Today in disaster resilience (27 March 2020)

Recent emergencies/disaster

Earthquake rocks Croatia’s capital Zagreb https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51995861

Ecuador – 350 Families Affected as Rivers Overflow in Pastaza http://floodlist.com/america/ecuador-floods-pastaza-march-2020

Iran – Deadly Floods Hit Southern Provinces http://floodlist.com/asia/iran-floods-march-2020

USA – 8 Killed in Ohio and Indiana Floods http://floodlist.com/america/usa/ohio-indiana-floods-march-2020

Papua New Guinea – 10 Dead After Landslide in Western Highlands http://floodlist.com/australia/papua-new-guinea-landslide-western-highlands-march-2020

Severe thunderstorms, rain and hail hit Dubai, UAE https://watchers.news/2020/03/23/severe-thunderstorms-rain-and-hail-hit-dubai-uae/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Coronavirus latest news: Global pandemic is ‘accelerating’ warns WHO https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237475-coronavirus-latest-news-global-pandemic-is-accelerating-warns-who/

Second wave of coronavirus cases hits Asia https://www.ft.com/content/859e9336-68db-11ea-a3c9-1fe6fedcca75

Indonesia – Thousands Affected by Floods in Bandung http://floodlist.com/asia/indonesia-floods-bandung-march-2020

Burundi – Hundreds Displaced After More Severe Weather http://floodlist.com/africa/burundi-heavy-rain-floods-march-2020

Zambia – Families Displaced After More Floods in Luapula Province http://floodlist.com/africa/zambia-floods-luapula-march-2020

Yemen – Deadly Floods Hit Aden http://floodlist.com/asia/yemen-floods-march-2020

Burundi – Hundreds Displaced After More Severe Weather http://floodlist.com/africa/burundi-heavy-rain-floods-march-2020

Large and destructive tornado hits Tishomingo, Mississippi — rare tornado emergency issued https://watchers.news/2020/03/25/large-and-destructive-tornado-hits-tishomingo-mississippi-rare-tornado-emergency-issued/

 

Extreme Weather and Climate Change

See how global warming has changed the world since your childhood https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-06/how-climate-change-has-impacted-your-life/11766018

With coronavirus and climate change, it’s about time https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-climate-change-time-72d420ff-ae66-43f9-9930-79b1466843fa.html

Rewilding project aims to give Thames its flood plain back https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/27/rewilding-project-aims-give-thames-flood-plain-back

Managing disaster risks and water under climate change in Central Asia and Caucasus https://www.weadapt.org/knowledge-base/sdc-climate-change-environment-network/managing-disaster-risks-and-water-under-climate-change-in-central-asia-and-caucasus

Sea levels in Singapore 14cm above pre-1970 levels: Meteorological Service Singapore https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/sea-levels-in-singapore-140mm-above-pre-1970-levels-meteorological-service

Scientists just discovered a massive new vulnerability in the Antarctic ice sheet https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/03/23/denman-glacier-climate-change/

Shedding light on how much carbon tropical forests can absorb https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200319090255.htm

Evaluating Cloud Cover Predictions in Climate Models https://eos.org/research-spotlights/evaluating-cloud-cover-predictions-in-climate-models

Wind industry calls on Victoria to set “bold” science-based emissions targets https://reneweconomy.com.au/wind-industry-calls-on-victoria-to-set-bold-science-based-emissions-targets-62226/

Climate crisis blamed for rains and floods that have killed 150 in Brazil https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/13/climate-crisis-blamed-for-rains-and-floods-that-have-killed-150-in-brazil

Holding back the tide – sea’s advance threatens Tunisia’s beaches https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tunisia-tourism-climate-idUSKBN2160PA

UK greenhouse gas emissions fall for seventh year in a row https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/26/uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-fall-for-seventh-year-in-a-row?CMP=share_btn_tw

Coronavirus, Climate Change, And Our Community https://www.forbes.com/sites/mindylubber/2020/03/26/coronavirus-climate-change-and-our-community/#18a46c4f78f9

 

Disaster risk reduction

Social distancing: What it is and why it’s the best tool we have to fight the coronavirus https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/social-distancing-coronavirus

Natural disasters cost the world $232 billion last year. Here are the worst seven https://www.varsity.co.uk/sponsored/natural-disasters-cost-the-world-232-billion-last-year-here-are-the-worst-seven

