Breaking News: Natural Disasters

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Released: 26-Feb-2024 9:10 AM EST
Moffitt Study Highlights Urgent Need to Address Impact of Extreme Weather Events on Cancer Survivorship
Moffitt Cancer Center

In a mini-review published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal from the American Association for Cancer Research, Moffitt Cancer Center researchers shed light on the significant gaps in understanding and addressing the effects of hurricanes and extreme weather events on biological, psychosocial and clinical outcomes among cancer survivors.

Newswise: In a Warming World, Climate Scientists Consider Category 6 Hurricanes
5-Feb-2024 3:00 PM EST
In a Warming World, Climate Scientists Consider Category 6 Hurricanes
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

For more than 50 years, the National Hurricane Center has used the Saffir-Simpson Windscale to communicate the risk of property damage; it labels a hurricane on a scale from Category 1 (wind speeds between 74 - 95 mph) to Category 5 (wind speeds of 158 mph or greater). But as increasing ocean temperatures contribute to ever more intense and destructive hurricanes, climate scientists wondered whether the open-ended Category 5 is sufficient to communicate the risk of hurricane damage in a warming climate.

Newswise: Emotions drive donation behavior in disease relief projects on a fundraising platform
Released: 30-Jan-2024 5:05 PM EST
Emotions drive donation behavior in disease relief projects on a fundraising platform
Tsinghua University Press

The digital age has profoundly changed how we communicate as humans. Today, we can regularly interact with people we are unrelated to and unacquainted with in real time across the world.

   
Newswise: Urgent Message from WCS as the Avian Influenza Virus Threatens Wildlife Across the Globe
Released: 15-Jan-2024 1:05 PM EST
Urgent Message from WCS as the Avian Influenza Virus Threatens Wildlife Across the Globe
Wildlife Conservation Society

Massive Die-Off of Elephant Seals in Argentina Due to Avian Influenza Is Latest Sign that the Virus Is an Existential Threat to Wildlife.

Newswise: Ocean temperatures helped make 2023 the hottest year ever recorded
Released: 11-Jan-2024 11:05 AM EST
Ocean temperatures helped make 2023 the hottest year ever recorded
Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

A multi-national team of scientists (China, USA, New Zealand, Italy, and France) analyze the temperature of the Earth annually.

Newswise: Mixed forests protect coastal areas from tsunami impacts better than monoculture forests
Released: 5-Jan-2024 4:05 PM EST
Mixed forests protect coastal areas from tsunami impacts better than monoculture forests
Yokohama National University

Coastal forests in Japan had predominantly been afforested with black pine (Pinus thunbergii), a shade-tolerant tree species that can withstand dry land ecosystems and harsh coastal environments.

Newswise: Advanced GNSS Technique Enhances Accuracy in Landslide Monitoring
Released: 14-Dec-2023 7:25 AM EST
Advanced GNSS Technique Enhances Accuracy in Landslide Monitoring
Chinese Academy of Sciences

Landslides, a significant geological hazard, cause substantial loss of life and property globally. Effective monitoring of landslide movements is crucial for disaster prevention.

Newswise: Flood Recover Research Poised to Help Residents in Flood-Prone Areas of Central Appalachia
Released: 4-Dec-2023 4:05 PM EST
Flood Recover Research Poised to Help Residents in Flood-Prone Areas of Central Appalachia
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Dr. Jamie Shinn is overseeing the development of an online resource – the West Virginia Flood Resilience Framework – poised to help residents in flood-prone areas of central Appalachia become better prepared to recover from flooding through accessible information on flood risk, floodplain management, and comprehensive disaster preparation.

Released: 1-Dec-2023 7:05 AM EST
Smart microgrids can restore power more efficiently and reliably in an outage
University of California, Santa Cruz

It’s a story that’s become all too familiar — high winds knock out a power line, and a community can go without power for hours to days, an inconvenience at best and a dangerous situation at worst.

