Social media apps are becoming as important as water, food and batteries when communities face natural disasters. One key function is helping people connect with neighbors and support each other.
Hurricane Irma descends on the Caribbean islands.
NOAA National Weather Service National Hurricane Center/Handout via Reuters
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?
Flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Can the region rebuild infrastructure so that it can better withstand extreme weather events?
AP Photo/David J. Phillip
After extreme weather events like Hurricane Harvey, city planners need to think about the smartest way to rebuild. Here are some no-regrets infrastructure investment ideas.
Relatively few homes hit by Harvey have flood insurance.
Reuters/Carlo Allegri
The federal government created a program in 1968 to insure homes in the US from flooding, yet few of the houses hammered by Harvey’s record rainfall were covered.
Many religions see natural disasters as divine punishment. But, a scholar argues, it’s not that simple.
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
In the wake of natural disasters, pets are be stranded, lost or abandoned. There are simple guidelines that can help keep your whole family safe.
Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Jansen Schamp rescues two dogs after floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey reached the grounds of a shelter in Vidor, Texas, Aug. 31, 2017.
Christopher LIndahl/U.S. Navy
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, some people died rather than evacuating without their pets. Now emergency managers are required to include animals in their response plans.
Unless you live near a disaster area, sending money may do more good than a mountain of toilet paper.
AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
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.
Hurricane Harvey from the International Space Station on August 28.
NASA
Three atmospheric scientists from Texas say Hurricane Harvey shows how the country needs to adapt to the effects of climate change and cut carbon emissions.
Red Cross volunteers registered evacuees from Houston’s storm damage.
REUTERS/Nick Oxford
There are reasons to channel Harvey aid through the nonprofit despite evidence that it wasted money following Haiti’s earthquake and fumbled Superstorm Sandy relief efforts.
Cars leaving Beaumont, Texas during a mandatory evacuation before the arrival of Hurricane Gustav, August 30, 2008.
Patsy Lynch/FEMA
Why did some Texas coastal cities order mandatory evacuations ahead of Hurricane Harvey while others, including Houston, did not? There is no formula for these decisions; either choice can backfire.
As flooding took hold in the Houston area, volunteers who suffered through Hurricane Katrina made their way to Texas.
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.
Libraries are a good place for kids to hole up during emergencies.
Daria Chichkareva/Shutterstock.com
With a little advance planning and creativity, librarians can help keep kids and teens busy and safe during emergencies.
As many people have had to wade through floodwaters, they need to be aware of the risk of infection and disease from contaminated waters.
AP Photo/David J. Phillip
As Houston continues to rescue residents whose homes were ruined, it also begins to deal with issues related to contaminated floodwaters and overflowing reservoirs. It won’t be easy.
Residents pick through a makeshift aid station in Rockport, Texas after Harvey struck their city.
AP Photo/Eric Gay
An expert in extreme weather events explains why the rain – and thus flooding – associated with Hurricane Harvey has been ‘unprecedented.’
Brenda Bradley, 72, and her husband Jimmie, 78, survey flooding from Hurricane Harvey in their neighborhood in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, August 28, 2017.
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis
Evacuations and disruptions to health care during and after disasters like Hurricane Harvey are serious threats for older adults, who may need support well after relief operations end.
The widespread discussion as to whether the Hurricane Harvey disaster was caused by climate change or not is a dangerous distraction from the real issues.
Associate Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society and The Polytechnic School; Co-Director Center for Smart Cities and Regions, Arizona State University