Please find below a list of links to some aspects of disaster resilience that were in the news recently…
Recent emergencies/disasters
Current drought is worst in 1,200 years in California and the American West, new study shows https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/02/14/current-drought-is-worst-in-1200-years-in-california-and-the-american-west-new-study-shows/
Guadeloupe – Deadly Floods Strike After 300mm of Rainhttps://floodlist.com/america/guadeloupe-floods-april-2022
Venezuela – Fatalities and Evacuations After Floods Hit Several States https://floodlist.com/america/venezuela-floods-april-2022
Swollen rivers, flooded roads prompt evacuations in some areas of Manitoba https://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/insurance/swollen-rivers-flooded-roads-prompt-evacuations-in-some-areas-of-manitoba-1004220872/
Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report https://volcano.si.edu/reports_weekly.cfm
USA and Canada – Evacuations After Widespread Flooding in Manitoba, North Dakota and Minnesotahttps://floodlist.com/america/floods-manitoba-northdakota-minnesota-may-2022
Spain – Floods in Valencia After 260mm of Rain in 24 Hours https://floodlist.com/europe/spain-floods-may-2022
Tanzania – Floods in South Leave 5 Dead, Thousands Displaced https://floodlist.com/africa/tanzania-floods-mbeya-songwe-april-2022
Volcanic activity worldwide 5 May 2022: Karymsky volcano, Popocatépetl, Krakatau, Merapi, Semeru https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/179691/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-5-May-2022-Karymsky-volcano-Popocatepetl-Krakatau-Merapi-Semeru-S.html
Afghanistan – Flash Floods Cause Fatalities and Severe Damage https://floodlist.com/asia/afghanistan-floods-may-2022
Uganda – Homes Destroyed, Thousands Displaced After Floods in Eastern and Western Regions https://floodlist.com/africa/uganda-floods-april-may-2022
Extreme Weather and Climate Change
Net zero by 2050 will hit a major timing problem technology can’t solve. We need to talk about cutting consumption https://theconversation.com/net-zero-by-2050-will-hit-a-major-timing-problem-technology-cant-solve-we-need-to-talk-about-cutting-consumption-181951
Rising risk: How the NZ coast will be transformed https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/rising-risk-how-our-coast-will-be-transformed/R24X3UURX7ESXCLKCGDSHFU2EU/
Green infrastructure helps cities with climate change. So why isn’t there more of it? https://www.npr.org/2022/04/15/1092336365/green-infrastructure-bill-spending-floods
Why some beaches, including in Queensland, are getting bigger despite rising sea levels https://theconversation.com/why-some-beaches-including-in-queensland-are-getting-bigger-despite-rising-sea-levels-180964
One in 25 Australian properties will be effectively uninsurable by 2030, due to rising risks of extreme weather and climate change https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/australian-homes-uninsurable-2030-climate-risk-map/
‘We are living in hell’: Pakistan and India suffer extreme spring heatwaves https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/02/pakistan-india-heatwaves-water-electricity-shortages
With seas rising and storms surging, who will pay for New Zealand’s most vulnerable coastal properties? https://theconversation.com/with-seas-rising-and-storms-surging-who-will-pay-for-new-zealands-most-vulnerable-coastal-properties-163807
State of the climate: Start of 2022 is the fifth warmest on record https://www.carbonbrief.org/state-of-the-climate-start-of-2022-is-the-fifth-warmest-on-record
Climate change will more than double the risk of intense tropical cyclones by 2050 https://www.deltares.nl/en/news/climate-change-will-more-than-double-the-risk-of-intense-tropical-cyclones-by-2050/
Climate change is why New Mexico’s wildfire season started early this year https://news.yahoo.com/climate-change-is-why-new-mexicos-wildfire-season-started-early-this-year-130202150.html
Climate Risk Map of Australia https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/climate-risk-map/
Climate policy across Australia is fragmented, but researchers are aiming to use big data to make better sense of it https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/mapping-climate-policy
What coal communities need on the path to net zero https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/what-coal-communities-need-on-the-path-to-net-zero/13867702
Draft NZ National Adaptation Plan for climate resilience https://www.building.govt.nz/about-building-performance/all-news-and-updates/draft-national-adaptation-plan-consultation/
Polluters are using forests as ‘carbon offsets.’ Climate change has other plans https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/forests-as-carbon-offsets-climate-change-has-other-plans
Scorched dystopia or liveable planet? Here’s where the climate policies of our political hopefuls will take us https://theconversation.com/scorched-dystopia-or-liveable-planet-heres-where-the-climate-policies-of-our-political-hopefuls-will-take-us-182513
India and Pakistan’s brutal heat wave poised to resurge https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2022/05/india-and-pakistans-brutal-heat-wave-poised-to-resurge/
Climate-proofing the world https://www.climateadaptationservices.com/en/