Newswise: UAH researcher teams with international partners in NATO Science for Peace and Security project to help drones work together for disaster relief
Released: 20-Nov-2023 12:05 PM EST
UAH researcher teams with international partners in NATO Science for Peace and Security project to help drones work together for disaster relief
University of Alabama Huntsville

 Dr. Bryan L Mesmer, an associate professor and researcher at the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s College of Engineering, will be teaming up with academics, other researchers and postgraduate science and technology students from four countries on a $1.26 million project supported by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme to develop pioneering solutions for disaster relief using multi-agent drone systems.

Newswise: Eliminating Mold After Natural Disasters is Vital for Those with Mold Allergy
3-Nov-2023 8:00 AM EDT
Eliminating Mold After Natural Disasters is Vital for Those with Mold Allergy
American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI)

Two new studies being presented at this year’s ACAAI Annual Scientific Meeting in Anaheim, Calif. show the harmful health effects of excess mold on those with asthma, while also discussing methods for getting rid of mold and other airborne allergens in the most efficient way possible.

Released: 7-Nov-2023 12:05 PM EST
New Model Adds Human Reactions to Flood Risk Assessment
North Carolina State University

Researchers at North Carolina State University have created a land change model that simulates interactions between urban growth, increased flooding and how humans adapt in response. The new model could offer a more realistic assessment of risk for urban planners, natural resource managers and other local government stakeholders.

Newswise: Future-Proofing Health Against Climate Catastrophe
Released: 3-Nov-2023 11:05 AM EDT
Future-Proofing Health Against Climate Catastrophe
Tufts University

Professor at Tufts University, is leading an international, interdisciplinary team of researchers in identifying methods to prevent negative health outcomes after climate-related disasters like floods, typhoons, and droughts.

Released: 24-Oct-2023 1:35 PM EDT
From nanoplastics to airborne toxins: Pollution stories for media.
Newswise

Read the latest research news on air pollution, nanoplastics, waterborne illnesses and more in the Pollution channel on Newswise.

       
Released: 16-Oct-2023 12:05 PM EDT
Rising seas will tighten vise on Miami even for people who are not flooded, says study
Columbia Climate School

Indirect pressures on many areas could outweigh direct inundation

Released: 10-Oct-2023 11:05 AM EDT
New study offers improved strategy for social media communications during wildfires
University of Notre Dame

New research from Alfonso Pedraza-Martinez, professor of IT, Analytics and Operations at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, offers an improved strategy for social media communications during wildfires and contradicting existing crisis communication theory. 

Newswise: Climate change brings earlier arrival of intense hurricanes
Released: 9-Oct-2023 7:05 AM EDT
Climate change brings earlier arrival of intense hurricanes
University of Hawaii at Manoa

Intense tropical cyclones are one of the most devastating natural disasters in the world due to torrential rains, flooding, destructive winds, and coastal storm surges.

Newswise: How Floods Kill, Long After the Water Has Gone – Global Decade-Long Study
3-Oct-2023 1:10 PM EDT
How Floods Kill, Long After the Water Has Gone – Global Decade-Long Study
Monash University

Scientists in Australia have found that people impacted by a flooding event are at significantly increased risk of dying – including heart and lung problems – in a crucial window between three and six weeks after the event, even after the flooding has dissipated.

Newswise: Assessing the Global Impact: Floods and Infectious Diseases Over Three Decades
Released: 19-Sep-2023 10:25 AM EDT
Assessing the Global Impact: Floods and Infectious Diseases Over Three Decades
Chinese Academy of Sciences

Natural flood disasters were associated with increased new cases and deaths of enteric infections, neglected tropical diseases, and respiratory infections. Concerted efforts should be made to design better strategies for adaptation to prevent and control the outbreak of floods-related infectious disease and reduce their impact on health and life.

Released: 14-Sep-2023 3:05 PM EDT
Shaking Up Earthquake Studies by Increasing Access to Data, Tools and Research Results
University of California San Diego

Earthquake rupture forecast studies provide information about the probabilities of when earthquakes will occur, where they’ll take place and how strong they'll be, but the computational tools and data aren't available to a wide scientific community. That's about to change.

