Category: disaster

Please find below links to some aspects of disaster resilience that were in the news recently…

Recent emergencies/disasters

Rapidly spreading Corral Fire forces evacuations in San Joaquin County, California https://watchers.news/2024/06/02/rapidly-spreading-corral-fire-forces-evacuations-in-san-joaquin-county-california/

Strong atmospheric river to bring heavy rain and flooding to Pacific Northwest, U.S. https://watchers.news/2024/06/01/strong-atmospheric-river-to-bring-heavy-rain-and-flooding-to-pacific-northwest-u-s/

Assam floods: Death count rises to 18; over 5 lakh people affected, fresh areas inundated https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/assam-floods-death-count-rises-to-eighteen-over-5-lakh-people-affected-fresh-areas-inundated/article68245290.ece

Severe flooding in southern Germany claims four lives, forces thousands to evacuate https://watchers.news/2024/06/03/germany-flood-damage-fatalities-june-2024/

Bombing low drops more than a month’s worth of rain over Sydney in just one day, Australia https://watchers.news/2024/06/04/bombing-low-drops-more-than-a-months-worth-of-rain-over-sydney-in-just-one-day-australia/

Heavy monsoon rains claim 17 lives, force school closures in Sri Lanka https://watchers.news/2024/06/04/heavy-monsoon-rains-claim-17-lives-force-school-closures-in-sri-lanka/

Strong explosive eruption at Kanlaon volcano forces evacuations, Philippines https://watchers.news/2024/06/04/strong-explosive-eruption-at-kanlaon-volcano-forces-evacuations-philippines/

Large cold lava flow hits Biaknabato village after strong eruption at Kanlaon volcano, Philippines https://watchers.news/2024/06/05/large-cold-lava-flow-hits-biaknabato-village-after-strong-eruption-at-kanlaon-volcano-philippines/

Severe flooding, large tornado leave 22 people dead and many injured in South Africa’s Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal https://watchers.news/2024/06/05/severe-flooding-large-tornado-leave-22-people-dead-and-many-injured-in-south-africas-eastern-cape-and-kwazulu-natal/

Volcanic activity worldwide 6 Jun 2024: Fuego volcano, Merapi, Semeru, Ibu, Dukono, Kilauea https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/243824/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-6-Jun-2024-Fuego-volcano-Merapi-Semeru-Ibu-Dukono-Kilauea-Lewotob.html

Record-breaking tornado damage length for May 26 storms https://watchers.news/2024/06/06/record-breaking-tornado-damage-length-for-may-26-storms/

Large cold lava flow hits Biaknabato village after strong eruption at Kanlaon volcano, Philippines https://watchers.news/2024/06/05/large-cold-lava-flow-hits-biaknabato-village-after-strong-eruption-at-kanlaon-volcano-philippines/

Extreme Weather and Climate Change

Australian solar innovator says its biggest order yet is headed for hurricane territory https://reneweconomy.com.au/australian-solar-innovator-says-its-biggest-order-yet-is-headed-for-hurricane-territory/

Climate Change Added 26 Days of Extreme Heat Over the Last Year https://e360.yale.edu/digest/extreme-heat-report-2024

The Delhi heatwave is testing the limits of human endurance. Other hot countries should beware and prepare https://theconversation.com/the-delhi-heatwave-is-testing-the-limits-of-human-endurance-other-hot-countries-should-beware-and-prepare-230866

‘Game-changing’: Vermont becomes first state to require big oil to pay for climate damages https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/31/vermont-oil-companies-climate-superfund-act

Panama prepares to evacuate first island in face of rising sea levels https://apnews.com/article/panama-island-guna-climate-change-f368711649ff6986ea25a79534405a84

America’s Hottest City Is Having a Surge of Deaths https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/phoenix-americas-hottest-city-is-having-a-surge-of-deaths/

‘An intergenerational crime against humanity’: what will it take for political leaders to start taking climate change seriously? https://theconversation.com/an-intergenerational-crime-against-humanity-what-will-it-take-for-political-leaders-to-start-taking-climate-change-seriously-231383

How Wall Street enables the fossil fuel companies cooking our planet https://www.salon.com/2024/06/03/how-wall-street-enables-the-fossil-fuel-companies-cooking-our-planet/

Devastating Brazil floods made twice as likely by burning of fossil fuels and trees https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/03/devastating-brazil-floods-made-twice-as-likely-by-burning-of-fossil-fuels-and-trees

Combining early warning systems and long-term preparedness for heat in the UK – this summer and for the long haul https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/news/combining-early-warning-systems-and-long-term-preparedness-for-heat-in-the-uk-this-summer-and-for-the-long-haul/

Communities divided over renewable energy development https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8649927/communities-divided-over-renewable-energy-development/

The uninsurable world: how the insurance industry fell behind on climate change https://www.ft.com/content/b4bf187a-1040-4a28-9f9e-fa8c4603ed1b

As global heating cuts Australia’s snowfall ski season may go downhill, report warns https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jun/05/australia-snow-season-skiing-snowboarding-global-heating-bookings

Spain turns cemeteries into solar powerhouses, aims 440,000 kW by 2030 https://interestingengineering.com/energy/solar-panels-cemetery-spain

