January 29, 2015

What happened this week?

United States. East Coast. A total of 85 million people were affected by snowstorm Jonas and 300,000 people lost power. The snowstorm left at least 15 people dead. An estimate of 1 to 3 feet of snow with 75 mph wind gusts has been reported in the Central Appalachian to Northeast. Approximately 2,300 National Guardsman have been activated in the affected states. In addition, 8,000 flights have been cancelled and delayed from airports in Maryland to New York... Read more

Paraguay. Assistance will be provided for 29,000 farming families that were affected by the rains. Authorities of Agriculture and National Emergency (SEN), prepare to distribute assistance kits. An estimated 22,000 families have been affected by the rains and 7,000 due to flooding... Read more

Bolivia. At least 900 hectares of agricultural crops were hit by frost in some 52 villages in the municipalities of Quillacollo, Cochabamaba, and Tiquipaya... Read more

Interesting Facts

Natural or humanmade earthquakes? New technique can tell the difference. A new study by Stanford researchers suggests that earthquakes triggered by human activity follow several indicative patterns that could help scientists distinguish them from naturally occurring temblors... Read more

What's new in Disaster Risk Reduction?

ICTs and the Sendai Framework. The "2nd Global Forum on Emergency Telecommunications (GET-2016): SAVING LIVES". Strategies on how Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) can help reduce mortality from disasters, a key target of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, adopted by the international community in March 2015.... Read more

Scientists pledge Sendai action. Hundreds of scientists and policymakers pledged to step up action on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, a 15-year global agreement that aims to curb deaths and economic losses from natural and man-made hazards... Read more