Natural disaster

About: Natural disaster is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 5456 publications have been published within this topic receiving 104808 citations. The topic is also known as: natural calamity & natural hazard.

The Political Economy of Relief Aid Allocation: Evidence from Madagascar

Abstract: This paper studies the political economy of relief aid allocation using empirical evidence from relief programs after a major cyclone (Gafilo) hit Madagascar in March 2004. Relief was provided by the Government of Madagascar as well as local and international aid agencies. Aid allocation was generally more likely in areas with a higher need for aid, but there were substantial differences between aid allocation by the government and by international aid agencies. The likelihood of receiving aid from the government was higher in cyclone-affected communes with higher radio coverage and with stronger political support for the government. Relief from aid agencies was not affected by media or political factors but was more likely to go to poorer and easier accessible communes, whether or not they were affected by the cyclone.

Rebuilding community in the wake of disaster: lessons from the recovery from the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka and India

Abstract: Although there has been a series of devastating natural disasters since December 2004 - from Hurricane Katrina to the 2010 floods in Pakistan - the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami remains the most significant in human history in terms of the number of communities affected and the size of the global response. Yet interest in the lessons of tsunami recovery has faded and there is little evidence to suggest that the global aid 'industry' has learnt very much from that experience in terms of moving from relief to long-term social recovery. This paper is based on an intensive four-year study conducted across five local areas of Sri Lanka and India, and presents a new way of thinking about the transitions from short-term relief to long-term social recovery; a more `deliberative strategy'. It demonstrates why a community development approach to disaster recovery has more chance than `asset replacement' for delivering on the promise of `build back better'.

A review of game theory applications in natural disaster management research

Abstract: Research for efficiently planning and responding to natural disasters is of vital interest due to the devastating effects and losses caused by their occurrence, including economic deficiency, casualties, and infrastructure damage. Following the large breadth of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, we observe a growing use of game theoretic models in the research concerning natural disaster management. In these models, government agencies and private companies interact as players in a disaster relief game. Notable research in these areas has studied multi-player games and multi-agency collaboration, among others, to provide insights into optimal decisions concerning defensive investment and private–public partnerships in the face of disaster occurrence. This paper aims to increase the comprehension of game theory-based research in disaster management and to provide directions for future research. We analyze and integrate 57 recent papers (2006–2016) to summarize game theory-based research in natural disaster and emergency management. We find that the response phase of disaster relief has been researched most extensively, and future research could be directed toward the other phases of disaster management such as mitigation, preparedness, and recovery. Attacker–defender games to be utilized relatively frequently to model both mitigation and response for a disaster. Defensive resource allocation and sequential/simultaneous games to model the interaction between agencies/individuals in light of a disaster are two other common ways to model disaster management. In addition to academia, the targeted audience of this research includes governments, private sectors, private citizens, and others who are concerned with or involved in disaster management.

Epidemiologic approaches to disasters: reducing our vulnerability.

Abstract: Disasters are an increasing global health concern. On average, one disaster per week requires external international assistance somewhere in the world. Recent events, most notably the tsunami of December 26, 2004, have emphasized mankind’s vulnerability to these events and the necessity for preparedness. These ecologic disruptions are emergencies of great magnitude that overwhelm existing resources, resulting in a call for outside help (1). A March 16, 2005, New York Times article outlined ‘‘15 Nightmares for Disaster Planning’’ (2). As could be predicted because of the tragic events of September 11th, the majority of those making the top 15 list were related to terrorist attacks, including bioterrorism as well as chemical, radiologic, and cyber attacks. Notably, natural disasters, including pandemic flu, hurricanes, and earthquakes, also made this priority list. The potential deaths and health impacts of natural disasters can dwarf those related to terrorism, as documented by the more than 200,000 deaths related to the recent Indian Ocean tsunami and the pandemic flu of 1918, believed to have caused as many as 40 million deaths worldwide (3). Focusing on the theme of Epidemiologic Approaches to Disasters, the 2005 issue of Epidemiologic Reviews, the Journal’s sister publication, is a substantial and timely addition to our understanding of the health impacts of disasters. The information provided will assist the development of strategies and interventions important to the public’s health. The focus is predominantly on a spectrum of natural disasters, including floods, weather disturbances, and earthquakes (4–7). Man-made disasters can be defined as technological events or emergencies occurring in human settlements (1). These are also described in articles dealing with the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident (8) and civil conflicts in Africa (9). The role of public health in disasters is certainly not new but is now being recognized and highlighted. This emphasis on preparedness was engendered by the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent concerns about anthrax, smallpox, and ‘‘dirty’’ bombs. Throughout history, the definition of public health activities has been forged by the need for collective action to counter hazards: controlling transmissible disease, removing environmental threats, and providing a safe drinking water and food supply (10). All of these are of prime importance in the aftermath of contemporary disasters. However, the recent concerns about terrorism have put local public health agencies back on the front lines with respect to public safety. New techniques of surveillance, informatics, and communication are key tools. Public health infrastructure is integral to preparedness, not only for terrorism but also for natural and other man-made disasters (11). In the life cycle of a disaster event, activities to protect the public health of a community include preparation before the event, capacity to predict and identify occurrence of the adverse incidents, and measures in the aftermath to reduce the rate of injury, illness, and death. Epidemiology is a discipline that can inform and guide public health efforts aimed at prevention and preparedness tasks related to

Tsunami: Psychosocial aspects of Andaman and Nicobar islands. Assessments and intervention in the early phase

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to describe the activities and observations of the team from National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bangalore, India in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the early phase of the Tsunami disaster in January and February 2005. The activities comprised mental health consultation at camps, community sensitization, mental health services to the students and children, teachers orientation sessions and training of non-governmental organization [NGO] functionaries. Initial assessment reveals 5-8% of the population were suffering from significant mental health problems following the early phase of the disaster. This may increase in the aftermath of the early relief phase. Psychiatric morbidity is expected be around 25-30% in the disillusionment phase. High resilience was seen in the joint family system of tribal Nicobarese during early phase of disaster. In developing countries like India, limited availability of mental health professionals and poor knowledge about disaster mental health among the medical and para-medical staff, may lead to poor psychosocial rehabilitation of the survivors. To respond to a high magnitude natural disaster like a tsunami, the disaster mental health team must be able to understand the local culture, traditions, language, belief systems and local livelihood patterns. They also need to integrate with the network of various governmental and non-governmental organizations to cater to the needs of the survivors. Hence the presence of a disaster mental health team is definitely required during the early phase of the disaster in developing countries.