Global groundwater warming due to climate change https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-024-01453-x

As 12 months of record heat stack up, scientists unpack the impacts around the globe https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-05/world-the-hottest-on-record-12-months-in-a-row/103904150

Climate change and the escalation of global extreme heat https://www.climatecentral.org/report/climate-change-and-the-escalation-of-global-extreme-heat

Sky-high vanity: constructing the world’s tallest buildings creates high emissions https://theconversation.com/sky-high-vanity-constructing-the-worlds-tallest-buildings-creates-high-emissions-229183

New study finds Earth warming at record rate, but no evidence of climate change accelerating https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-accelerating-record-hot-deadly-434881547b4585a32fa906cf5495d3f0

‘Godfathers of climate chaos’: UN chief urges global fossil-fuel advertising ban https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/05/antonio-guterres-un-chief-fossil-fuels-advertising

Less than 4% of dryland areas are projected to desertify despite increased aridity under climate change https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01463-y

Disaster risk reduction

Ageing dams pose growing threat: UN https://www.preventionweb.net/news/ageing-dams-pose-growing-threat-un

La Niña is coming, raising the chances of a dangerous Atlantic hurricane season – an atmospheric scientist explains this climate phenomenon https://theconversation.com/la-nina-is-coming-raising-the-chances-of-a-dangerous-atlantic-hurricane-season-an-atmospheric-scientist-explains-this-climate-phenomenon-228595

Assessing the myth of disaster risk reduction in the wake of catastrophic floods https://www.nature.com/articles/s44304-024-00007-w

Tsunami Sands Help Scientists Assess Cascadia Earthquake Models https://eos.org/research-spotlights/tsunami-sands-help-scientists-assess-cascadia-earthquake-models

Living weirs and re-establishing floodplains can reduce the vulnerability of communities and ecosystems https://www.unep-wcmc.org/en/news/lessons-for-ecosystem-based-adaptation-along-thailands-changing-rivers

New landslide forecasting system helping researchers save lives in Nepal https://www.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2024/june/new-landslide-forecasting-system-helping-researchers-save-lives-in-nepal

When stones start rolling https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2024/06/when-stones-start-rolling.html

Impacts of future climate and land use/land cover change on urban runoff using fine-scale hydrologic modeling https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301479724012702

The next great flood is coming. Britain isn’t ready https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-norfolk-britain-climate-change-flood-rain-fall-water-threat-sea-europe-east-coast-scientists/

Building resilience in Asian mega-deltas https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-024-00561-x

Effective public warning systems: Saving lives and mitigating disaster amid a changing climate https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/effective-public-warning-systems-saving-lives-and-mitigating-disaster-amid-a-changing-climate/177730/

Magnitude 𝑚b⁠: Reducing Processing‐Related Variability https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/ssa/srl/article-abstract/doi/10.1785/0220240042/637921/Magnitude-mb-Reducing-Processing-Related        

Emergency Management

UN official highlights how better preparation has shrunk disaster deaths despite worsening climate https://apnews.com/article/disasters-deaths-worsening-climate-getting-better-ebe7f7c75d318a2024501b35bec509a1

$223 million to build nearly 1000 homes in KY communities impacted by 2021 tornadoes https://www.kbsi23.com/news/223-million-to-build-nearly-1000-homes-in-ky-communites-impacted-by-2021-tornadoes/

Putting Out The Flames https://medium.com/usaid-2030/putting-out-the-flames-6c00677a4697

Derecho Devastation Underscores Need for Disaster Preparation https://www.inc-aus.com/araceli-crescencio/derecho-devastation-underscores-need-disaster-preparation.html

As Fire Season Fast Approaches, Greece’s Planners Look for an Edge in Response Time https://www.wildlandfirefighter.com/2024/04/10/as-fire-season-fast-approaches-greeces-planners-look-for-an-edge-in-response-time/

Landslide in Papua New Guinea https://disasterscharter.org/web/guest/activations/-/article/landslide-in-papua-new-guinea-activation-885-      

Disaster Education, Communication and Engagement

New Law to Provide Florida Homebuyers With More Transparency on Flood History https://insideclimatenews.org/news/01062024/florida-homebuyers-flood-history-law/

Can you spot these hurricane myths? https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2024/06/us/quiz-hurricane-season-misconceptions-myths/

The Potential of Crowdsourced Data for the Rapid Impact Assessment of Large Earthquakes: The 2023 M 7.8 Kahramanmaraş‐Pazarcık, Türkiye, Earthquake https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/ssa/srl/article-abstract/doi/10.1785/0220230421/637922/The-Potential-of-Crowdsourced-Data-for-the-Rapid

Education in international climate pledges – identifying education framings in countries nationally determined contributions (NDCs) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13504622.2024.2340504

Heat index warnings can save lives on dangerously hot days − if people understand what they mean https://theconversation.com/heat-index-warnings-can-save-lives-on-dangerously-hot-days-if-people-understand-what-they-mean-229174

Please find below links to some aspects of disaster resilience that were in the news recently…

Recent emergencies/disasters

Severe thunderstorms hit Kansas and Oklahoma with strong winds, baseball-sized hail and tornadoes https://watchers.news/2024/05/20/severe-thunderstorms-kansas-oklahoma-strong-winds-baseball-sized-hail-and-tornadoes/