Scientists identify the most extreme heatwaves ever recorded globally https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2022/april/heatwaves-media-release.html
India heatwave: why the region should prepare for even more extreme heat in the near future https://theconversation.com/india-heatwave-why-the-region-should-prepare-for-even-more-extreme-heat-in-the-near-future-182452
Disaster risk reduction
High impact compound events in Australia https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212094722000408
Alpine Fault: What scientists are learning about NZ’s big quake-maker https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/alpine-fault-what-scientists-are-learning-about-nzs-big-quake-maker/Y74677ZF57TIKVFUN4SOAP75LM/
Modeling Coastal Environmental Change and the Tsunami Hazard https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.871794/full
Extreme tornado footage captured by drone over Andover, Kansas https://watchers.news/2022/05/02/extreme-tornado-footage-captured-by-drone-over-andover-kansas/
Space-based system using GPS satellites could warn of incoming tsunamis https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2022/apr/space-based-system-using-gps-satellites-could-warn-incoming-tsunamis
Can Artificial Intelligence Help Fight Western Wildfires? https://www.govtech.com/products/can-artificial-intelligence-help-fight-western-wildfires
AccuWeather’s 2022 US Wildfire Forecast: Drought to spur another intense season https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-forecasts/accuweather-2022-us-wildfire-forecast/1178642
Study Develops Framework for Forecasting Contribution of Snowpack to Flood Risk During Winter Storms https://www.dri.edu/study-develops-framework-for-forecasting-contribution-of-snowpack-to-flood-risk-during-winter-storms/
Models Show How Topography Influences Ground Shaking in Seattle Area https://www.seismosoc.org/news/models-show-how-topography-influences-ground-shaking-in-seattle-area/
New portal improves forecasts of devastating storms in West Africa https://www.ceh.ac.uk/new-portal-improves-forecasts-devastating-storms-west-africa
Flood risk reduction confers multiple benefits https://phys.org/news/2022-05-reduction-confers-multiple-benefits.html
Construction to begin on flood mitigation project west of Calgary https://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/insurance/construction-to-begin-on-flood-mitigation-project-west-of-calgary-1004220987/
Emergency management
NSW flood victims kicked out of caravan parks to make way for tourists https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/01/nsw-flood-victims-kicked-out-of-caravan-parks-to-make-way-for-tourists
Australian researchers uncover clue to rare and severe response to Covid in children https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/02/australian-researchers-uncover-clue-to-rare-and-severe-response-to-covid-in-children
‘Disaster’s in the recovery’: bushfire survivors still waiting for homes https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/30/disasters-in-the-recovery-bushfire-survivors-still-waiting-for-homes
NSW Far North Coast & Northern Rivers flood impact research, March 2022 https://riskfrontiers.com/insights/nsw-flood-impact-research-march-2022/
Learning from the Taal experience https://startnetwork.org/news-and-blogs/taal-experience
New Drones Could Spot Wildfires Earlier, Even Help Snuff Them Out https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-drones-could-spot-wildfires-earlier-even-help-snuff-them-out/
The Southwest is on fire – with iconic deserts and towns at risk, Biden issues a disaster declaration https://theconversation.com/the-southwest-is-on-fire-with-iconic-deserts-and-towns-at-risk-biden-issues-a-disaster-declaration-182426
Disaster education, communications and engagement
Accounting for Local Flood Knowledge in Citizen Science: Discussing Resilience and Adaptation to the Effects of Climate Change through a Flood-Monitoring Project https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/thesis/Accounting_for_Local_Flood_Knowledge_in_Citizen_Science_Discussing_Resilience_and_Adaptation_to_the_Effects_of_Climate_Change_through_a_Flood-Monitoring_Project/19210134/1
Determine Your Risk (Hurricane Preparedness) https://www.noaa.gov/determine-your-risk-hurricane-preparedness
Quake Chasers: 15 Women Rocking Earthquake Science https://www.amazon.com/Quake-Chasers-Rocking-Earthquake-Science/dp/1641606460
How to survive a heatwave https://theconversation.com/how-to-survive-a-heatwave-182180
CoastSnap citizen science around the world https://www.coastsnap.com/map
Psychology and disasters
Teachers say pandemic hurt child development, ask for study into chaotic schools https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/teachers-say-pandemic-hurt-child-development-ask-for-study-into-chaotic-schools-20220429-p5ah5e.html
Disaster descriptions do not capture many mental health and well-being impacts https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/disaster-choice/202204/how-are-disasters-defined
Trauma, disbelief and plenty of ideas shared at NSW flood inquiry hearing in Lismore https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/04/trauma-disbelief-and-plenty-of-ideas-shared-at-nsw-flood-inquiry-hearing-in-lismore
Women, low earners ‘prone to disaster-linked depression’ https://www.scidev.net/sub-saharan-africa/news/women-low-earners-prone-to-disaster-linked-depression/
Disaster Resilience News 