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

Recent emergencies/disaster

Marshalls and Kiribati hit by unseasonal storm https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/379459/marshalls-and-kiribati-hit-by-unseasonal-storm

Five dead, floods, blackouts after Thai storm, but tourist islands spared https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2180812/five-dead-floods-blackouts-after-thai-storm-tourist-islands

Afghan officials: Flash flood kills at least 30 villagers https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-6562161/Afghan-officials-Flash-flood-kills-30-villagers.html

Philippines – Over 100 Dead After Tropical Depression ‘Usman’ Triggers Floods and Landslides http://floodlist.com/asia/philippines-tropical-depression-usman-floods-landslides-december-2018

Sri Lanka – Over 100,000 Affected by Floods After Days of Heavy Rain http://floodlist.com/asia/sri-lanka-floods-december-2018

Climate change hits home as Solomons flood again https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/379508/climate-change-hits-home-as-solomons-flood-again

Indonesia landslide death toll reaches 32 https://www.rappler.com//world/regions/asia-pacific/220455-death-toll-indonesia-landslide

Pacific Islands – Thousands Affected by Floods After Heavy Rain and Storm Surge http://floodlist.com/australia/pacific-islands-penny-mona-fiji-solomon-january-2019?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Thailand – Tropical Storm Pabuk Hits Southern Provinces http://floodlist.com/asia/thailand-tropical-storm-pabuk-january-2019

Powerful eruption at Manam volcano, ash to 16.7 km (55 000 feet) a.s.l., P.N.G. https://watchers.news/2019/01/08/manam-volcano-eruption-january-2019/

Eruption at San Miguel (Chaparrastique) volcano, El Salvador https://watchers.news/2019/01/09/eruption-at-san-miguel-chaparrastique-volcano-el-salvador/

Bolivia – Flooding Reported in Central and Southern Areas http://floodlist.com/america/bolivia-floods-january-2019-santa-cruz-cochabamba-chuquisaca-tarija

Storm kills Syrian girl in Lebanon, causes widespread damage https://www.bradenton.com/news/business/article224123330.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Widespread flooding as storm hits northern Argentina https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/widespread-flooding-storm-hits-northern-argentina-190110085213297.html

Fears for more than 11,000 children in Idlib, Syria, as flooding hits camps https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/fears-more-11000-children-idlib-syria-flooding-hits-camps

Volcanic activity worldwide 10 Jan 2019: Fuego volcano, Popocatépetl, Krakatau, Shiveluch, Dukono https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/73290/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-10-Jan-2019-Fuego-volcano-Popocatepetl-Krakatau-Shiveluch-Dukono-.html

 

Extreme Weather and Climate Change

Katharine Hayhoe: ‘A thermometer is not liberal or conservative https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jan/06/katharine-hayhoe-interview-climate-change-scientist-crisis-hope

As seas continue to rise, New Jersey buys residents out of flood zones https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/as-seas-continue-to-rise-new-jersey-buys-residents-out-of-flood-zones

With heatwaves like this, what sort of future do we have in store? https://www.smh.com.au/national/with-heatwaves-like-this-what-sort-of-future-do-we-have-in-store-20190103-p50pim.html

Why Are Sea Levels Rising Unevenly? https://www.ecowatch.com/sea-levels-rise-uneven-2625114769.html

All too often it’s poorer outer suburbs that end up far hotter than inner city enclaves https://amp.news.com.au/technology/environment/climate-change/the-australian-suburbs-and-council-areas-most-vulnerable-to-extreme-heat/news-story/0df25ff17daedbb5793b20da70968671?__twitter_impression=true

Bottling generosity: People bring gifts of water to help quench a dry town https://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/story/5837438/bottling-generosity-people-bring-gifts-of-water-to-help-quench-dry-town/?cs=103

Adapt to climate change fallout, famed Western researcher advises https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/adapt-to-climate-change-fallout-famed-western-researcher-advises/wcm/fe11aade-5624-49eb-83a6-a226efdb0970

4 Ways Cities Can Build More Climate-Resilient Neighborhoods http://100resilientcities.org/4-ways-cities-can-build-climate-resilient-neighborhoods/

Widespread and Accelerated Decrease of Observed Mean and Extreme Snow Depth Over Europe https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2018GL079799

