Climate Extremes

Earthquakes

Floods

Climate Change

Volcanoes

Tsunamis
Indian Ocean Tsunami

Landslides

Disaster Studies & Management
Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment in Disaster Response


Intranet

Latest News

inTERRAgate project launch
inTERRAgate held its launch on the 22nd of March 2007 at the Grange City hotel in London. The event was attended by a wide range of industry and research professionals from across the city and the UK.

The database, which is freely accessible at http://www.interragate.info, aims to assist disaster management NGO’s, humanitarian agencies and search and rescue teams responding to natural disasters. The site seeks to draw attention to potential future threats for every nation to help improve hazard preparedness and foster appropriate mitigation and management measures.
>>more about the launch>>
>>more about the database>>

Communications during volcanic emergencies.
The Operations Manual is now available in html here.

Click here to learn more about this DFID-sponsored project

UCL report slams government estimates for carbon emission reductions.
In a major new report for the Channel 4 Programme, Dispatches, Professor Mark Maslin, Director of the UCL Environment Institute and member of the BUHRC, and colleagues, show that UK government plans for carbon emissions reductions are doomed to failure. As things stand, the report indicates, the 30 percent target reduction by 2030 will not be achieved, with cuts in the range of just 12 - 17 percent more likely. Without considerably more clout, current government guidelines for cutting emissions may mean that a 30 percent cut is not reached until 2050.
Read the full report here (pdf 2.81MB)

New Post - Development Manager, BUHRC - post now filled
Do you have:

• A strong interest in natural hazards
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Experience in writing successful grant proposals

If so, this is an excellent opportunity to join Europe’s leading academic hazard research centre.

As Development Manager, your role will be two-fold. 1: to cultivate further the already high public profile of the BUHRC, particularly within the insurance market, and 2: to generate a new activity involving developing and funding joint projects with the BUHRC’s sponsor, Benfield, and other companies in the insurance sector. You will provide a dedicated contact between BUHRC and Benfield, and will report directly to the Centre’s Director.

You will have a first degree, preferably in Earth Science, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related area. Some experience in research administration and/or knowledge of the insurance industry is desirable.

The post will be for 3 years in the first instance. Salary will be on Grade 7 of the UCL Salary Scale, in the range £25,889 to £31,840 per annum, depending on skills and experience, plus £2,497 London weighting per annum.

Applicants should respond with a CV and the names and addresses of two academic referees. Applications should be sent to Anna McGuire, Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre, Dept. of Earth Sciences, UCL, Gower Street, London. WC1E 6BT. Closing date for applications is 07.02.07

Tools for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction: Guidance Notes for Development Organisations Download report (pdf 1.07MB)
A series of 14 guidance notes for use by development organisations in adapting project appraisal and evaluation tools to mainstream disaster risk reduction into their development work in hazard-prone countries.
>>more>>

New TSR Storm Email Alert service
The service is free and is available for tropical storms worldwide. The alerts provide warning of the likelihood that a given country and major cities therein will be affected by tropical storm strength and hurricane (Cat 1) strength winds during the next 5 days.

The severity of risk is denoted by the use of Red/Yellow/Green alert categories. These levels are distinguished by forecast wind speed strength and its chance of happening. Users may select the basin areas for which they wish to receive alerts, their preferred risk level for an alert to be triggered, and how often they wish to receive alerts when a storm is triggering.

Registration is straightforward and includes the option to view an example email alert and the technical background to the service. Registration may be completed from the TSR home web page and elsewhere on the site (through the right hand menu bar).
http://tropicalstormrisk.com

Climate change and its effects on small businesses in the UK
This is the first research to look specifically at the impact of climate change and insurance on small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. It concentrates on flood risks, although climate change will produce many other threats for small businesses. It is based on insurance data from AXA Insurance, a major insurer of SMEs, combined with a survey of small businesses in recently flooded areas and comments from focus groups of the managers and owners of small companies which have survived recent major floods.
>>more>>

TSR wins coveted Risk Management Award.
Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) forecasting venture won a prestigious award at the British Insurance Awards 2006 ceremony held in front of 1800 guests at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 5th July 2006.

