Please find below a list of links to recent disaster resilience news…

Recent emergencies/disaster

Indonesia floods: Death toll hits 66 as more rain is expected https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/indonesia-floods-death-toll-hits-66-rain-expected-200106090620594.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Israel – Flash Floods Leave 4 Dead, Dozens Rescued http://floodlist.com/asia/israel-floods-january-2020

Malawi – Flash Floods Affect 400 Households in Lilongwe http://floodlist.com/africa/malawi-floods-lilongwe-january-2020

Bushfires destroy more property in Victoria as military, volunteers ramp up disaster relief https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-05/bushfires-destroy-more-property-in-victoria-firefighter-injured/11841522

Southern Highlands’ Morton bushfire devastates Wingello, Bundanoon and Kangaroo Valley https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-05/southern-highlands-bushfires-devastate-wingello-kangaroo-valley/11842006

Before-and-after photos show the scale of devastation on Kangaroo Island, with the world-famous Southern Ocean Lodge decimated https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/climate-change/all-hell-is-breaking-loose-massive-fire-threatens-all-of-kangaroo-island/news-story/

Puerto Rico earthquake: Punta Ventana collapses as powerful tremor hits https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51014588

6.4-quake strikes Puerto Rico, killing at least 1 amid heavy seismic activity https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/6-5-quake-strikes-puerto-rico-amid-heavy-seismic-activity-n1111666

Peru – Floods in Huanuco Hit Over 300 Families http://floodlist.com/america/peru-floods-huanuco-january-2020

Angola – Deadly Flash Floods in Luanda http://floodlist.com/africa/angola-floods-luanda-january-2020

Colombia – 1,200 Families Affected as Rivers Overflow in Chocó Department http://floodlist.com/america/colombia-floods-unguia-choco-december-2019

Turkey – Torrential Rain Causes Flash Floods and Landslides in Mersin http://floodlist.com/asia/turkey-flash-floods-mersin-january-2020

Australian fires: Victorians urged to leave amid fears ‘heat spike’ will cause bushfires to merge https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/09/australia-fires-victorians-urged-to-leave-amid-fears-heat-spike-will-cause-bushfires-to-merge?CMP=share_btn_

Israel – More Flash Floods After Almost 100mm of Rain in 24 Hours http://floodlist.com/asia/israel-floods-nahariya-january-2020

Volcanic activity worldwide 9 Jan 2020: Popocatépetl volcano, Krakatau, Dukono, Reventador, Sangay https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/95715/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-9-Jan-2020-Popocatepetl-volcano-Krakatau-Dukono-Reventador-Sangay.html

 

Extreme Weather and Climate Change

This apocalyptic Australian summer is our Sandy Hook moment – if we don’t take climate action now we never will https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/07/this-apocalyptic-australian-summer-is-our-sandy-hook-moment-if-we-dont-take-climate-action-now-we-never-will?CMP=share_btn_tw

The first systematic review finds that climate models have been remarkably accurate https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2019/12/4/20991315/climate-change-prediction-models-accurate

The bushfire crisis has given the Government a political ‘out’ to its climate change problem https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-06/bushfires-climate-change-opportunity-to-change/11839530

Australia Will Lose to Climate Change https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/01/australia-caught-climate-spiral/604423/

Australia’s unprecedented wildfires are supercharged thanks to climate change, the type of trees catching fire and weather, experts say https://apnews.com/58881772c4959861278d9ff705e857c3?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter

A theory of adaptation to climate change. From trajectories of vulnerability to adaptation pathways https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338385875_A_theory_of_adaptation_to_climate_change_From_trajectories_of_vulnerability_to_adaptation_pathways

Glaciers in the Olympic Mountains could vanish by end of this century https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/01/glaciers-in-the-olympic-mountains-could-vanish-by-end-of-this-century/

How can we adapt to a fierier world? https://www.thebigq.org/2020/01/06/how-can-we-adapt-to-a-fierier-world/

Climate signals detected in global weather https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2020/01/climate-signal-detected-in-daily-weather.html

Forecasted attribution of the human influence on Hurricane Florence https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/1/eaaw9253

Weather bureau says hottest, driest year on record led to extreme bushfire season https://theconversation.com/weather-bureau-says-hottest-driest-year-on-record-led-to-extreme-bushfire-season-129447?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=twitterbutton