Taking climate model evaluation to the next level https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0355-y

Report: US 2018 CO2 emissions saw biggest spike in years https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46801108

How soon will climate change force you to move? https://www.fastcompany.com/90288934/how-soon-will-climate-change-force-you-to-move

Once derided, ways of adapting to climate change are gaining steam https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/01/communities-adapt-to-changing-climate-after-fires-floods-storms/

Building human resilience for climate change http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/551504/28051577/1546448956667/Preparing+People+on+the+West+Coast+for+Climate+Change-+Recommenations+from+ITRC+Assessment+for+CA+and+the+PNW+Final+1-8-19.pdf?token=YDM8ForQ9ok5%2FALzVJ2t2C7nanw%3D

New solar energy installations tripled in capacity in 2018 in Australia https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/records-blown-away-as-rising-power-bill-fears-trigger-solar-pv-surge-20190108-p50q8f.html

The 2nd edition of the Copernicus Marine Service Ocean State Report (OSR 2) published in 2018 provides information on changes and variations in the ocean over the past decades http://marine.copernicus.eu/science-learning/ocean-state-report/ocean-state-report-2nd-issue/

Climate change poses dire challenges for Bangladesh https://www.dw.com/en/climate-change-poses-dire-challenges-for-bangladesh/a-46740543

The stunning chart revealing Australia’s record-breaking run of rising temperatures https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-stunning-chart-revealing-australia-s-record-breaking-run-of-rising-temperatures-20190110-p50qk1.html

Many companies are failing to accurately characterise their climate change risk or adequately prepare for its physical impacts http://www.acclimatise.uk.com/2018/12/12/new-study-companies-around-the-world-are-vastly-underestimating-climate-change-risks-to-their-business/

Progress on integrating climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction for sustainable development pathways in South Asia: Evidence from six research projects https://www.i-s-e-t.org/resource-integrating-drr-cca-plan

Greenland’s residents grapple with global warming http://news.trust.org/item/20190110115325-p53ly/

Climate change and climate denial: Two realities we need to confront http://news.trust.org/item/20190107133728-c9vqk/

Warming oceans likely to raise sea levels 30cm by end of century – study https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/10/warming-oceans-likely-to-raise-sea-levels-30cm-by-end-of-century-study?CMP=share_btn_tw

Using satellite imagery of grounded icebergs near Greenland, researchers estimate the drafts of these ice masses and therefore water depth, measurements that shed light on future sea level rise https://eos.org/articles/icebergs-reveal-contours-of-the-ocean-bottom

Australia had third-warmest year on record in 2018 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/10/australia-had-third-warmest-year-on-record-in-2018

Antarctic sea ice is ‘astonishingly’ low this melt season https://grist.org/article/antarctic-sea-ice-is-astonishingly-low-this-melt-season/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly&utm_content=antarctic-sea-ice-is-astonishingly-low-this-melt-season%3Futm_medium%3Demail

The Last Four Years Have Been Earth’s Warmest on Record https://weather.com/news/climate/news/2019-01-08-2018-global-temperatures-fourth-warmest-climate-change

 

Disaster risk reduction

Trump Administration Sits on Billions in Storm Protection Money https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-03/trump-administration-sits-on-billions-in-storm-protection-money?

The search for the perfect indicator: Reflections on monitoring and evaluation of resilience for improved climate risk management https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212096318301414

Register your voluntary commitment to implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction https://sendaicommitments.unisdr.org/

The death of Venice? City’s battles with tourism and flooding reach crisis level https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/06/venice-losing-fight-with-tourism-and-flooding?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Volcanic lightning can help warn of dangerous eruptions https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/12/volcanic-lightning-can-help-warn-dangerous-eruptions-earth-geology/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=twitter::cmp=editorial::add=tw20190105science-volcaniclightning::rid=&sf205397452=1

More than 1.6 million Sydney residents are at high risk of flooding or bushfires, new analysis shows https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/millions-in-australia-s-east-face-natural-disaster-risk-20190101-p50p31.html

Total economic losses from natural and man-made disasters in 2018 are estimated to be USD 155 billion, down from USD 350 billion in 2017 https://www.swissre.com/media/news-releases/nr_20181218_sigma_estimates_for_2018.html

