[Edaily Reporter Kang Min-koo ] A South Korean satellite company has launched an initiative to provide humanitarian aid to flood-stricken areas in Nepal.

#Nara Space Technology Inc. announced on the 19th that it had delivered a report analyzing flood-affected areas in Nepal using satellite imagery and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to the Nepalese Embassy in South Korea.

This initiative was organized to assess the damage situation on the ground in Nepal and provide foundational data necessary for recovery efforts. The report is scheduled to be delivered to the Nepal National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) via the Nepalese Embassy in South Korea. It can be used for local damage assessments, on-site investigations, and reviewing recovery priorities.

A massive rock and glacier collapse that occurred on August 26 in the Himalayan region along the Nepal-China border triggered debris flows and flooding. The collapsed rock and glacier masses spread downstream along the Trishuli River via the Lhende Khola and Bhote Koshi rivers, causing damage to infrastructure such as residential areas, roads, and bridges.

In mountainous regions in particular, where access to the site is restricted when roads and bridges are damaged, satellite imagery can be used to assess the extent of widespread damage and support on-site investigations and the development of disaster response plans.

To address the limitations of on-site surveys, Naraspace produced a damage analysis report using satellite imagery and its proprietary AI analysis technology. The analysis revealed that the area in the Trishuli River basin estimated to have been newly covered by water and sediment is approximately 31.28 km². Additionally, by applying its proprietary AI building detection technology, the company identified an area of approximately 52,180 square meters where building zones overlap with areas presumed to be flooded or buried. Based on this, it selected nine settlements in the Bidur area where follow-up on-site surveys are urgently needed and proposed them as priority review targets.

NaraSpace’s AI-based data intelligence technology, which converts satellite imagery into actionable intelligence, was also utilized in this analysis process. NaraSpace operates its own intelligence hub, “EarthPaper,” and recently unveiled an AI-based service that enables users to perform tasks ranging from satellite image search to wildfire damage analysis and report generation using only natural language commands.

NaraSpace noted that this report is significant in that it demonstrates how satellite data analysis technology can be used to support decision-making by overseas disaster response agencies.

Kim Min-sik, Head of Business Development at NaraSpace, stated, “The value of satellite data lies not merely in acquiring imagery, but in transforming it into information necessary for decision-making,” adding, “We hope this report will assist Nepal’s disaster response authorities in assessing damage and formulating recovery plans.”

Nirmala Prasad Bhatta, Chargé d’Affaires at the Nepalese Embassy in South Korea, said, “We thank Nara Space for supporting Nepal’s disaster response through this flood damage analysis report,” adding, “We expect it to help us assess the extent of the disaster damage in Nepal more thoroughly.”