Australia Annual climate statement 2019 http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/annual/aus/

In the face of extreme climate events, ASU professor to link network of groups developing nature-based solutions https://phys.org/news/2020-01-extreme-climate-events-asu-professor.html

The summer has seen another cyclone in Fiji and terrible fires in Australia. We don’t need to be scientists to know that something is very wrong here https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2020/jan/07/australia-fijis-prayers-are-with-you-but-we-know-they-arent-enough-to-fight-the-climate-crisis

Miami needs allies in its fight to survive climate change http://news.trust.org/item/20200108151105-657by/

In 2030, we ended the climate emergency. Here’s how https://thecorrespondent.com/214/in-2030-we-ended-the-climate-emergency-heres-how/28330740746-6b15af77

Experts say climate change is driving up the risk of wildfires in Canada https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/experts-say-climate-change-is-driving-up-the-risk-of-wildfires-in-canada-2

Decade in review: how climate change has made flooding worse https://www.climatesignals.org/headlines/decade-review-how-climate-change-has-made-flooding-worse

 

Disaster risk reduction

Health impacts of bushfires won’t be known for years, experts say https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/health-impacts-of-bushfires-won-t-be-known-for-years-experts-say-20200106-p53p87.html

Doing more of the same on fires will not mitigate disaster impact https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/doing-more-of-the-same-on-fires-will-not-mitigate-disaster-impact/news-story/e2d831e3383b9d07d1fe36a4124ae9c0?btr=10dd153f0d8cbadcb804aeba170c559b

Bushfires scare off East Gippsland tourists as businesses face struggle to stay afloat https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-07/bushfires-victoria-businesses-tourism-suffer/11845386

Calls are increasing for more “controlled burns” to cut the bushfire risk. What are they, how much is being done and do they work? https://www.smh.com.au/national/prescribed-burning-what-is-it-and-will-more-reduce-bushfire-risks-20200106-p53paf.html

Survey results show flood insurance remains ‘big challenge’ http://www.somersetriversauthority.org.uk/survey-results-show-flood-insurance-remains-big-challenge/

Explainer: how effective is bushfire hazard reduction on Australia’s fires? https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/05/explainer-how-effective-is-bushfire-hazard-reduction-on-australias-fires

‘We’re going to see more of this’: Spring flooding in B.C. may be worsened by logging practices https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/we-re-going-to-see-more-of-this-b-c-forest-experts-call-for-legal-changes-to-prevent-future-flooding-1.5386323

Why wasn’t there more prescribed burning, and would it have helped? https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/is-more-prescribed-burning-the-answer-to-bushfire-threat/11844766

Why so many earthquakes are rocking Puerto Rico https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/01/why-so-many-puerto-rico-earthquakes-have-happened-geology/?no-cache

There’s no evidence ‘greenies’ block bushfire hazard reduction but here’s a controlled burn idea worth trying https://theconversation.com/theres-no-evidence-greenies-block-bushfire-hazard-reduction-but-heres-a-controlled-burn-idea-worth-trying-129350

Jakarta, the fastest sinking city in the world faces the biggest flooding challenge https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/jakarta-fastest-sinking-city-in-the-world-floods-challenge-river-12237202

Better forecast for better disaster risk management in Cox’s Bazar https://www.bd.undp.org/content/bangladesh/en/home/stories/better-forecast-for-better-disaster-risk-management-in-coxs-baza.html

Future changes in extreme weather and pyroconvection risk factors for Australian wildfires https://www.preventionweb.net/publications/view/69703

Hazard reduction burns are not a ‘panacea’ for bushfire risk, RFS boss says https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/08/hazard-reduction-is-not-a-panacea-for-bushfire-risk-rfs-boss-says?CMP=share_btn_tw

U.S. billion-dollar weather disasters doubled in last decade-report http://news.trust.org/item/20200108170429-8bcbb/

To avert future flood chaos, Indonesian capital urged to defend nature http://news.trust.org/item/20200107131405-e3g6q/

A better estimate of water-level rise in the Ganges delta https://phys.org/news/2020-01-water-level-ganges-delta.html

Jakartans to File Class Action Against City Administration for Disastrous Flood Management https://jakartaglobe.id/news/jakartans-to-file-class-action-against-city-administration-for-disastrous-flood-management

Resilience planning under information scarcity in fast growing African cities and towns: The CityRAP approach https://unhabitat.org/story-cityrap-in-academic-journal