Special Issue “Statistical Analysis and Stochastic Modelling of Hydrological Extremes” https://www.mdpi.com/journal/water/special_issues/hydrological_extremes_model

Global mortality from storm surges is decreasing http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa98a3

Flood Cloud, a highly effective, simple-to-use, and cost-effective solution that is available to anyone who wants to undertake flood risk modeling https://www.wateronline.com/doc/how-cloud-based-modeling-capabilities-can-help-boost-cities-resilience-and-infrastructure-needs-in-the-face-of-climate-variability-0001?hootPostID=4cdf3b9d71a4fd0769a4683af35f9217

Nepal: A bigger, stronger earthquake is in the offing https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/natural-disasters/a-bigger-stronger-earthquake-is-in-the-offing-62668

Building resilient cities: an assessment of disaster risk management policies in Southeast Asia https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/urban-rural-and-regional-development/building-resilient-cities_9789264305397-en

Research to assess the economics of coastal change management in England and to determine potential pathways for a sample of exposed communities https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/economics-of-coastal-change-management-in-england-jacobs/

Adaptive process for SMART community governance under persistent disruptive risks https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13753-018-0204-7

Forest fires: Sparking firesmart policies in the EU https://ec.europa.eu/info/files/forest-fires-sparking-firesmart-policies-eu_en

CU Boulder hazards center lands $3M grant to support natural disaster research http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_32364233/cu-boulder-hazards-center-lands-3m-grant-support

Why doesn’t California treat its wildfire hazards like it battles flood risks? https://www.ocregister.com/2019/01/04/why-doesnt-california-treat-wildfire-hazards-like-it-treats-floods/

Australian Disaster Resilience Conference 2019 https://www.aidr.org.au/programs/australian-disaster-resilience-conference/

AFAC19 – Call for abstracts https://www.afacconference.com.au/call-for-abstracts/

Top 10 countries most at risk of humanitarian disaster in 2019 https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/top-10-countries-risk-humanitarian-disaster-2019-181213184843061.html

For the number of lives lost in flood events, 2018 figure of 35% was substantially higher than the 14% 1980-2017 average https://www.munichre.com/topics-online/en/climate-change-and-natural-disasters/natural-disasters/the-natural-disasters-of-2018-in-figures.html

Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves 2018 Interim Report https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nibs.org/resource/resmgr/mmc/NIBS_MSv2-2018_Interim-Repor.pdf

Bagan Disaster Risk Management Plan https://www.gfdrr.org/sites/default/files/publication/Bagan%20DRM%20Eng.pdf

Changing construction to boost flood resilience http://www.constructionmanagermagazine.com/onsite/changing-construction-boost-flood-resilience/

Participatory Risk Governance for Reducing Disaster and Societal Risks: Collaborative Knowledge Production and Implementation https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13753-018-0201-x

Volcanic avalanches and landslides are pretty common in the geologic record  http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/rockyplanet/2019/01/08/volcanic-avalanches-are-pretty-common/#.XDUVPtIzbIU

Storm Surge Propagation and Flooding in Small Tidal Rivers during Events of Mixed Coastal and Fluvial Influence https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/6/4/158

How much do floods cost India? https://medium.com/world-of-opportunity/how-much-do-floods-cost-india-4a9446117f71

Forest fire insurance costs soar https://www.reuters.com/article/us-insurance-disasters/forest-fire-insurance-costs-soar-idUSKCN1P2129

‘The focus shall not be on cost but on economic and social benefits of adaptation and resilience’ https://www.climatecentre.org/news/1091/a-the-focus-shall-not-be-on-cost-but-on-economic-and-social-benefits-of-adaptation-and-resiliencea

Congress Again Defers on Reforming Flood Insurance Program https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2019/01/09/congress-again-defers-on-reforming-flood-insurance-program

How Physics‐Based Earthquake Simulators Might Help Improve Earthquake Forecasts https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/ssa/srl/article-abstract/568099/how-physics-based-earthquake-simulators-might-help#.XDYiGSOj_0A.twitter

From Dams to Coastal Barriers: How the U.S. Is Fighting Flooding in 2019 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/from-dams-to-coastal-barriers-how-the-u-s-is-fighting-flooding-in-2019/

