Disasters In Asia Research Articles

Technological disasters in Asia: Epidemiological profile from the year 2000 to 2021.

Technological disasters in Asia have significant public health and environmental implications, but there is limited epidemiological analysis of these events. This study aims to characterize the epidemiological profile of technological disasters in Asia from 2000 to 2021, focusing on morbidity and mortality trends. A retrospective descriptive observational analysis was conducted using data from emergency events database (EM-DAT), DesInventar, NatCAt, and Sigma. The study categorized disasters into transport, industrial, and miscellaneous accidents. Statistical analyses were used to examine frequencies, trends, and correlations among the different disaster types. From 2000 to 2021, Asia experienced 2333 technological disasters, with transport accidents being the most frequent (55.77%), followed by industrial (26.10%) and miscellaneous accidents (18.13%). The overall trend showed a statistically significant decrease in the frequency of these disasters and in average mortality and injury rates. The study highlighted the varying impact of different disaster types, with industrial accidents causing the highest fatality and affected rates despite being less frequent than transport accidents. The study indicates a declining trend in the frequency and severity of technological disasters in Asia, reflecting improved safety measures and disaster management. However, the high impact of industrial accidents underscores the need for targeted prevention strategies.

Geospatial and Temporal Patterns of Natural and Man-Made (Technological) Disasters (1900–2024): Insights from Different Socio-Economic and Demographic Perspectives

This pioneering study explores the geospatial and temporal patterns of natural and human-induced disasters from 1900 to 2024, providing essential insights into their global distribution and impacts. Significant trends and disparities in disaster occurrences and their widespread consequences are revealed through the utilization of the comprehensive international EM-DAT database. The results showed a dramatic escalation in both natural and man-made (technological) disasters over the decades, with notable surges in the 1991–2000 and 2001–2010 periods. A total of 25,836 disasters were recorded worldwide, of which 69.41% were natural disasters (16,567) and 30.59% were man-made (technological) disasters (9269). The most significant increase in natural disasters occurred from 1961–1970, while man-made (technological) disasters surged substantially from 1981–1990. Seasonal trends reveal that floods peak in January and July, while storms are most frequent in June and October. Droughts and floods are the most devastating in terms of human lives, while storms and earthquakes cause the highest economic losses. The most substantial economic losses were reported during the 2001–2010 period, driven by catastrophic natural disasters in Asia and North America. Also, Asia was highlighted by our research as the most disaster-prone continent, accounting for 41.75% of global events, with 61.89% of these events being natural disasters. Oceania, despite experiencing fewer total disasters, shows a remarkable 91.51% of these as natural disasters. Africa is notable for its high incidence of man-made (technological) disasters, which constitute 43.79% of the continent’s disaster events. Europe, representing 11.96% of total disasters, exhibits a balanced distribution but tends towards natural disasters at 64.54%. Examining specific countries, China, India, and the United States emerged as the countries most frequently affected by both types of disasters. The impact of these disasters has been immense, with economic losses reaching their highest during the decade of 2010–2020, largely due to natural disasters. The human toll has been equally significant, with Asia recording the most fatalities and Africa the most injuries. Pearson’s correlation analysis identified statistically significant links between socioeconomic factors and the effects of disasters. It shows that nations with higher GDP per capita and better governance quality tend to experience fewer disasters and less severe negative consequences. These insights highlight the urgent need for tailored disaster risk management strategies that address the distinct challenges and impacts in various regions. By understanding historical disaster patterns, policymakers and stakeholders can better anticipate and manage future risks, ultimately safeguarding lives and economies.

Disaster risk management system in Vietnam: progress and challenges

BackgroundVietnam is one of the countries most impacted by disasters in Asia- Pacific. Floods, droughts and storms are the most common catastrophes. These risks endanger millions of lives and create massive financial and production losses. ObjectiveThis study aims at reviewing the disaster risk management (DRM) system in Vietnam, identifying progress and challenges of this system, hence making recommendations for improving the system for better responding with natural hazards. MethodThe study uses PSR model (Pressure- State- Response) in combination with DRM management framework by United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to evaluate DRM system in Vietnam with 5 aspects: (i) DRM regulatory framework (ii) DRM organization (iii) DRM financial resources (iv) DRM integration in to plans at central and local levels (v) Disaster warning and education. The data collection consists of reviewing existing literature and interviewing key informants in DRM. ResultsDisasters is a serious threat to Vietnam’s socio economic development. To respond, Vietnam has made many efforts including develop a comprehensive legal framework for DRM which Law on Disaster Prevention and Control takes the key role. Vietnam has also established a fairly well organized DRM system from the central to local levels. The financial sources for DRM are arranged from State budget and sources outside State budget. Vietnam has developed major policies for integrating DRM into development plans centrally and locally. The disaster information and warning system is being modernized with the integration of disaster education in training programs. Challenges in DRM are identified, including institutional, financial and information issues. In addition, Vietnam is facing the increase of disasters and extreme climate events due to climate change. Covid 19 and its socio-economic consequences also lead to a lack of resources for DRM. Economic development moreover results in the decline of ecosystem-based disaster mitigation works and put more pressures on DRM. RecommendationsIn the future, Vietnam should develop an information-sharing network between ministries, sectors, localities and NGOs to support the policy formulation process and enhance the coordination of multi-stakeholders. The country should also establish more proper funding allocation mechanisms to fulfill DRM’s demands, especially for disaster preparedness and reconstruction phases.