Fresh floods in Afghanistan kill at least 60 after heavy rain brings devastation https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/18/fresh-flooding-in-afghanistan-people-dead-after-heavy-rain-brings-devastation

Deadly Houston windstorm estimated to have caused $5B to $7B in damage, AccuWeather tells ABC13 https://abc13.com/post/houston-tornado-power-outage-chief-meterologist-jon-porter-damage-costs/14833883/

Multiple homes destroyed in Fort Nelson wildfire, officials say https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/homes-destroyed-fort-nelson-wildfire-1.7209035

Volcanic activity worldwide 22 May 2024: Santiaguito volcano, Fuego, Popocatépetl, Semeru, Dukono https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/242526/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-22-May-2024-Santiaguito-volcano-Fuego-Popocatepetl-Semeru-Dukono-.html

Italy hit by severe flooding after heavy rain https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9xz8w2p8l8o

Violent hailstorm paralyzes the city of Gniezno, Poland https://watchers.news/2024/05/21/gniezno-hailstorm-poland-may-2024/

Massive tornadoes strike Iowa, including Greenfield and Carbon, causing major damage and casualties https://watchers.news/2024/05/22/iowa-tornado-damage-greenfield-may-2024/

Extreme Weather and Climate Change

Biden-Harris Administration invests $4.55 million for community heat resilience through Investing in America agenda https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/biden-harris-administration-invests-4-point-55-million-for-community-heat-resilience

Closure of Australia’s biggest coal-fired power station may be delayed while renewables catch up https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/21/eraring-coal-fired-power-station-closure-delay-renewable-energy

The world’s benchmark climate monitoring station passes a major milestone https://research.noaa.gov/2024/05/20/the-worlds-benchmark-climate-monitoring-station-passes-a-major-milestone/

AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023 https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/

Delhi under Red alert as extreme temperatures strike northwest India https://watchers.news/2024/05/18/delhi-under-red-alert-heatwave-northwest-india/

CMIP6 Models Rarely Simulate Antarctic Winter Sea-Ice Anomalies as Large as Observed in 2023 https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GL109265

Sea levels are starting to rise faster. Here’s how much South Florida is expecting https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/climate-change/article288522659.html

Powering Australia with nuclear energy would cost roughly twice as much as renewables, CSIRO report shows https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-22/nuclear-power-double-the-cost-of-renewables/103868728

Anthropogenic and atmospheric variability intensifies flash drought episodes in South Asia https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01390-y

Delhi orders schools to close early for holidays as temperatures hit 47.4C https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/21/delhi-orders-schools-to-close-early-heatwave-india

What is the state of the European climate? https://www.climateforesight.eu/articles/what-is-the-state-of-the-european-climate/

Climate change made the deadly heatwaves that hit millions of highly vulnerable people across Asia more frequent and extreme https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-change-made-the-deadly-heatwaves-that-hit-millions-of-highly-vulnerable-people-across-asia-more-frequent-and-extreme/

The macroeconomic impact of climate change: Global vs. local temperature https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/macroeconomic-impact-climate-change-global-vs-local-temperature

How Miami-Dade County is protecting public housing residents from dangerous heat waves https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/05/how-miami-dade-county-is-protecting-public-housing-residents-from-dangerous-heat-waves/

Extreme Heat Takes a Toll on Californians’ Health https://www.ppic.org/blog/extreme-heat-takes-a-toll-on-californians-health/

Climate change is a human rights issue https://theconversation.com/climate-change-is-a-human-rights-issue-228156

Report highlights turning point as clean energy accounts for 30% of global power supply: ‘Faster than anyone thought possible’ https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/renewable-energy-electricity-world-report-trends/

What you need to know about record-breaking heat in the Atlantic https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/05/what-you-need-to-know-about-record-breaking-heat-in-the-atlantic/

In Two New Studies, Scientists See Signs of Fundamental Climate Shifts in Antarctica https://insideclimatenews.org/news/20052024/antarctica-fundamental-climate-shifts-studies/

Autumn and winter storm rainfall in the UK and Ireland was made about 20% heavier by human-caused climate change https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/autumn-and-winter-storms-over-uk-and-ireland-are-becoming-wetter-due-to-climate-change/

Economic damage from climate change six times worse than thought – report https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/17/economic-damage-climate-change-report

Disaster risk reduction

Temporary Seismic Network in the Metropolitan Area of Rome (Italy): New Insight on an Urban Seismology Experiment https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/ssa/srl/article-abstract/doi/10.1785/0220230290/637016/Temporary-Seismic-Network-in-the-Metropolitan-Area

A recipe for why and how to set up and sustain an experimental catchment https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hyp.15163

Reply to Comment on ‘Self-thinning forest understoreys reduce wildfire risk, even in a warming climate’ https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ad40c1

Reconstruction of long-term hydrologic change and typhoon-induced flood events over the entire island of Taiwan https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221458182400154X

Understanding disaster risk: foundational concepts and principles https://www.preventionweb.net/understanding-disaster-risk