Hull’s £42m tidal flood scheme gets the green light https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hulls-42m-tidal-flood-scheme-gets-the-green-light

New Zealand’s Islands Are Creeping Closer Together https://www.livescience.com/64175-earthquake-pushed-new-zealand-islands-closer.html

Mapping Where Norway is Moving https://www.gislounge.com/mapping-where-norway-is-moving/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gislounge+%28GIS+Lounge%29

California wildfire was world’s costliest natural disaster in 2018, insurer says https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-wildfire-was-world-s-costliest-natural-disaster-2018-insurer-n956376?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

Ombudsman to probe flood control ‘scam’ https://www.manilatimes.net/ombudsman-to-probe-flood-control-scam/494445/

Adapt, move or surrender? Manufacturing firms’ routines and dynamic capabilities on flood risk reduction in coastal cities of Indonesia https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420918308124

2018 UK Flood Map Update https://www.jbarisk.com/news-blogs/2018-uk-flood-map-update/

Hurricane satellites reveal flooding https://spacenews.com/hurricane-satellites-show-flooding/

Approved developments in Charleston to see more scrutiny for flood rules https://www.postandcourier.com/news/approved-developments-in-charleston-to-see-more-scrutiny-for-flood/article_aac3b754-135f-11e9-922f-c3ea4bc00556.html

Emergency Management

3 Crisis Simulation Exercise Scenario Planning Tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAgcN_H60RE&feature=youtu.be

Deepwater, Baffle Creek bushfire recovery draws Team Rubicon ‘angels’ to help residents rebuild https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-04/deepwater-baffle-creek-bushfire-recovery-draws-team-rubicon/10685300

Night fire bombing deployed for the first time in Australia https://emergency.vic.gov.au/news-and-media/night-fire-bombing-deployed-for-the-first-time-in-australia

2 former deputies arrested after 2 women drowned in their transport van during Hurricane Florence https://www.yahoo.com/gma/2-former-deputies-arrested-2-women-drowned-transport-210515599–abc-news-topstories.html

With floods on the rise in Quebec, group looks to better prepare communities https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/flooding-quebec-prepare-1.4963293

Emergency Management Volunteer Scholarships https://www.aidr.org.au/programs/scholarships-for-volunteers/

Damage bill from Sydney December hail storm ‘catastrophe’ nears $675 million https://www.smh.com.au/money/insurance/damage-bill-from-december-hail-storm-catastrophe-nears-675-million-20190107-p50q1w.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1546852806

Preparing for Wildfire in Puget Sound https://sustain.org/preparing-for-wildfire-in-puget-sound/

February 2019 marks the 10 Year Anniversary of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires which was one of the most significant disasters Victoria has experienced https://www.vic.gov.au/2009-bushfires.html

Safely Evacuating The Elderly In Any Emergency Takes Planning And Practice https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/12/28/673710296/safely-evacuating-the-elderly-in-any-emergency-takes-planning-and-practice

Guest Editorial: Special Issue on Advances in Evacuation Modelling https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10694-018-0807-y

Global Humanitarian Overview 2018 https://interactive.unocha.org/publication/globalhumanitarianoverview/#ataglanceposition

Australia’s emergency warning system hacked to deliver flood of messages https://portswigger.net/daily-swig/australias-emergency-warning-system-hacked-to-deliver-flood-of-messages

Federal Government Shutdown Could Hurt Hurricane Forecasts, Delay Storm Reports http://www.govtech.com/em/preparedness/Federal-Government-Shutdown-Could-Hurt-Hurricane-Forecasts-Delay-Storm-Reports.html

Anchorage, Alaska, Is Swamped with Requests for Earthquake Damage Inspections http://www.govtech.com/em/disaster/Anchorage-Alaska-is-Swamped-With-Requests-for-Earthquake-Damage-Inspections.html

How to include more local women in emergency response https://www.irinnews.org/interview/2019/01/09/qa-how-include-more-local-women-emergency-response?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=irinsocial&utm_campaign=irinupdates

Oregon took a different approach to planning its initial response and other actions to save lives in the event of a major disaster https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2019-01-08/commentary-oregons-cascadia-playbook-focuses-on-disaster-preparation