Newswise: Poor infrastructure and rising sea levels exacerbated flooding in Libya, says expert
Released: 13-Sep-2023 11:55 AM EDT
Poor infrastructure and rising sea levels exacerbated flooding in Libya, says expert
Virginia Tech

Thousands of people are dead and at least 10,000 missing after devastating flooding in Libya. The Mediterranean storm brought heavy rains to the northeastern part of the country, already crumbling from more than a decade of conflict.   “Although Storm Daniel caused the devastating flood, a combination of factors exacerbated the nation's vulnerability to natural hazards, resulting in enormous casualties,” says Virginia Tech geophysicist Manoochehr Shirzaei.

Released: 31-Aug-2023 3:35 PM EDT
New Analysis Examines Hurricane Risk Implications for Low-to-Moderate-Income Mortgage Borrowers
University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business

Study led by risk management expert Clifford Rossi for UMD’s Smith Enterprise Risk Consortium assesses hurricane risk across the United States and focuses on economically vulnerable mortgage borrowers in Florida.

   
Newswise: Extreme environments expert discusses causes of recent wildfires
Released: 28-Aug-2023 4:00 PM EDT
Extreme environments expert discusses causes of recent wildfires
Virginia Tech

Wildfires in Hawaii have devastated the island of Maui. Canada continues to experience its worst ever wildfire season, with more than 1,000 active fires. Brian Lattimer, Director of Virginia Tech’s Extreme Environments and Materials Lab, explains what the Maui and Canadian wildfires have in common.

Released: 23-Aug-2023 4:15 PM EDT
Coastal experts available to discuss hurricane emergency preparation, disaster response, and recovery
Virginia Tech

Tropical Storm Hilary packed a punch but wasn’t nearly as devastating as it could have been. Meanwhile Tropical Storm Franklin is battering the Caribbean. As we enter the height of hurricane season, Virginia Tech has a team of coastal experts available who can provide insight about hurricanes, flash flooding, storm surge, sea-level rise and emergency response.

Newswise: Providing Hope—and Health—for Children
Released: 21-Aug-2023 6:05 PM EDT
Providing Hope—and Health—for Children
School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Journey of Hope is an evidence-based intervention that was co-developed by Tara Powell and colleagues from Save the Children, the first organization to prioritize children’s needs in the aftermath of disasters in the United States. The intervention helps children develop resilience in the face of natural disasters.

Released: 14-Aug-2023 10:45 AM EDT
Death tolls from climate disasters will ‘balloon’ without investment in Africa’s weather stations
University of Cambridge

The climate crisis is increasing the frequency and intensity of floods, droughts and heatwaves, with Africa expected to be among the global regions hit hardest.

Newswise: FSU expert available to comment on how humans are fueling devastating wildfires
Released: 10-Aug-2023 4:55 PM EDT
FSU expert available to comment on how humans are fueling devastating wildfires
Florida State University

In the picturesque paradise of Maui, an ominous pattern of destruction has been unfolding.  Devastating wildfires, once considered a rarity on the Hawaiian island, have become increasingly frequent and ferocious. As flames consume vast swaths of land this week, scientists and residents are grappling with the stark realization that these infernos are largely of our own making.

Released: 9-Aug-2023 12:30 PM EDT
Over one million acres of tribal land submerged by dams in the US
Institute of Physics (IOP) Publishing

Dam constructions have flooded over 1.13 million acres of tribal land in the US contributing to the historic and ongoing struggle against land dispossession for Indigenous peoples in the United States.

Newswise:Video Embedded new-algorithm-ensnares-its-first-potentially-hazardous-asteroid
VIDEO
Released: 31-Jul-2023 9:50 AM EDT
New algorithm ensnares its first ‘potentially hazardous’ asteroid
University of Washington

An asteroid discovery algorithm — designed to uncover near-Earth asteroids for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s upcoming 10-year survey of the night sky — has identified its first “potentially hazardous” asteroid, a term for space rocks in Earth’s vicinity that scientists like to keep an eye on.

Newswise: New study shows saltwater intrusion is wreaking havoc on farms throughout Delmarva
Released: 31-Jul-2023 8:55 AM EDT
New study shows saltwater intrusion is wreaking havoc on farms throughout Delmarva
University of Delaware

A new paper from researchers at UD, the University of Maryland and George Washington University published in Nature Sustainability shows the spread and cost of saltwater intrusion from 2011-2017 in farms located in those mid-Atlantic states. The paper highlights how between the years 2011-2017, the area covered by visible salt patches almost doubled, with over 19,000 acres converted to marsh. Potential economic losses from the salt patches during that time period totaled over $427,000.

