Preparedness

An epic blockbuster of natural extreme forces: natural hazards through cinematic lenses

Asimina Voskaki November 13, 2024

(image credit: Jensen Art Co, Pixabay licence)

Do you enjoy watching natural hazard movies? Exploring the unfolding of the Earth’s immense power, the level of destruction, human responses and resilience? Can movies offer a glimpse into the chaos and devastation that natural hazard events can bring? Imagine the havoc a storm surge overtopping the Thames Barrier could cause in London. Without a doubt, natural hazard movies raise questions about ...[Read More]

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

Silvia De Angeli October 14, 2024

National Drill “Sisma dello Stretto", October 2022, Elementary School Drill in Bagnara Calabra (RC) - Photo courtesy of 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 experience in civi ...[Read More]

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

Navakanesh M Batmanathan October 1, 2024

(Image credit: Nikki Dawson, Pixabay licence)

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 that occurs in the ground when the surface ...[Read More]

Is culture the missing link to disaster risk reduction?

Asimina Voskaki September 11, 2023

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), Kobe, Osaka (Ja ...[Read More]