The Prevention of the Sixth Mass Extinction: Socio-Legal Responses to Mitigate the Anthropogenic Crises in Asia and Beyond

AbstractThis Special Issue highlights the most recent socio-legal research related to the mitigation, if not the elimination, of the threat of anthropogenic disasters in Asia and beyond. The drafts of these papers were originally presented at the Presidential Session on “The Anthropocene and the Law in Asia” at the Fourth Asian Law and Society Association (ALSA) Conference held in the vibrant city of Osaka, Japan in December 2019. The timing of this particular session, the first of its kind to be held at an ALSA Conference, turned out to be somewhat prophetic, in that two anthropogenic catastrophes—the historic zoonotic pandemic and the cataclysmic wild bushfires—had just begun to strike in December in Wuhan, China and in New South Wales, Australia, respectively. The novel coronavirus pandemic would kill more than 1 million people in the following months, after infecting more than 40 million across the globe. The Australian wild bushfires killed and displaced more than 3 billion animals, becoming the worst wildfire ever recorded in the world. Since that last ALSA Conference in December 2019, multiple anthropogenic disasters have hit various regions in Asia and across the world. The papers in this Special Issue examine various impacts of anthropogenic disasters and propose innovative socio-legal strategies to mitigate them. Included are arguments for the proposal of new legal education curricula and innovative pedagogy on environmental law and the exploration of an international multidisciplinary teaching framework in reconsidering and reshaping human-centric legal education. Also proposed is the development of a robust Earth Jurisprudence based on the adoption of the Rights of Nature principles, while moving away from the Euro-American exploitive view of nature as commodified properties. Additionally proposed is the establishment of a land-based, topological jurisprudence that incorporates the nuanced narratives of indigenous voices in dealing with the threat of human-induced ecological and environmental disasters in the years ahead.

Spatiotemporal distribution of flood disasters in Asia and influencing factors in 1980–2019

Spatiotemporal distribution of flood disasters in Asia and influencing factors in 1980–2019

Emergency flood detection using multiple information sources: Integrated analysis of natural hazard monitoring and social media data

Extreme weather events are occurring more frequently as a result of climate change. In October 2019, eastern Japan was hit by Hagibis, a large and high-speed typhoon. This unprecedented typhoon caused the evacuation of over 4000 people, injured more than 300 people, and damaged more than 98,000 dwellings throughout the affected area. Because floods are one of the most devastating natural disasters in Asia, providing an effective early warning system (EWS) is critical to reducing disaster impacts. However, warnings based only on natural hazard monitoring do not offer sufficient protection. Integrating natural hazard monitoring and social media data could improve warning systems to enhance the awareness of disaster managers and citizens about emergency events. We analyzed time-series data including rainfall intensity, 90-min-effective rainfall, and river water level as well as Twitter data related to disaster events during the 5-day period from 11 to 15 October, focusing on the most affected areas in Japan. The analysis included more than 60,000 tweets. Our analysis confirmed the utility of the statistical approach of outbreak detection with social media data in the early detection and local identification of multiple-flood events, and the results from the municipality-level analyses show that tweet frequencies related to the flood disaster ontological categories were significantly correlated to temporal variations in the hazard monitoring data. Thus, flood detection at the administrative level using social media data combined with current hazard monitoring data can enable a decision-driven EWS design. Interactive approaches for decision-making and knowledge production should continue to be considered in the face of climate-change-induced disasters.