Feds officially turn on funding tap for $34 billion ‘Ike Dike’ project https://www.chron.com/gulf-coast/article/texas-coast-ike-dike-funding-19467984.php

Should London become a ‘sponge city’? https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c51ngn55gz4o

Evolving multi-hazard paradigms in a nutshell https://blogs.egu.eu/divisions/nh/2024/05/20/evolving-multi-hazard-paradigms-in-a-nutshell/

Urban flood drifters (UFD): Identification, classification and characterisation https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jfr3.13002

Weaker Codes Means New Homes Will Be Less Safe in North Carolina https://www.nrdc.org/bio/rob-moore/weaker-codes-means-new-homes-will-be-less-safe-north-carolina

Naples sits on volcanic monsters – and one of them threatens to consume the city https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240321-the-risk-of-volcano-eruption-in-naples-vesuvius-campi-flegrei

Emergency Management

CMCC facilitates a Wildfire Peer Review in Italy within the Union Civil Protection Mechanism https://www.cmcc.it/article/cmcc-facilitates-a-wildfire-peer-review-in-italy-within-the-union-civil-protection-mechanism

Satellite imagery to help aerial firefighters find usable watersources https://www.ga.gov.au/news/satellite-imagery-to-help-aerial-firefighters-find-usable-watersources

The Post-Yolanda Relocation and Climate Emergency: The Case of Tacloban North https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-99-7804-5_10

Here’s Yet Another Reason to Stay on Top of Your COVID Vaccine Boosters https://www.sciencealert.com/heres-yet-another-reason-to-stay-on-top-of-your-covid-vaccine-boosters

More aircraft to respond to fires, floods and other severe weather events https://nema.gov.au/about-us/media-centre/more-aircraft-to-keep-australians-safer-from-disasters

Disaster Education, Communication and Engagement

INSPIRE: Behavioural Insights for Better Communication https://www.behaviourworksaustralia.org/courses/inspire-your-communication

How would you prepare for an emergency? https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/

Disaster psychology

A comparative assessment of household power failure coping strategies in three American cities https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629624001646

‘The fear has properly set in’: how it feels to watch my home town disappear into the sea https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/21/the-fear-has-properly-set-in-how-it-feels-to-watch-my-home-town-disappear-into-the-sea

Sociology and disasters

Researching Gender and Disasters of Natural Origin: Ethical Challenges https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9287/9/3/70

The impact of social capital to improve rural households’ resilience against flooding: evidence from Iran https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/water/articles/10.3389/frwa.2024.1393226/full

Please find below links to some aspects of disaster resilience that were in the news recently…

Recent emergencies/disasters

Sydneysiders to return to flood-hit homes as rivers fall https://www.9news.com.au/national/weather-news-clean-up-under-way-as-nsw-residents-remain-on-flood-watch/0eec6c54-d5cd-489c-8f84-503ed4475cb1

Rare M4.8 earthquake hits New Jersey — the strongest since 1783, U.S. https://watchers.news/2024/04/06/rare-m4-8-earthquake-hits-new-jersey-the-strongest-since-1783-u-s/

Widespread record floods hit parts of Russia, flooding over 10 500 homes https://watchers.news/2024/04/09/widespread-record-floods-hit-parts-of-russia-flooding-over-10-500-homes/

Volcanic activity worldwide 11 Apr 2024: Etna volcano, Santiaguito, Fuego, Popocatépetl, Semeru https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/238910/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-11-Apr-2024-Etna-volcano-Santiaguito-Fuego-Popocatepetl-Semeru-Ib.html

Extreme Weather and Climate Change

Climate pollution due to transport https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/better-travel-options-can-halve-climate-pollution-from-transport-by-2030/

Irish wind farms break record as turbines generate 43pc of electricity in March, report finds https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-wind-farms-break-record-as-turbines-generate-43pc-of-electricity-in-march-report-finds/a1250144377.html

Scientists confirm record highs for three most important heat-trapping gases https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/06/record-highs-heat-trapping-gases-climate-crisis

‘Simply mind-boggling’: world record temperature jump in Antarctic raises fears of catastrophe https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/06/simply-mind-boggling-world-record-temperature-jump-in-antarctic-raises-fears-of-catastrophe

Coastal wetlands can’t keep pace with sea-level rise, and infrastructure is leaving them nowhere to go https://theconversation.com/coastal-wetlands-cant-keep-pace-with-sea-level-rise-and-infrastructure-is-leaving-them-nowhere-to-go-226851

King tides cause new levels of devastation in Tuvalu, as nation weighs up Falepili Union treaty https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-07/tuvalu-weighs-falepili-union-treaty-king-tides/103669542

Greta Thunberg detained twice by police during Extinction Rebellion protest at The Hague https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-07/greta-thunberg-detained-twice-by-police-in-the-netherlands/103678576

Heat from El Niño can warm oceans off West Antarctica – and melt floating ice shelves from below https://theconversation.com/heat-from-el-nino-can-warm-oceans-off-west-antarctica-and-melt-floating-ice-shelves-from-below-226233

Subsurface Warming of the West Antarctic Continental Shelf Linked to El Niño-Southern Oscillation https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023GL104518

Climate Resilient Cities https://wri-india.org/sites/default/files/WebFinal_23_CHVA_A4%20Report_24Feb.pdf

