanmar: Over 80% of 500+ Buildings Destroyed... Analyzed by AI

Identifying Damage Locations...
Information Shared with Relief Organizations

On the 28th of last month (local time), a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Myanmar, resulting in over 80% destruction of approximately 500 buildings in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, according to investigation results.

On the 1st, the Associated Press (AP) reported that Microsoft (MS) analyzed the damage in Mandalay using long-range cameras mounted on satellites and artificial intelligence (AI).

Mandalay region, Myanmar. Photo by Shin Hwa Yonhap News

Planet Labs stated that 15 satellites orbiting the Earth captured images of 12 areas in Myanmar and Thailand after the earthquake. These images were transmitted to MS and analyzed using AI.

Based on aerial photographs analyzed by AI, 515 buildings in Mandalay were found to be 80-100% destroyed. Buildings 60-80% destroyed numbered 359, those 46-60% destroyed were 456, and buildings 20-40% destroyed totaled 709.

This damage analysis not only demonstrates the severity of the earthquake's impact but also helps accurately identify specific locations of damage. Juan Lavista Perez, MS's chief scientist, said, "While fires spread in a fairly predictable manner, earthquakes strike entire cities, making it more difficult to immediately locate areas in urgent need of assistance. This is very important information for on-site (rescue) teams."

MS stated that the AI analysis serves as a preliminary guide and requires ground verification, and that they have shared the information with relief organizations such as the International Red Cross.

Previously, AI-assisted relief efforts were also conducted during the 2023 Libya floods and the early 2024 wildfires in Los Angeles (LA), USA.

At around 12:50 PM on the 28th, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred 33 km southwest of Mandalay, the second-largest city in central Myanmar. The day before, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Myanmar's military government confirmed at least 2,028 deaths and 3,408 injuries from the earthquake. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated a 71% probability that the death toll from this earthquake could exceed 10,000.