How one Iowa city is planning for a rising Mississippi River https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-one-iowa-city-is-planning-for-a-rising-mississippi-river

In 2019 natural catastrophes cause overall losses of US$ 150bn, with insured losses of about US$ 52bn – In line with long-term average https://www.munichre.com/en/company/media-relations/media-information-and-corporate-news/media-information/2020/causing-billions-in-losses-dominate-nat-cat-picture-2019.html

USA experienced 14 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2019 https://www.noaa.gov/news/2019-was-2nd-wettest-year-on-record-for-us

 

Emergency management

NSW fires boss criticises Prime Minister Scott Morrison as blazes destroy ‘hundreds’ more homes https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-05/fires-nsw-rfs-confirms-updated-number-of-homes-destroyed/11841386

The evidence is many people losing their homes will find themselves unable to rebuild, due to lack of insurance https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-07/crisis-of-underinsurance-threatens-to-scar-rural-australia/11844992

More than 5,000 insurance claims totalling $375 million have been made in relation to the Australian bushfires, including 1,600 destroyed homes https://www.businessinsider.com.au/australian-bushfires-cost-economy-surplus-government-spending-2020-1

Industry ministry to help small manufacturers after flood https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/01/06/industry-ministry-to-help-small-manufacturers-after-flood.html

‘The mood is sombre’: Scientists warn of the bushfire’s lasting impacts on wildlife https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2020/01/07/mood-sombre-scientists-warn-bushfires-lasting-impacts-wildlife

Kangaroo Island shows burn scars on one third of the land mass https://phys.org/news/2020-01-kangaroo-island-scars-mass.html

The bushfires are horrendous—but expect cyclones, floods and heatwaves, too https://phys.org/news/2020-01-bushfires-horrendousbut-cyclones-heatwaves.html

Returning to Normalcy in the Short‐Term: A Preliminary Investigation of the Recovery from Hurricane Harvey among Individuals with Home Damage https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334240024_Returning_to_Normalcy_in_the_Short-Term_A_Preliminary_Investigation_of_the_Recovery_from_Hurricane_Harvey_among_Individuals_with_Home_Damage

More than one billion animals killed in Australian bushfires https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2020/01/08/australian-bushfires-more-than-one-billion-animals-impacted.html

Ten years after Haiti earthquake, medical care is deteriorating https://www.msf.org/ten-years-after-haiti-earthquake-medical-care-deteriorating

Indonesia’s flooded capital disinfected to fend off disease https://apnews.com/e79cd3f2846184560e0ac9e476939d37

Community ‘desperate’ for release of Lancaster flooding report four years on from Storm Desmond https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/politics/community-desperate-release-lancaster-flooding-report-four-years-storm-desmond-1359535

In 2019, the rainy season was particularly significant and persistent in many parts of Africa. More than one million people were affected by unprecedented flooding https://www.solidarites.org/en/countries/south-sudan/africa-in-2019-populations-under-water/

Disaster education, communications and engagement

Fires misinformation being spread through social media https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-08/fires-misinformation-being-spread-through-social-media/11846434

After The Floods: creative writing https://falwriting.com/new-blog/2019/11/30/after-the-floods-freya-campbell

Operationalizing crowdsourcing through mobile applications for disaster management in India https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590061719300523?via%3Dihub

Online fact-checkers confront deluge of bushfire misinformation https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/online-fact-checkers-confront-deluge-of-bushfire-misinformation-20200108-p53pwx.html

 

Psychology and Disasters

“I prepared my home as much as I could, I’ve done what I can, it’s not worth dying” https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-05/nsw-fires-residents-narooma-hope-for-the-best/11841238

Shock, fear and sadness grip Australia’s ‘bushfire refugees’ https://phys.org/news/2020-01-sadness-australia-bushfire-refugees.html

‘I can still picture the faces’: Black Saturday firefighters want you to listen to them, not call them ‘heroes’ https://theconversation.com/i-can-still-picture-the-faces-black-saturday-firefighters-want-you-to-listen-to-them-not-call-them-heroes-128632?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=twitterbutton

 

Sociology and disasters

Finding: Increased neighborhood ties after the disaster reduced the risk of depressive symptoms even when survivors suffered disaster damages – fostering horizontal, neighborhood ties may improve disaster preparedness and mental health resilience https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/1/337