Tenth consecutive monthly heat record alarms and confounds climate scientists https://www.theguardian.com/global/2024/apr/09/tenth-consecutive-monthly-heat-record-alarms-confounds-climate-scientists

Rising Seas Stretch Risk Zones https://www.climatecentral.org/report/rising-seas-stretch-risk-zones

How Nigeria is reeling from extreme heat fuelled by climate change https://www.carbonbrief.org/how-nigeria-is-reeling-from-extreme-heat-fuelled-by-climate-change/

Global warming is coming for your home https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/04/11/global-warming-is-coming-for-your-home

Ignore the pushback — green energy is going strong https://www.theinvadingsea.com/2024/04/10/clean-renewable-energy-electric-vehicles-evs-solar-wind-jacksonville-jea-natural-gas/

Adaptation Is the World’s Unheralded Tool to Deal With Climate Change https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-11/climate-change-adaptation-key-questions-answered

European court rules human rights violated by climate inaction https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-68768598

Disaster risk reduction

Multiscale dynamics of transient merging between western disturbances and monsoonal lows: Connections to the July 2023 flood in Himachal Pradesh https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169809524001832

Elasticity curves describe streamflow sensitivity to precipitation across the entire flow distribution https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023EGUGA..25.6555A/abstract

Modeling streamflow in non-gauged watersheds with sparse data considering physiographic, dynamic climate, and anthropogenic factors using explainable soft computing techniques https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022169424002403

Looking ahead in the midst of a crisis: The role of Anticipatory Action in a protracted drought https://reliefweb.int/report/kenya/looking-ahead-midst-crisis-role-anticipatory-action-protracted-drought

Impacts of spatiotemporal resolutions of precipitation on flood event simulation based on multimodel structures – a case study over the Xiang River basin in China https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/28/1665/2024/

Emergency Management

Flooded Wollongong community rallies to begin clean-up as uninsured residents fear for future https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-07/wollongong-flood-community-starts-cleanup-uninsured-fear/103679696

‘FireSmart works’: Praise for wildfire mitigation in West Kelowna https://www.kelownacapnews.com/local-news/firesmart-works-praise-for-wildfire-mitigation-in-west-kelowna-7341492

Emergency Management to conduct earthquake  communications testing and earthquake drill https://www.tooeleonline.com/articles/news/emergency-management-to-conduct-earthquake-communications-testing-and-earthquake-drill/

Disaster Education, Communication and Engagement

Flood https://www.preventionweb.net/knowledge-base/hazards/flood

Disaster psychology

Higher ground or into harm’s way? Household storm surge sheltering and evacuation plans https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420924002140

Realizing the full potential of behavioural science for climate change mitigation https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-024-01951-1

Information and Compassion in Crisis Responses: A Test of Their Effects https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s1532754xjprr1102_02

Sociology and disasters

Slow violence to disasters: Exploring racialized topographies and contextualizing social vulnerability to flood and other environmental risks https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420924001717

First they came for the Young Communists: police facilitation and control at COP26, Glasgow https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10439463.2024.2336007

Keeping it Fair: How to Account for Inequity in Climate and Disaster Risk Analyses https://blogs.adb.org/blog/keeping-it-fair-how-account-inequity-climate-and-disaster-risk-analyses

Please find below links to some aspects of disaster resilience that were in the news recently…

Recent emergencies/disasters

Tornado outbreak strikes Indiana and Ohio, numerous injuries, 2 fatalities reported https://watchers.news/2024/03/15/tornado-outbreak-strikes-indiana-and-ohio-numerous-injuries-2-fatalities-reported/

Severe Tropical Cyclone “Megan” reaches Category 3, landfall expected on March 18, Australia https://watchers.news/2024/03/17/severe-tropical-cyclone-megan-reaches-category-3-landfall-expected-on-march-18-australia/

New volcanic eruption begins on Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland https://watchers.news/2024/03/16/volcanic-eruption-reykjanes-peninsula-iceland-march-2024/

Argentina – Flood Chaos in Buenos Aires After 130mm of Rain in 24 Hours https://floodlist.com/america/argentina-flood-buenos-aires-march-2024

Bushfire emergency threatens homes in Perth’s north-east https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-19/bushfire-emergency-threatens-homes-red-hill-north-of-perth/103607322

Volcanic activity worldwide 20 Mar 2024: Santiaguito volcano, Fuego, Popocatépetl, Semeru, Marapi https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/237108/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-20-Mar-2024-Santiaguito-volcano-Fuego-Popocatepetl-Semeru-Marapi-.html

Extreme Weather and Climate Change

Stranded assets: Chinese fossil car production plunges amid surging EV demand https://thedriven.io/2024/03/15/stranded-assets-chinese-fossil-car-production-plunges-amid-surging-ev-demand/

World’s most powerful tidal turbine eyes US debut with Orbital Marine https://interestingengineering.com/energy/worlds-most-powerful-tidal-turbine-eyes-us-debut-with-orbital-marine

How China Became the World’s Leader on Renewable Energy https://e360.yale.edu/features/china-renewable-energy

