Politics in Nepal will hinder relief and recovery efforts following the earthquake and its aftershocks. But look at it the other way around. Could the disaster help to resolve political problems?
Bushfires such as this one in Western Australia can be hard to predict.
CSIRO
Global coverage of the Nepal earthquake focused issues of preparedness and political instability but missed the systemic, historical inequities that made the disaster so devastating.
Earthquake survivor Krishna Kumari Khadka, 24, is rescued by the French, Israeli and Norwegian rescue teams from a collapsed building six days after the earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal April 30 2015.
Adnan Abidi/Reuters
Research suggests that many international health-oriented responses are poorly targeted. So what kind of health response would best target the needs of the Nepalese?
Remote areas will be the worst affected and hardest to get to.
EPA/Narendra Shrestha
Clean water, sanitation, disease control, infrastructure and investment are all needed to get Nepal back on its feet.
Rescue workers looking for possible survivors in Kathmandu, Nepal, in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake.
EPA/Carl Whetham/International Federation of the Red Cross
The recovery effort is now underway after a powerful earthquake hit Nepal. The challenge will be to rebuild a stronger nation.
Vanuatu has a well-co-ordinated disaster response system but limited material resources. Medical support is needed when a disaster like Cyclone Pam strikes.
EPA/UNICEF
The people of Vanuatu have always had to cope with extreme weather events, but natural disasters on the scale of Cyclone Pam test their strengths and leave areas of vulnerability exposed.
Popular friends on social media could give enough warning to make plans to reduce damage some natural disasters.
Flickr/Rob Gross
You may think your social media friends are only good for keeping you up with all the latest gossip and trends but research published today has found they can also help save you in the event of any natural…
January 12 2015 marks five years since Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake. Countless victims were killed, homes destroyed, and vital infrastructure reduced to debris. Already one of the world’s…
Bushfire in the Adelaide hills has already burned through more than 12,000 hectares.
David Mariuz/AAP
The fires that have swept through South Australia over the past few days have destroyed at least 12,000 hectares and up to 38 homes, in what have been described as the worst South Australian conditions…
Do no harm? Volunteers after the 2004 tsunami.
EPA/Steffen Schmidt
On December 26, 2004, a massive earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. This earthquake triggered the most destructive series of tsunamis ever recorded. The tsunamis lashed out across the…
Banda Aceh, Indonesia: then and now.
EPA/Hotli Simanjuntak
The 2004 tsunami devastated thousands of communities in countries bordering the Indian Ocean. Both urban and rural areas were destroyed along thousands of miles of coastline. But, in the tsunami’s aftermath…
Can social media keep you safe from disasters?
Flickr/Jim
Given the popularity of Facebook and Twitter, it’s not surprising so many people use social media in crises such as floods, fires and earthquakes. Facebook has introduced Safety Check, a new tool for users…
The city of Tacloban after Typhoon Haiyan, November 2013.
EPA/Dennis M. Sabangan
On November 8 2013, Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines. One of the largest tropical storms ever to make landfall, it killed more than 10,000 people and left millions homeless. The vast recovery effort…
Five years on, the bush and people are recovering well from the Black Saturday fires.
AAP Image/Joe Castro
Five years on from the devastating Black Saturday fires that swept through central Victoria in February 2009, research shows that people and communities are largely recovering well. In the first major…
A company in need of a reconnection with customers.
Shamshahrin Shamsudin/EPA
Malaysia Airlines was hit with two extraordinary crises this year that have rocked the confidence of customers and left the company struggling to manage the damage. Lone passengers are posting pictures…
In the deadliest coal mine disaster in Turkish history, the tragedy seems to tear this already polarised society even further apart. It has already been confirmed that more than 200 workers have been killed…
Out of their depth: Malasian prime minister, Najib Abdul Razak, and officials face a press conference.
EPA/Mak Remissa
Malaysia has consistently been one of the fastest-growing economies in south-east Asia. Among Asian countries, its level of global economic integration has been surpassed only by Singapore and Hong Kong…
So many questions but few answers for Malaysia Airlines.
EPA/AHMAD YUSNI
For Malaysia Airlines, every hour counts as it deals with the loss of flight MH370 with 227 passengers and 12 crew on-board. The first 48 hours of a crisis are the most critical for an organisation as…