Natural Hazards

El Niño shouldn’t stay in the classroom: Why everyone should understand one of Earth’s most influential climate patterns

Hedieh Soltanpour September 14, 2026

Floods in one region. Droughts in another. Wildfires intensifying across already dry landscapes, while elsewhere intense rainfall triggers landslides and infrastructure disruption. At first glance, these hazard events may seem entirely unrelated. After all, what could a flood on one side of the world possibly have to do with a drought on the other? Yet many of these seemingly disconnected events c ...[Read More]

Joining the dots: From overlooked disaster impacts to inclusive disaster risk reduction

Harriet Thompson September 7, 2026

A note from the Natural Hazards Division editorial team We would like to open this blog post with our sincere condolences in response to the devastating multi-hazard flash flood that occurred in Nepal and Tibet in late August. In the face of such suffering, messages like this risk sounding hollow. Still, we, as the Natural Hazards Division editorial team, wish to express our solidarity with all fa ...[Read More]

Knowing better, but still losing more: why disaster risk reduction breaks down

Sven Fuchs, Konstantinos Karagiorgos, Margreth Keiler, Lars Nyberg, Maria Papathoma-Köhle and Annemarie Polderman May 11, 2026

The surviving house in Pacific Palisades became one of the most discussed images from the 2025 California wildfires (Fig. 1). What makes it scientifically interesting, though, is not that it survived. It is that many of the features associated with the house’s survival – a more fire-resistant exterior, stronger windows, and details that reduce ember entry – are already well known. This case points ...[Read More]

Disaster Risk Reduction in Humanitarian Action – An interview with Gözde Kazaz from Hayata Destek (Support to Life)

Şevval Sude Çeliker, Savyon Both and Isabella Bourrachot September 22, 2025

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]

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

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]

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

Raffaella Russo February 10, 2025

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]

Building the Future of Multi-hazard Disaster Risk Reduction in Barcelona

Maria Vittoria Gargiulo January 13, 2025

From 23 to 26 October 2024, over 40 early-career researchers and practitioners from across the globe gathered at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Barcelona (Spain) for the Multi-hazard Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Academy. Set against the vibrant backdrop of this dynamic city, the Academy offered a unique platform for participants to engage, learn, and collaborate on the complex chal ...[Read More]

How scientists support Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) policies: the example of a European Ultraperipheral Department (Mayotte, the 14th of December, 2024)

Andrea Di Muro December 22, 2024

Ultraperipheral European departments like Mayotte are developing regions, often disproportionately exposed to natural hazards and struggling to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The eye of cyclone Chido, the most violent storm to hit Mayotte island in 90 years, engulfed the French Department on the 14th of December 2024. The extensive destruction and massive loss of life ranks this event as ...[Read More]

Disentangling the complexity of multi-(hazard-)risks: conversations with Marleen de Ruiter, the EGU NH Division 2024 Early Career Scientist Award Winner

Silvia De Angeli April 29, 2024

Marleen de Ruiter is Assistant Professor at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her research focuses on multi- and consecutive disasters, improving modeling capabilities and understanding of multi-hazard risk and assessing the potential adverse impacts of Disaster Risk Reduction measures across different hazards. She manages the Myriad-EU project, co-leads ...[Read More]