NH
Natural Hazards

Preparedness

Living with a restless giant: The challenge of multi-risk management and communication at Campi Flegrei Volcano

Living with a restless giant: The challenge of multi-risk management and communication at Campi Flegrei Volcano

Nestled within one of Europe’s most densely populated regions, the Campi Flegrei caldera is a volcanic system whose secular unrest shapes the daily life of its inhabitants. Here, during the last decade and still ongoing crisis, ground uplift, frequent earthquakes, and persistent gas emissions interact to create a complex, evolving multi-risk environment. These natural hazards …[Read More]

From Classroom to Community: Bridging Disaster Risk Reduction Education with the Real World Through Service-Learning

From Classroom to Community: Bridging Disaster Risk Reduction Education with the Real World Through Service-Learning

This week, we turn our attention to education and collaboration in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Dr. Solmaz Mohadjer has been leading an innovative Service-Learning course that brings students together with non-profit organisations working at the forefront of risk reduction. The course not only introduces students to the complexities of disasters and resilience but also creates …[Read More]

If a Resilient City Had a Face: It Might Look Like Kagoshima

If a Resilient City Had a Face:  It Might Look Like Kagoshima

As natural hazard scientists, we often emphasise the concept of exposure – how much people, infrastructure, and ecosystems are in harm’s way when close to natural hazard sources (e.g., floodplains, volcanoes, or fault lines). The closer you are, the higher the risk. Therefore, one of the main goals in natural risk assessment is to reduce …[Read More]

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

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

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 non-compliance, scepticism toward …[Read More]

Education and Awareness as Pillars for a Disaster-Resilient Future – An Interview with Marina Morando, Programme Director at CIMA Research Foundation

Education and Awareness as Pillars for a Disaster-Resilient Future – An Interview with Marina Morando, Programme Director at CIMA Research Foundation

This year, the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, observed on October 13th, emphasises the crucial role of education in mitigating disaster risks. In this insightful interview, we have the pleasure of discussing this important topic with Engineer Marina Morando, Programme Director at the CIMA Research Foundation in Italy. She brings extensive research and operational …[Read More]

Building Resilience: Insights and Preventive Measures from Kuala Lumpur’s Sinkhole event

Building Resilience: Insights and Preventive Measures from Kuala Lumpur’s Sinkhole event

On August 23, 2024, a tragic event unfolded in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when an 8-metre-deep sinkhole opened up on Jalan Masjid India, swallowing Vijayalakshmi Gali, a 48-year-old woman visiting from India [1]. The incident has raised serious concerns about public safety and the integrity of urban infrastructure. A sinkhole is a natural depression or hole …[Read More]

Is culture the missing link to disaster risk reduction?

The City of Kobe, Chuo Ward (photo credit: Asimina Voskaki)

Sophocles, a great tragic writer of Classical Athens, said that “success is dependent on effort”. When it comes to disaster risk reduction, are we doing enough to develop a culture of resilience and how do cultural factors affect people’s willingness to protect themselves and build an effective disaster reduction and reconstruction mechanism? In 1995 (17/01/1995), …[Read More]