Risk management

From Seismic Signals to Safer Trains: Italy’s First Earthquake Early Warning System for High-Speed Railways

Aldo Zollo and Simona Colombelli March 16, 2026

Image generated using ChatGPT 5.4

Earthquakes remain among the most disruptive natural hazards worldwide, capable of causing sudden loss of life, severe economic damage, and long-lasting societal impacts. One of the most effective tools developed in recent decades to mitigate these effects is Earthquake Early Warning (EEW), a real-time monitoring strategy that exploits a fundamental physical property of earthquakes: seismic waves ...[Read More]

No Resilience Without Trust – An interview with Janise Rodgers and Mary Antonette Beroya-Eitner from GeoHazards International

Aminata Ehrath, Manolo Heimberger and Yvette Roos September 1, 2025

School children at the forefront of disaster awareness campaigns in Cap Haitian, Haiti, expressing themselves through the slogan: “Remember the 1842, the 2010 and the 2021 earthquakes, let’s get our community ready!” (Image credit: GeoHazards International)

This summer, we participated in a Service-Learning course titled “Breaking the Cycle of Disaster, Response, Recover, and Repeat”. The course was developed by Solmaz Mohadjer and offered as part of the Transdisciplinary Course Program at the University of Tübingen, Germany. We were brought together from different disciplines to explore key factors that contribute to effective disaster risk reductio ...[Read More]

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

Hedieh Soltanpour August 4, 2025

A view of Mt. Sakurajima from the city of Kagoshima (Image credit: Hedieh Soltanpour, June 2025)

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 exposure whenever possible. We advocate for informed plannin ...[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]