The convergence of technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence and virtual reality may offer hope for the way we manage future bushfire disasters.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources fire rangers wade through floodwaters as they deploy pumps in Pembroke, Ont., in May 2019. Too many authorities involved in fighting flood risks can often paralyze flood management efforts.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Canadian history and international relations theory gives us perspective on why co-ordinating flood management has proven so difficult in Canada and what can be done about it.
Social media helped some people cope with the Townsville floods earlier this year.
AAP Image/Andrew Rankin
The international community responded quickly to Cyclone Idai as the African Union dragged its feet.
A destroyed house in an earthquake-devastated area at Balaroa village in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, October 11 2018. It’s reported at least 2,045 people have died as a result of earthquakes that hit central Sulawesi and triggered a tsunami.
EPA/Hotli Simanjuntak
The damage to coal ash sites from Hurricane Florence demonstrates how a community’s vulnerability to natural disasters is closely linked to how stringent environmental regulations are.
A man holds a sign at a memorial remembering the victims of the July 22, 2018 shooting in Toronto.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch
Toronto is still grappling with the fallout from two mass casualty events – April’s van attack and a mass shooting in July. A month after the shooting, how is Toronto moving forward?
A storm caused flooding in the CBD as it swept through Hobart.
Patrick Gee/The Mercury. Used with permission
Managing flood risk is not just ‘good planning’; it requires commitment to resilient cities by land developers, politicians and communities. Effective response means learning from mistakes.
A man places a placard before a vigil remembering the victims of a deadly van attack at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto on April 29, 2018.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Toronto is grappling with a new normal a week after a heinous van attack killed 10 people and left many injured. Here’s how cities recover from disasters, both emotionally and physically.
Fallen trees and power lines are two of the main hazards that could have been reduced with better planning for cyclones.
Geoff Whalan/Flickr
After Cyclone Tracy, you’d expect Darwin of all cities to be ready for the next one. But as the clean-up after Cyclone Marcus continues, it’s clear more must be done to increase the city’s resilience.
Older people are most at risk during and after natural disasters like Hurricane Irma, which slammed into the coast of Florida last week.
AAP Image/NEWZULU/Julian Leek
Saturated media coverage of hurricanes like Harvey and Irma can make it seem like disasters happen all the time. Is the frequency of billion-dollar disasters really rising?
Isiah Courtney carries his dog Bruce through flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Beaumont Place, Houston, Texas, U.S., on August 28, 2017.
REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman
Researchers examined credit data on the victims of Hurricane Katrina to understand how the disaster affected their personal finances, revealing important lessons for those hurt by Harvey.
Interstate 69 in Humble, Texas is covered by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017.
AP Photo/David J. Phillip
Many people may have stayed put during Hurricane Harvey because no storm that big had struck Texas since 1961. But like New Orleans after Katrina, Texas is likely to be much better prepared next time.
In an emergency, responders’ telecommunications could get delayed by overloaded networks.
City of Hampton, Virginia