Disaster risk reduction

The Blatten landslide in Switzerland

Christophe Lambiel June 11, 2025

View on the Blatten landslide from downstream, with the Lonza river finding its way through the landslide (03 June 2025) (Image credit: Christophe Lambiel)

In the morning of May 28, 2025, the picturesque Swiss alpine village of Blatten sat quiet and serene in the Lötschen Valley. Exceptionally quiet, in fact, as the village was evacuated on May 19th after a local Natural Hazards expert spotted a worrisome change in a local mountain looming about the village, the Kleines Nesthorn: it was collapsing faster. The Kleines Nesthorn is a 3,341-meter peak wi ...[Read More]

Be prepared, don’t be scared: Early Warning System Test during Thanksgiving on Cape Cod

Paulo Hader May 26, 2025

Photo credit: Google Earth Pro and icon generated with the help of AI.

This week I think back on my time in the United States of America, where I was able to spend the holiday season. In North America, “fall” marks the beginning of this holiday season, and symbolises a time filled with traditions of togetherness that transcends regions. In New England, particularly in the state of Massachusetts, the season is synonymous with crisp air, vibrant foliage, and the celebr ...[Read More]

The Geography of Multi-Hazards: Exploring Landscapes Prone to Hazard Cascades

Hedieh Soltanpour March 10, 2025

Diverse geographical settings, highlighting areas where Earth processes have the potential to overlap in time and space: Coastal (Laguna Beach, USA) (Image credit: Hedieh Soltanpour)

Multi-hazards are “a selection of major hazards that a country faces, and specific contexts where hazards occur simultaneously, cascadingly, and accumulatively considering the interrelationships among them”, based on the UNSDRR definition [7]. Yet, this definition raises two key questions: Where are these specific contexts located, and what characteristics make them susceptible to intersecting haz ...[Read More]

Building Disaster Resilience Through Trust and Risk Awareness: Insights into Natural Hazards

Raffaella Russo February 10, 2025

(image credit: Jaduial, Pixabay licence)

Trust in institutions and scientific experts plays a pivotal role in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). This trust becomes even more critical for natural hazards—events often unpredictable and uncontrollable. Trust can shape individuals’ willingness to heed warnings, adopt precautionary measures, and participate in community preparedness initiatives. Conversely, distrust in institutions may lead to no ...[Read More]