WA had its hottest summer ever, but climate change and heat-related health problems barely made the news https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2024-03-18/wa-summer-heat-broke-records-but-media-downplayed-climate-change/103572922

Climate hazards don’t have to become climate disasters https://www.undrr.org/zero-climate-disasters

Publication: Reality Check: Lessons from 25 Policies Advancing a Low-Carbon Future https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/3770b59a-617f-4636-8aa1-adbe6db7db34

Australian Alps face world’s largest loss of snow by end of century, research shows https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/mar/15/australian-alps-face-worlds-largest-loss-of-snow-by-end-of-century-research-shows

Rio De Janeiro hits record 62.3 °C (144.14 °F) thermal sensation, Brazil https://watchers.news/2024/03/18/rio-de-janeiro-hits-record-62-3-c-144-14-f-thermal-sensation-brazil/

Severe wildfires in southern China claim 4 lives, spawn huge pyroCb clouds https://watchers.news/2024/03/18/severe-wildfires-in-southern-china-claim-4-lives-spawn-huge-pyrocb-clouds/

The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Global Climate report confirms 2023 broke every single climate indicator https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-20/wmo-climate-records-broken-global-temperature/103604076

Heatwaves are killing more of our patients than any other natural disaster https://www.ausdoc.com.au/opinion/heatwaves-kill-more-of-our-patients-than-any-other-natural-disaster/

46C summer days and ‘supercell’ storms are Britain’s future – and now is our last chance to prepare https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/19/summer-storm-britain-future-tories-labour-climate

South Sudan closes schools in preparation for 45C heatwave https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/18/south-sudan-closes-schools-in-preparation-for-45c-heatwave

How does public perception of climate protest influence support for climate action? https://www.nature.com/articles/s44168-023-00096-9

Higher temperatures mean higher food and other prices. A new study links climate shocks to inflation https://apnews.com/article/inflation-climate-change-food-prices-heat-6e5297e12868aaf797529bb755268818

The heat index — how hot it feels — is rising faster than temperature https://news.berkeley.edu/2024/03/19/the-heat-index-how-hot-it-feels-is-rising-faster-than-temperature

Frequency of heat days systematically underestimated in many studies https://medienportal.univie.ac.at/en/media/recent-press-releases/detailansicht-en/artikel/frequency-of-heat-days-systematically-underestimated-in-many-studies/

Proposing a new indicator, the “Potential Maximum Storm Tide” (PMST) to estimate the risk of coastal flooding under climate change https://eos.org/editor-highlights/where-and-how-sea-level-rise-threatens-coastal-areas-and-communities

Disaster risk reduction

Enhancing GRACE data resolution for water cycle analysis https://eo4society.esa.int/2024/03/13/enhancing-grace-data-resolution-for-water-cycle-analysis/

Improved Earthquake Clustering Using a Density‐Adaptive DBSCAN Algorithm: An Example from Iran https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/ssa/srl/article-abstract/95/2A/942/630230/Improved-Earthquake-Clustering-Using-a-Density

Lessons on resilience from a year of global earthquakes https://blogs.worldbank.org/climatechange/lessons-resilience-year-global-earthquakes

A systematic review of climate change science relevant to Australian design flood estimation https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/28/1251/2024/

Simple hydrological models for assessing the impact of forest cover change on streamflow for large catchments with a dry tropical climate https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02626667.2024.2310488

Global prediction of extreme floods in ungauged watersheds https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07145-1

Quality of Cities’ Networks of Plans and Prospects for Flood Resilience https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0739456X241236486

The USGS has collected and released topographic data that show the changes to the Mud Creek landslide of Big Sur during the winter of 2024 https://www.usgs.gov/programs/cmhrp/news/usgs-remote-sensing-data-tracks-big-sur-landslides-2024

Detecting storms thanks to GPS https://baug.ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/news/2024/03/detecting-storms-thanks-to-gps.html

Emergency Management

Who Pays? Cost-Sharing for Disaster Management in the US and Japan https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372823090_Who_Pays_Cost-Sharing_for_Disaster_Management_in_the_US_and_Japan

ECOWAS supports early warnings for all with a new disaster operations centre https://www.undrr.org/news/ecowas-supports-early-warnings-all-new-disaster-operations-centre

The Maui catastrophe is a wake-up call https://www.staradvertiser.com/2024/03/17/editorial/insight/column-the-maui-catastrophe-is-a-wake-up-call/

Evaluating the Impacts of Hurricane Maria on Residential Construction Practices in Puerto Rico https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/9780784485279.050

Disaster Education, Communication and Engagement

Unravelling complexity through Impact Webs: a novel approach for mapping the systemic nature of risks https://www.preventionweb.net/drr-community-voices/unravelling-complexity-through-impact-webs-novel-approach-mapping-systemic

Researchers say Australian schoolchildren are asking if it’s ‘too late’ to halt climate change https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-21/kids-and-climate-action-is-it-too-late/103610946

Get prepared for earthquakes and tsunamis https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-management/preparedbc/know-your-hazards/earthquakes-tsunamis

Disaster psychology

Mental health and psychosocial interventions in the context of climate change: a scoping review https://www.nature.com/articles/s44184-024-00054-1