President Trump warns he’ll cut off FEMA money for California fires https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/01/09/donald-trump-fema-california-wildfires/2523581002/

California to spend millions more on disaster response http://news.trust.org/item/20190109012252-t7uqp/

Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies Vol 22, Port Hills Wildfire Special Edition http://trauma.massey.ac.nz/issues/2018-2/AJDTS_22_2_full.pdf

Thailand limits death toll from Pabuk https://www.unisdr.org/archive/63029?preview=a0ae0e56534

‘Flood? What flood?’ Pub back open just hours after tidal surge flooding https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/harbour-inn-southwold-suffolk-2019-storm-surge-flooding-1-5846067

European Union brings relief to the victims of floods and landslides in the Philippines https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/philippines_en/56337/European%20Union%20brings%20relief%20to%20the%20victims%20of%20floods%20and%20landslides%20in%20the%20Philippines

 

Disaster education, communications and engagement

Learning Through Citizen Science https://www.nap.edu/download/25183

The tenth anniversary is a time to reflect and remember the 173 people who died in the 2009 Victorian bushfires, and to learn about how the fires changed the lives of so many, and how communities have rebuilt https://www.vic.gov.au/2009-bushfires.html

Of course everyone can communicate, but not everyone is good at it http://comms2point0.co.uk/comms2point0/2019/1/4/of-course-everyone-can-communicate-but-not-everyone-is-good-at-it?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialSignIn

Earthquake early warning app now available in Los Angeles https://www.foxnews.com/tech/earthquake-early-warning-app-now-available-in-los-angeles?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Prepared pet-owners can avoid bushfire grief https://lighthouse.mq.edu.au/article/january/prepared-pet-owners-can-avoid-bushfire-grief

Interactive map plots your address over 750 million years of Earth’s history https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/climate-weather/blogs/interactive-map-plots-your-address-over-750-million-years-earths-history

Education under attack and battered by natural disasters in 2018 https://reliefweb.int/report/world/education-under-attack-and-battered-natural-disasters-2018

Does it take a miracle to survive a wildfire? https://community.nfpa.org/community/fire-break/blog/2019/01/05/does-it-take-a-miracle-to-survive-a-wildfire

 

Disaster psychology

The physics of a crowd https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/the-physics-of-a-crowd/

Dynamic response and hydrodynamics of polarized crowds http://science.sciencemag.org/content/363/6422/46

Flowing crowds http://science.sciencemag.org/content/363/6422/27/tab-article-info

How To Determine if a Risk is Worth Taking https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/wander-woman/201901/how-determine-if-risk-is-worth-taking

Formative research for assisting behavior change: a practical guide for field workers https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/publication/2018/03/formative-research-assisting-behavior-change-practical-guide-field-workers

Geopolitical factors and mental health I https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0020764018808548?journalCode=ispa&

Media Coverage, Forecasted Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Psychological Responses Before and After an Approaching Hurricane https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2720065

Perceptions of floods and flood risk in Hull past/present/future https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/perceptions-of-floods-and-flood-risk-in-hull-past-present-future/?p101726

Factors Influencing Evacuation Behavior in Kīlauea Eruptions: An Examination of Residents in the Puna District, Hawaiʻi https://hazards.colorado.edu/quick-response-report/factors-influencing-evacuation-behavior-in-kilauea-eruptions-an-examination-of-residents-in-the-puna-district-hawai-i

 

Sociology and Disasters

Young people most at risk in a flood according to British Red Cross and Environment Agency http://nemrc.net/2019/01/05/uk-young-people-most-at-risk-in-a-flood-according-to-british-red-cross-and-environment-agency/

Flood Memories, Social Vulnerability and Risk Communication in Southern Poland https://www.springer.com/la/book/9783030045937

Social Vulnerability as a Factor in Flood Preparedness https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-04594-4_4

How disaster can disrupt the boundaries between the private, parochial and public realms, allowing strangers to freely enter the home https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0038026118754781

How Canadian disaster law can begin to integrate a vulnerability perspective to rectify existing gaps and flaws at all stages of the disaster cycle https://albertalawreview.com/index.php/ALR/article/view/2480