Scraping social media data for disaster communication: how the pattern of Twitter users affects disasters in Asia and the Pacific

Communication channels play a crucial role in times of crisis, especially during disasters. Social media have become substantial means of communication, playing coextensive roles to those of traditional media. Social media present a communication format that can operate not only within areas directly affected by a disaster but also throughout the rest of the world. Twitter has proven to be an important social media platform for providing services and information conveyed by credible organizations in times of crisis when other means of communication become inaccessible. This study focuses on the different uses of Twitter during disasters in Asia and the Pacific in 2014 and 2015. The purpose of this study is to show the pattern of use of Twitter to send warnings and identify crucial needs and responses. This study is based on the premise that Twitter has considerable potential as a communication channel during disasters given its advantages and high compatibility with rapid information dissemination. We gather tweets by scraping https://twitter.com/search-advanced results using the Application Programming Interface of Twitter. The scraping process is conducted with the Python Tweepy library. Data are classified based on a social media framework, geographical area, and user type. We find that the pattern of Twitter users plays a crucial role in raising awareness as well as coordinating relief efforts during disasters. Various types of users utilize Twitter in ways that are consistent with its traditional role. News organizations participate in secondhand reporting, and nongovernment organizations and celebrities are committed to relief coordination. Results cast light on not only how various types of users utilize Twitter in times of disaster but also on how a number of potential Twitter users are absent during disasters. Twitter use for relief coordination occurs understandably in the aftermath of a disaster, but the speed and reach of Twitter make it an ideal platform for disaster preparedness coordination and planning.

Generating Multiple Resilience Dividends from Managing Unnatural Disasters in Asia: Opportunities for Measurement and Policy

Despite solid evidence regarding the large benefits of reducing disaster risk, it has remained difficult to motivate sustained investment into disaster risk reduction (DRR). Recently, international policy debate has started to emphasize the need for focusing DRR investment toward actions that generate multiple dividends, including reducing loss of lives and livelihoods, unlocking development, and creating development cobenefits. We examine whether available and innovative decision support tools are fit-for-purpose. Focusing on the Asia region, we identify evidence of multiple dividends crafted using expert-based methods, such as cost–benefit analysis for selecting and evaluating “hard-resilience-type” interventions. Given a rising demand for “softer” and systemic DRR investments in projects and programs, participatory decision support tools have become increasingly relevant. As one set of tools, resilience capacity (capital) measurement approaches may be used to support actions and decisions throughout all stages of the project cycle. Measuring capacity for resilience dividends, not outcome, such tools can serve as participatory decision support for organizations working at community and other levels for scoping out how development and disaster risk interact, as well as for supporting the cogeneration of multiple resilience dividend-type solutions with those at risk.

Gender and Land Tenure in the Context of Disaster in Asia

Gender and Land Tenure in the Context of Disaster in Asia

Nargis and Haiyan: The Politics of Natural Disaster Management in Myanmar and the Philippines

This paper examines the impact of two of the gravest natural disasters in contemporary Asian history: Cyclone Nargis, which devastated parts of Myanmar in May 2008, and Typhoon Haiyan, which hit the Philippines in November 2013. It addresses the role played by greatly divergent governance structures, noting that governance failures led to the exacerbation of the disasters in both cases. The paper explores the links between the national government as the primary duty-bearer for good governance and natural disaster risk management, examining institutions, infrastructures, education and budgetary allocations in each country; seeking the underlying causes of inefficient disaster management. This includes the extent to which each government fell short in its response even though each country is regularly exposed to typhoons and tropical storms. In each case the findings are that the national resilience and government preparedness efforts to reduce the impact of natural disasters were insufficient, and that the authorities, either through lack of capacity or lack of will, experienced reaction shortcomings. The final section contains lessons learned and policy prescriptions in order to enhance resilience in the face of future natural disasters in Asia.

Economics of climate change and risk of disasters in Asia–Pacific region

Economics of climate change and risk of disasters in Asia–Pacific region

Disaster psychiatry in Asia: The potential of smartphones, mobile, and connected technologies.

Disaster mental health is recognized as a crucial part of disaster preparedness and response. Despite the commonality of disasters in Asia, many countries face formidable barriers to a rapid and robust mental health care response. Mobile technologies can alleviate the immediate suffering and reduce onset of chronic conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. This article explores the role of mobile technologies to improve mental health before, during, and after disasters in Asia.

Digital Histories of Disasters: History of Technology through Social Media.