1 in 3 Australians report being worried that they may have to permanently relocate because of extreme weather https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/one-in-three-aussies-fear-extreme-weather-will-force-them-to-leave-their-homes/

Sociology and disasters

G20 DRR Working Group holds first meeting under the Brazilian Presidency and embraces addressing inequalities and reducing vulnerabilities https://www.undrr.org/news/g20-drr-working-group-holds-first-meeting-under-brazilian-presidency-and-embraces-addressing

Problems and promises of postmodernism in (re)liberating disaster studies https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/DPM-06-2023-0153/full/html

What is the Sendai Gender Action Plan? https://www.preventionweb.net/news/what-sendai-gender-action-plan

We are sidekicks! Concretizing the antecedents and outcomes of communal coping in the COVID-19 crisis renewal https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1468-5973.12557

Please find below links to some aspects of disaster resilience that were in the news recently…

Recent emergencies/disasters

Earthquake of 3.6-magnitude hits Blue Mountains area west of Sydney https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-08/nsw-earthquake-3-6-magnitude-blue-mountains-area/103567618

Severe storm system spawns tornadoes in Alabama and Georgia, U.S. https://watchers.news/2024/03/10/severe-storm-system-spawns-tornadoes-in-alabama-and-georgia-u-s/

Torrential rains in West Sumatra cause destructive landslides, fatal floods, Indonesia https://watchers.news/2024/03/10/torrential-rains-in-west-sumatra-cause-destructive-landslides-fatal-floods-indonesia/

France – Seven People Missing After Severe Floods in Gard, Ardèche and Var https://floodlist.com/europe/france-storm-monica-gard-ardeche-march-2024

At least 26 people killed after floods, landslides hit Indonesia’s Sumatra https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/11/dozens-dead-after-flash-floods-landslides-hit-indonesias-sumatra-island

Severe Tropical Storm “Filipo” strikes Mozambique https://watchers.news/2024/03/13/severe-tropical-storm-filipo-strikes-mozambique/

Tinakula volcano in Solomon Islands erupts, sending lava toward the ocean https://watchers.news/2024/03/13/tinakula-volcano-in-solomon-islands-erupts-sending-lava-toward-the-ocean/

Seven people missing in floods as heavy rain dumped in outback Western Australia https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-12/wa-flooding-eyre-highway-christmas-island-cyclone-/103576444

Volcanic activity worldwide 12 Mar 2024: Santiaguito volcano, Fuego, Popocatépetl, Ibu https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/236499/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-12-Mar-2024-Santiaguito-volcano-Fuego-Popocatepetl-Ibu-Nevado-del-.html

Extreme Weather and Climate Change

Much of America asks: Where did winter go? Spring starts early as US winter was warmest on record https://apnews.com/article/winter-warming-missing-climate-change-snow-e5e45c1d5eb9f168030e0fe90ac36ac8

Long weekend heatwave causes Moomba Parade cancellation and festival disruptions https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-09/music-festival-extreme-heat-bushfire-victoria-pitch-golden-plain/103568338

Great Lakes Ice Cover Hits New Lows https://e360.yale.edu/digest/great-lakes-ice-climate-change

Emergent constraints on carbon budgets as a function of global warming https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-46137-7

Heatwave pushes wind and solar to record highs, as renewables share reaches 70 pct of NEM https://reneweconomy.com.au/heatwave-pushes-wind-and-solar-to-record-highs-as-renewables-share-reaches-70-pct-of-nem/

Hobart endures hottest night in 112 years as severe heatwave hits south-eastern Australia https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/mar/10/hobart-endures-hottest-night-in-112-years-as-severe-heatwave-hits-south-eastern-australia

Europe unprepared for rapidly growing climate risks, report finds https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/10/europe-unprepared-for-climate-risks-eea-report

Study explores impacts of Arctic warming on daily weather patterns in the U.S. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/study-explores-impacts-arctic-warming-daily-weather-patterns-us/

Record run of autumn hot weather for Sydney as waters simmer past cyclone threshold https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-13/nsw-sydney-water-warm-summer-temperatures-in-autumn/103576780

Is renewable energy cheaper than fossil fuels? https://www.theclimatebrink.com/p/is-renewable-energy-cheaper-than

Renewables provide 52 pct of German power in 2023, as wind overtakes coal https://reneweconomy.com.au/renewables-provide-52-pct-of-german-power-in-2023-as-wind-overtakes-coal/

Why women are key to climate action https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/page/why-women-are-key-climate-action

East Africa must prepare for more extreme rainfall during the short rainy season – new study https://theconversation.com/east-africa-must-prepare-for-more-extreme-rainfall-during-the-short-rainy-season-new-study-218545

Climate change is forcing massive changes to how Australia protects endangered animals and plants from extinction https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2024-03-13/climate-change-bushfires-species-extinction-black-summer/103494254

Increasing frequency and lengthening season of western disturbances are linked to increasing strength and delayed northward migration of the subtropical jet https://wcd.copernicus.org/articles/5/345/2024/

Tennis anyone? Bad news for skiers as snow season could shrink by 78% this century https://theconversation.com/tennis-anyone-bad-news-for-skiers-as-snow-season-could-shrink-by-78-this-century-225581