Released: 25-Jul-2023 12:15 PM EDT
Calling for Cancer Centers to Lead on Climate Disaster Preparedness
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

Cancer centers are uniquely positioned to protect cancer patients from climate-driven disasters, but researchers identified significant shortcomings in emergency preparedness when it came to climate-related disasters.

   
Released: 13-Jul-2023 11:40 AM EDT
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expands statewide disaster response network
Texas A&M AgriLife

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Disaster Assessment and Recovery, DAR, unit is expanding its statewide disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts following the appropriations to support the “Keeping Texas Prepared” initiative in the 88th legislative session.

Newswise: Lasering lava to forecast volcanic eruptions
Released: 5-Jul-2023 6:25 PM EDT
Lasering lava to forecast volcanic eruptions
University of Queensland

University of Queensland researchers have optimised a new technique to help forecast how volcanoes will behave, which could save lives and property around the world.

Released: 28-Jun-2023 2:20 PM EDT
Researchers design tools to automatically detect natural disasters using images on social media
Universitat Oberta De Catalunya (UOC)

An international research team has designed a deep learning system able to detect natural disasters using images posted on social media. The researchers applied computer vision tools that, once trained using 1.7 million photographs, proved capable of analysing, filtering and detecting real disasters.

Newswise: Mountains Vulnerable to Extreme Rain from Climate Change
Released: 28-Jun-2023 11:05 AM EDT
Mountains Vulnerable to Extreme Rain from Climate Change
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

A new study by Lab scientists finds that as rising global temperatures shift snow to rain, mountains across the Northern Hemisphere will be hotspots for extreme rainfall events that could trigger floods and landslides – potentially impacting a quarter of the world’s population.

Released: 27-Jun-2023 1:05 PM EDT
UC Irvine scientists develop freely available risk model for hurricanes, tropical cyclones
University of California, Irvine

As human-driven climate change amplifies natural disasters, hurricanes and typhoons stand to increase in intensity. Until now, there existed very few freely available computer models designed to estimate the economic costs of such events, but a team of researchers led by Jane W. Baldwin at the University of California, Irvine recently announced the completion of an open-source model that stands to help countries with high tropical cyclone risks better calculate just how much those storms will impact their people and their economies.

Released: 26-Jun-2023 10:35 AM EDT
Radar can help fight wildfires, identify flash-flood risks
Washington University in St. Louis

Smoke from forest fires in Canada cast a pall over St. Louis this month as well as other parts of the Midwest and the East Coast. New radar remote sensing technology can help reduce the amount of time it takes to produce a useful map of burned areas, helping emergency managers to respond to the threat of flash flooding after fires.

Released: 14-Jun-2023 1:15 PM EDT
The heat is on! Don't panic. Get the latest news on heat waves and the dangers of heat in the Extreme Heat channel
Newswise

As we enter the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere and the possibility of extreme heat becomes more common, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the science of heat waves and take measures to protect ourselves from this growing public health threat.

       
Newswise: FAU Experts for the 2023 Hurricane Season
Released: 24-May-2023 8:30 AM EDT
FAU Experts for the 2023 Hurricane Season
Florida Atlantic University

With the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season officially starting on June 1 and ending Nov. 30, several Florida Atlantic University faculty experts are available to discuss various issues surrounding hurricane preparedness, evacuation and aftermath.

Newswise: Cell phone data from winter snowstorm shows Dallas is resilient
Released: 23-May-2023 9:35 AM EDT
Cell phone data from winter snowstorm shows Dallas is resilient
Southern Methodist University

Natural disasters can wreak havoc on a city, from hurricanes in Houston to winter storms in Dallas. Measuring resilience -- the length of time it will take a city to bounce back -- can help policymakers and others plan responses to future events and reveal potential vulnerabilities. An SMU research team measured Dallas’s resilience before, during, and after the February 2021 winter snowstorm and found Dallas recovered almost immediately after the snowstorm ended, indicating Dallas exhibits a great degree of resilience.



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