The award was given for the 'best application of new techniques, effective identification and reduction of risk and the development of creative risk financing strategies'. TSR's submission focussed on its latest hurricane modelling and forecasting innovations which have provided a significant advance in identifying and managing the risk from US hurricanes for insurers and reinsurers. The other finalists included QBE and Zurich Financial Services.
www.tropicalstormrisk.com

Mary Fran Myers Award 2006 - Call for nominations
The Gender and Disaster Network and the Natural Hazards Center invite nominations of individuals working in the hazards field who should be recognized for “efforts to advance women’s careers in emergency management and the academy, and for promoting gendered disaster research.”

Direct questions and submit these materials (e-mail attachments only) by June 01, 2006, to Madhavi Malalgoda Ariyabandu; e-mail mariyabandu@yahoo.com
>>more>>

Launch of ProVention new website
The ProVention Consortium, a global partnership dedicated to disaster reduction, launches a new website with information on its activities, partners and resources for organisations and practitioners active in disaster risk management. See: www.proventionconsortium.org
>>more>>

Cyclone Larry
Tropical Cyclone Larry hit north-eastern Australia on Monday, 20 March, causing damage to both buildings and crops. Larry made landfall as a Category 5 storm, the maximum grading, near the town of Innisfail, Queensland, and was downgraded to a Category 3 cyclone shortly after it struck the coast.
>>more>>

Forces of Nature Conference
Professor David Crichton, Visiting Professor at the BHRC, spoke at Insurance Times magazine 'Forces of Nature Conference' on 20 March in London, which discussed the implications of climatic change, bringing together leading politicians, industry heads and scientists.

Professor Crichton gave a talk on UK flooding issues and a copy of his paper for the presentation can be accessed on the link below:
UK Flood, will insurers be out of their depth? (41kb)
He also gave a separate talk on hurricanes and natural disasters and a summary of this talk can be accessed below:
Storms and Hurricanes, will insurers be blown away? (18kb)

Tsunami Threat Presentation
Bill McGuire, BHRC Director, gave a presentation for the Insurance Institute of London, entitled "The Tsunami Threat : Past, Present and Future" on 16 March.

The presentation covered a number of historic tsunami case studies as well as identifying potential future tsunami risk areas.

To view a copy of the presentation please click on the link below
(NB large file!): The Tsunami Threat: Past, Present and Future (ppt 4.47mb).

Science Week 2006
David Crichton, Visiting Professor at the BHRC, is taking part in the Royal Statistical Society ‘Science Week 2006’ event on the statistics and science of flooding and its impact being held in London on 16 March entitled “Water, Water Everywhere: Floods and droughts”. The event is part of the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) National Science Week which runs from 10 – 16 March.

David will be discussing the growing flood risk in the UK due to climate change and increases in exposure and vulnerability. For more information about the event please click on the link below:
http://www.rss.org.uk/waterevent

Working Paper No 14
A new working paper has been published: Christine Wamsler - Operational Framework for Integrating Risk Reduction for Aid Organisations Working in Human Settlement Development.
http://www.benfieldhrc.org/activities/publications.htm#dis

EuroTempest provides real-time forecasts out to 5 days ahead
for European windstorms and their localised potential wind damage. >>more>>

Global Drought Monitor is a free internet application which monitors the severity of drought worldwide on an ongoing basis.
>>more>>

Tropical Storm Tracker forecasts wind probabilities and wind fields. TSR has developed the leading global tracker on the market.
>>more>>

SPIDER Network aims to explore the interface between ‘hard scientific’ and ‘social scientific’ approaches to the practice of disaster management, and to help develop co-operative partnerships between the groups working with the two areas of knowledge.
>>more>>

Disaster Reduction Gateway .... to promote information sharing and co-operation between people with an interest in disaster reduction.
>>more>>

«back to top«