Study: Coronavirus Lockdown Likely Saved 77,000 Lives In China Just By Reducing Pollution https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2020/03/16/coronavirus-lockdown-may-have-saved-77000-lives-in-china-just-from-pollution-reduction/#6bf808ff34fe

Which Covid-19 drugs work best? https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615394/covid-19-coronavirus-best-drugs-in-treating-the-outbreak/

A Professor of Disasters and Health on COVID-19 http://nautil.us/blog/a-professor-of-disasters-and-health-on-covid_19

Hong Kong appeared to have the coronavirus under control, then it let its guard down https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/23/asia/hong-kong-coronavirus-quarantine-intl-hnk/index.html

Coronavirus: The Hammer and the Dance https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-the-hammer-and-the-dance-be9337092b56

Lives on the Line: The Big Benefits of Microgrids in Disaster https://hazards.colorado.edu/news/research-counts/lives-on-the-line-the-big-benefits-of-microgrids-in-disaster

CDC says coronavirus RNA found in Princess Cruise ship cabins up to 17 days after passengers left https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/03/23/cdc-coronavirus-survived-in-princess-cruise-cabins-up-to-17-days-after-passengers-left.html?__twitter_impression=true

It’s up to you: data shows coronavirus can only be controlled if eight out of 10 Aussies stay home https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-25/coronavirus-covid-19-modelling-stay-home-chart/12084144

You could be spreading the coronavirus without realising you’ve got it https://www.newscientist.com/article/2238473-you-could-be-spreading-the-coronavirus-without-realising-youve-got-it/#ixzz6HdA4dCKr
It’s wrong to blame bats for the coronavirus epidemic https://theconversation.com/its-wrong-to-blame-bats-for-the-coronavirus-epidemic-134300
Mapping precipitation in the Himilayas http://geoapps.icimod.org/hichap

‘While proactive school closures cannot interrupt transmission on their own, they reduce peak incidence by half and delay the epidemic’ https://comdig.unam.mx/2020/03/25/age-profile-of-susceptibility-mixing-and-social-distancing-shape-the-dynamics-of-the-novel-coronavirus-disease-2019-outbreak-in-china/

Why Germany’s Coronavirus Death Rate Is Far Lower Than In Other Countries https://www.npr.org/2020/03/25/820595489/why-germanys-coronavirus-death-rate-is-far-lower-than-in-other-countries

Help needed to rescue UK’s old rainfall records https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52040822

COVID-19 lands in Africa on some of the world’s least capable health systems, wholly unable to cope with a pandemic https://www.africa.undp.org/content/rba/en/home/blog/2020/preparing-better–fighting-back–recovering-stronger.html

 

Emergency management

The case for shutting down almost everything, and restarting when coronavirus is gone https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/21/the-case-for-shutting-down-almost-everything-and-restarting-when-coronavirus-is-gone?CMP=share_btn_tw

Almost 25 million jobs could be lost worldwide as a result of COVID-19, says ILO https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_738742/lang–en/index.htm

Coronavirus and aid: What we’re watching https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2020/03/19/coronavirus-humanitarian-aid-response?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social

Swedish PM warned over ‘Russian roulette-style’ Covid-19 strategy https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/23/swedish-pm-warned-russian-roulette-covid-19-strategy-herd-immunity

COVID-19 world wide data https://qap.ecdc.europa.eu/public/extensions/COVID-19/COVID-19.html

Nearly half of Diamond Princess cruise ship passengers and crew who had coronavirus were asymptomatic when tested, CDC report says https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/24/us/diamond-princess-cruise-ship-asymptomatic-tests/

U.S. could be next ‘virus epicenter’ as India locks down, global recession looms https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus/u-s-could-be-next-virus-epicenter-as-india-locks-down-global-recession-looms-idUSKBN21B1RJ

Wildfire Season Is Almost Here, and Coronavirus Is Making Us Less Prepared https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/v74npb/wildfire-season-is-a-pandemic-nightmare-and-its-almost-here

 

Disaster education, communications and engagement

A UN programme for schools is looking to make education a central part of the international response to climate change https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1059151

World Water Day and World Meteorological Day 2020 – Joint message https://reliefweb.int/report/world/world-water-day-and-world-meteorological-day-2020-joint-message