Thousands of high temperature records broken across Africa https://watchers.news/2024/03/12/thousands-of-high-temperature-records-broken-across-africa/

Australian National Climate Risk Assessment: First pass assessment report https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/publications/ncra-first-pass-risk-assessment

There are growing fears of an alarming shift in Antarctic sea ice https://www.newscientist.com/article/2421376-there-are-growing-fears-of-an-alarming-shift-in-antarctic-sea-ice/

Climate change impacts in Bangladesh https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/climate-change-impacts-bangladesh

Disaster risk reduction

Beyond a fixed number: Investigating uncertainty in popular evaluation metrics of ensemble flood modeling using bootstrapping analysis https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jfr3.12982

Cultural burning is better for Australian soils than prescribed burning, or no burning at all https://theconversation.com/cultural-burning-is-better-for-australian-soils-than-prescribed-burning-or-no-burning-at-all-224337

AI predicts flooding https://www.dtu.dk/english/news/all-news/ai-predicts-flooding?id=9b180ce8-3fc7-41e2-bcb9-8506786c8d70

Flood risk mapping is a public good, so why the public resistance in Canada? Lessons from Nova Scotia https://theconversation.com/flood-risk-mapping-is-a-public-good-so-why-the-public-resistance-in-canada-lessons-from-nova-scotia-224902

Flood risk assessment for Indian sub-continental river basins https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/28/1107/2024/hess-28-1107-2024.html

Data gaps hide the true human impacts of disasters in 2023 https://www.undrr.org/explainer/uncounted-costs-of-disasters-2023#floods

Catchment characterization: Current descriptors, knowledge gaps and future opportunities https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825224000667

$500K Sand Dune Designed to Protect Coastal Homes Washes Away in Just 3 Days https://www.thedailybeast.com/dollar500k-dune-designed-to-protect-massachusetts-homes-last-just-3-days

Map shows which coastal U.S. cities are sinking, face greater flood risk https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_media_wire/4516635-map-shows-which-coastal-u-s-cities-are-sinking-face-greater-flood-risk/

Flood cover could become mandatory for some home owners — and it may lead to having no protection at all https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-11/mandatory-flood-cover-premiums-rising-insurance/103566224

Mapping the Most Susceptible Regions to Fire in Portugal https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/6/7/254#

Can earth-covered houses protect us from bushfires? Even if they’re a solution, it’s not risk-free https://theconversation.com/can-earth-covered-houses-protect-us-from-bushfires-even-if-theyre-a-solution-its-not-risk-free-216449

Indigenous fire management began more than 11,000 years ago: new research https://theconversation.com/indigenous-fire-management-began-more-than-11-000-years-ago-new-research-225263

Australia’s Tinderbox Drought (2017 – 2019) https://climateextremes.org.au/australias-tinderbox-drought-2017-2019/

Efficiency of global precipitation datasets in tropical and subtropical catchments revealed by large sampling hydrological modelling https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022169424004116

Accurate hindcasting of explosive eruptions at Whakaari, New Zealand https://www.jvolcanica.org/ojs/index.php/volcanica/article/view/217

Disasters will be less devastating if we plan for them https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/03/natural-disaster-prevention/

Bolder leadership for surface water flooding https://environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/2024/01/15/bolder-leadership-for-surface-water-flooding/

Emergency Management

Subcommittee to Hold Hearing to Examine the Expanded Use of FEMA’s Resources https://transportation.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=407264

13 years after 3/11, Japan’s readiness for complex disasters remains inadequate https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/03/10/japan/science-health/japan-disaster-preparedness-march-11/

New Jersey and the nation were not prepared when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the state “remains underprepared for the next emergency https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/ap-top-news/2024/03/11/report-new-jersey-and-us-were-not-prepared-for-covid-19-and-state-remains-so-for-the-next-crisis

Drought triggers more overnight wildfires, finds B.C. scientist https://www.nsnews.com/highlights/drought-triggers-more-overnight-wildfires-finds-bc-scientist-8435814

Disaster Education, Communication and Engagement

Co-creating resilient communities https://www.hull.ac.uk/special/climate-action

The best climate change movies and TV series of 2023 https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/03/the-best-climate-change-movies-and-tv-series-of-2023/

Disaster psychology

The dynamics of community resilience perception between two waves of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2022: A longitudinal study from Shanghai https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590061724000061

The influence of the 2021 European flooding on pro-environmental attitudes and partial behavior transition https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/influence-2021-european-flooding-pro-environmental-attitudes-and-partial-behavior

Sociology and disasters

Built or Social environment? Effects of perceptions of neighborhood green spaces on resilience of residents to heat waves https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1618866724000657

Climate change remains worse for women and girls — but it doesn’t have to be https://floodresilience.net/blogs/addressing-gender-inequalities-in-climate-adaptation-programmes/

The network resilience of safety confirmation and social capital during natural disasters: the comparison of the U.S. and Japan https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43621-024-00192-8

Pacific Islanders have long drawn wisdom from the Earth, the sky and the waves. Research shows the science is behind them https://theconversation.com/pacific-islanders-have-long-drawn-wisdom-from-the-earth-the-sky-and-the-waves-research-shows-the-science-is-behind-them-225088