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Updated every Friday.
What happened this week?
Earthquake hits Gulf of Alaska, prompting tsunami warnings. A 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck off Alaska’s Kodiak Island early on Tuesday, prompting a tsunami warning for a large swath of the state’s coast. ... Read more
Interesting Facts
No, the Moon can’t help you predict the next earthquake. The popular myth that strong earthquakes happen during certain Moon phases has no basis in science, according to new research. ... Read more
What's new in Disaster Risk Reduction?
A technology many hoped would fight climate change would cause even bigger environmental problems, scientists say. Widespread use of a futuristic energy technology to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere would create severe environmental problems, scientists argue in a new critique, casting doubt on one potential method of helping humanity escape the worst effects of climate change. ... Read more
Geoengineering Would Bring About A Different Kind Of Climate Change Nightmare. The world is warming, perhaps unstoppably – and the only solution is to blanket the sky with aerosols. Sunlight levels will drop, the days will darken, and the planet’s path to overheating will be diverted. ... Read more
What happened this week?
Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake Hits Peru. A powerful earthquake struck off Peru’s coast early Sunday, tumbling adobe homes in small, rural towns, killing at least one person and injuring dozens, officials said.. ... Read more
Dominica, Grenada rattled by earthquake. An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.9 rattled Dominica and Grenada on Tuesday night, the Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the University of the West Indies (UWI) has reported. ... Read more
Interesting Facts
Climate sensitivity study suggests narrower range of potential outcomes. Earth’s surface will almost certainly not warm up four or five degrees Celsius by 2100, according to a study which, if correct, voids worst-case UN climate change predictions. ... Read more
NASA ranks 2017 the second-hottest year on Earth. US scientists said today that 2017 was among the hottest years recorded on earth. ... Read more
What's new in Disaster Risk Reduction?
Caltech scientists working on early detection warning system after Montecito mudslide. Caltech is weighing in on the scope of the Montecito mudslide after geologists confirmed the massive runoff of boulders had such an impact that it set of motion sensors like an earthquake. ... Read more
Disaster Resilience Saves Six Times as Much as It Costs. A new report finds that federal disaster-mitigation grants produce an average of $6 in societal savings for every dollar spent. ... Read more
What happened this week?
Catastrophic mudslides in California. Southern Californians can't get a break from nature. First, wildfires scorched a massive area northwest of Los Angeles. Now catastrophic mudslides have swallowed homes and killed at least 15 people. ... Read more
Magnitude 7.6 earthquake triggers tsunami fears in Caribbean. A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck in the Caribbean Sea between the coast of Honduras and the Cayman Islands on Tuesday night, shaking the mainland and causing officials to warn people around the region to be alert to the threat of possible tsunami surges. Read more
Interesting Facts
2017 was a hot and disaster-filled year for the United States, NOAA says. The scientists could not say how much of the high costs of this year’s major disasters was due to risks associated specifically with global warming and climate change, and how much was due to the fact that humans tend to live in cities and build vital infrastructure along coasts, rivers and other high-risk zones. ... Read more
What's new in Disaster Risk Reduction?
Many in Montecito ignored mudslide warnings — until it was too late. For days, officials advised residents in areas burned by the Thomas fire that a coming storm could bring major mudflows. The McManigals’ neighborhood was under a voluntary evacuation order. ... Read more
Lessons From Delivering Hurricane Harvey Relief: Collaboration Is Key For Disaster Response Efforts. If you're dealing with your first disaster response effort, look for guidance from your partners or like-minded brands with experience. ... Read more