To stay safe in a tsunami, remember that the sequence of waves may occur over hours to days, and the biggest wave in the sequence could occur at any time.
Managing flood risk is not just ‘good planning’; it requires commitment to resilient cities by land developers, politicians and communities. Effective response means learning from mistakes.
Fallen trees and power lines are two of the main hazards that could have been reduced with better planning for cyclones.
Geoff Whalan/Flickr
After Cyclone Tracy, you’d expect Darwin of all cities to be ready for the next one. But as the clean-up after Cyclone Marcus continues, it’s clear more must be done to increase the city’s resilience.
If more people live in the Adelaide Hills, they are more likely to be exposed to bushfires.
David Mariuz/AAP
What decisions can we make today to reduce the future risk of hazards like floods and fire? Particularly in a time of climate change, modelling various plausible futures helps us plan for uncertainty.
Mass evacuations in response to natural disasters like Hurricane Maria are a logistical challenge, but also face psychological barriers to residents being willing and able to leave.
EPA
Earthquake drills, advance warning systems and higher building standards all help to save lives.
Damage from Irma can be seen in this photo of Kelly McClenthen in Bonita Springs, Florida, as she returned to her home Sept. 11, 2017.
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
Even in areas predicted to take direct hits from hurricanes and other storms, hospitals must do all they can to stay open. It isn’t an easy task, but preparation and practice help.
The widespread discussion as to whether the Hurricane Harvey disaster was caused by climate change or not is a dangerous distraction from the real issues.
In an emergency, responders’ telecommunications could get delayed by overloaded networks.
City of Hampton, Virginia
Rebuilding small communities on the same site in the same way seldom works. It’s not about getting back to where you were, but rather grasping the opportunity to create a more resilient place.
The relatively low death toll when Cycle Aila hit Bangladesh in 2009 was widely attributed to improvements in disaster preparedness.
Reuters/Andrew Biraj
In part two of our podcast on rebooting, we explore what would happen if humanity was wiped out, take a look at a political comeback in France, and get a taste of a revamped US institution.
The view from Brooklyn on September 11, 2001.
Sara K. Schwittek/Reuters
Tim Curran, Lincoln University, New Zealand; George Perry, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau, and Sarah Wyse, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
You might think having trees around your home is the worst idea during a bushfire, but some plants can actually help repel fire.
Mathematical models can help allocate medical resources.
UNMEER/flickr