Medium Coronavirus blog https://coronavirus.medium.com/

Here’s how social media can combat the coronavirus ‘infodemic’ https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615368/facebook-twitter-social-media-infodemic-misinformation/

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak highlights serious deficiencies in scholarly communication https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2020/03/05/the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak-highlights-serious-deficiencies-in-scholarly-communication/

Try the Flash Flood Game https://seriousgeo.games/2020/03/23/try-flash-flood-at-home/

Earthquake safety at home guide https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1582663331734-d055b587ee74e6e5cd9c9cd14e80020d/FEMAP-530_EQSafetyatHome_508.pdf

Floodlines: The story of an unnatural disaster https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/floodlines/

Staying well during self-isolation https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/healthreport/quarantine-psychology/12080862

Five questions to ask when you see a coronavirus map https://medium.com/@garrett.dash.nelson/five-questions-to-ask-when-you-see-a-coronavirus-map-8e7ec56feeac

Talking to kids about COVID-19

https://www.redcross.org.au/news-and-media/news/talking-to-kids-about-covid-19

Coronavirus – tips for self-isolating

https://www.redcross.org.au/news-and-media/news/coronavirus-tips-for-self-isolating

The University of Hull has secured almost £300,000 of funding to help young people in Vietnam better understand and tackle climate change https://www.hull.ac.uk/work-with-us/more/media-centre/news/2020/university-of-hull-secures-300000-funding-to-help-young-people-in-vietnam-tackle-climate-change

 

Psychology and Disasters

Before the pandemic, three-quarters of Americans said people would cooperate with each other in a crisis https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/03/19/before-the-pandemic-three-quarters-of-americans-said-people-would-cooperate-with-each-other-in-a-crisis/

Let’s Aim for Physical Rather Than Social Distancing http://nautil.us/blog/lets-aim-for-physical-rather-than-social-distancing

Close Encounters: How Near Misses Influence Disaster Decision Making https://hazards.colorado.edu/news/research-counts/close-encounters-how-near-misses-influence-disaster-decision-making

New poll suggests 1-in-5 Canadians feel pandemic blown out of proportion https://www.cheknews.ca/new-poll-suggests-1-in-5-canadians-feel-pandemic-blown-out-of-proportion-657483/

Meet the heroes of Australia’s bushfire crisis and find out – months on – how they are coping as they try to get back to normality https://www.sbs.com.au/news/insight/volunteer-firefighters-how-are-they-coping

COVID-19 and your mental wellbeing

https://www.redcross.org.au/news-and-media/news/covid-19-and-your-mental-wellbeing

 

Sociology and disasters

When events unfold that disrupt the social order, most of us search for solace among our fellow human beings https://hazards.colorado.edu/news/director/the-ties-that-bind

Using social and behavioural science to support COVID-19 pandemic response https://psyarxiv.com/y38m9

In the Battle Against Coronavirus, Humanity Lacks Leadership https://time.com/5803225/yuval-noah-harari-coronavirus-humanity-leadership/?xid=tcoshare

Yuval Noah Harari: the world after coronavirus https://www.ft.com/content/19d90308-6858-11ea-a3c9-1fe6fedcca75?segmentID=d000ce45-8c25-aa67-8d82-a8ab39602280&campaign=march20

Association president warns against spreading xenophobia along with virus https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2020/03/destigmatizing-coronavirus

The community-led movement creating hope in the time of coronavirus https://theconversation.com/the-community-led-movement-creating-hope-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-134391

Pandemics reveal structural weaknesses: at pace and scale https://www.thersa.org/discover/publications-and-articles/rsa-blogs/2020/03/coronavirus-respond-at-scale-build-bridges-to-the-future

Covid-19 is nature’s wake-up call to complacent civilisation https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/25/covid-19-is-natures-wake-up-call-to-complacent-civilisation?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Tweet

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Published by

NeilDufty

I am a Principal at Water Technology Pty Ltd, an Australian-based coastal, environment and natural hazards company - see https://www.watertech.com.au/. I specialise in the community aspects of disaster risk reduction and emergency management. Samples of my research and projects can be accessed at https://works.bepress.com/neil_dufty/ Check out my latest book 'Disaster Education, Communication and Engagement' at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119569796/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i6 I am also a published fiction writer specialising in short stories and poems - see https://neilduftyfiction.com/

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