Digital Histories of DisastersHistory of Technology through Social Media Lisa Onaga (bio) and Hanna Rose Shell (bio) On 11 March 2011, a giant earthquake and tsunami off the coast of Japan triggered the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Failure of the plant’s heating and cooling system and an inability to properly stabilize the reactors post-meltdown led to the displacement of over 150,000 people. In its wake, three historians and sociologists of science and technology with ties to Asia came together to attempt to use social media as a way to create a community in response to the disaster and its aftermath. Together Honghong Tinn and Tyson Vaughan, along with Lisa Onaga, set out to make an online collective bibliography and repository for information and historical context for events surrounding the disaster. The goal was to provide a forum for educators to draw on a range of what might otherwise be overlooked sources. Teach311.org, the site they launched in April 2011, facilitates a collaboratively written digital annotated bibliography focused on sociohistorical dimensions of disasters. Along with providing access to a particular online resource, contributors summarize it or describe its relevance to understanding the 3.11 disaster or the sociotechnical historical study of disasters more generally. Thus an international network of academics, students, and translators, among others, produce content in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Bahasa Indonesia, and English. Together they continue to ask the seemingly simple question of “Why did the disaster happen?” Five years after Teach311.org’s launch, it has developed so as to consider the disaster in the context of both science and technology studies (S&TS) themes as well as the longer history of seismic and other disasters in Asia. The site also raises more general questions for the history of technology. It [End Page 225] prompts us to reflect more generally on new directions in what scholars are referring to alternately as digital history and digital humanities. What, for example, is the role of collectivity in the expanding directions of our field? What is, and what might be, the relationship between scholarship and bibliography with the capabilities of social media and digital journalism in mind? These questions were the inspiration for my conversation with Lisa Onaga, one of Teach.311’s three cofounders. What follows is an edited version of our conversation conducted over email in May 2015 and then a few months later at the 2015 SHOT meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. HRS: What led you to create Teach311.org? What about the impulse for collectivity? LO: It was the earthquake that occurred off the coast of Tohoku (northeastern) Japan on 11 March 2011 and the events that followed. I felt that we were bearing virtual witness to the disasters as they unfolded in Japan through broadcast and social media. I started to sense a distinction between the kinds of things people “knew” or how they chose to trust certain sources in order to “know” about the event and radiation effects. I found myself engulfed in a world of translation on social media platforms, in which individual moments of translation—constant and informal—gained significance when viewed in aggregate. That had a lot to do with how Teach311.org came into being. At the same time, I was especially impressed by the cooperative practices and solidarity that took place among bilingual journalist friends and colleagues as they used social media platforms like Twitter and effectively documented their experiences. I had known that social media technology played a prominent role in community formation and cultural production, but I never quite saw so many people motivated in a single moment like this in a language environment that I identified with. These things convinced me that there is a role to be played by science and technology studies students and scholars. For my peers, including Teach311.org cofounders Honghong Tinn and Tyson Vaughan, as we were conducting science and technology studies (S&TS) field research in East Asia, it began to seem apt to also find a way to respond in this social media environment to do something about the disasters. Technological failure, earth science, the porousness of the marine and terrestrial environments, media and technology...

The China mirage: the hidden history of American disaster in Asia

The China mirage: the hidden history of American disaster in Asia

Climate-Related Disasters in Asia and the Pacific

Natural disasters are on the rise worldwide. There are more and more intense natural disasters — which are defined to cause at least 100 deaths or to affect the basic survival needs of at least 1,000 people — resulting from floods and storms as well as droughts and heat waves. The Asia and the Pacific region has experienced some of the most damaging disasters in recent decades, with alarming consequences for human welfare. At the same time, the climate in the region has been changing. Temperatures have been higher, on average, and also more variable and more extreme. Rainfall has also been more variable and more extreme. Is there a relationship between these changes in climate and the increase in natural disasters in Asia and the Pacific? This paper considers three main disaster risk factors — rising population exposure, greater population vulnerability, and increasing climate-related hazards — behind the increased frequency of intense natural disasters. In a regression analysis within a model of disaster risk determination, the most significant association is between the increase in natural disasters and population exposure, represented by population densities. Population vulnerability also matters, but increasing incomes seem to be associated first with greater and then lesser vulnerability. Finally, there is a notable association between climate-related hazards (greater precipitation linked to floods and storms and especially higher temperature linked to droughts and heat waves) and the frequency of intense natural disasters in Asia and the Pacific and its subregions during 1971-2010. Along with the scientific association between greenhouse gases and the changes in the climate, the findings in this paper suggest that there is a link between increasing natural disasters in Asia and the Pacific and man-made emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Confronting Climate-Related Disasters in Asia and the Pacific

Abstract The frequency of intense natural disasters has been on the rise worldwide over the past 40 years. Meanwhile, temperatures have risen on average, while both temperatures and precipitation have become more variable and more extreme. Their impacts are clearly visible in Asia and the Pacific region, which has seen some of the most damaging natural disasters. Recent scientific evidence points to the link between rising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and climate variables such as temperature and precipitation that underlie floods, storms, droughts and heatwaves. Rising population exposure, greater population vulnerability, and increasing climate-related hazards are three main disaster risk factors behind the increased frequency of intense natural disasters. A study underlying this paper finds an association between more frequent climatological disasters (relating to droughts and heat waves) and rising temperatures; and between hydrometeorological disasters (relating to floods and storms) and people locating in harm’s way and precipitation anomalies. These findings underpin the necessity of greater prevention of natural disasters, and of integrating climate adaptation and mitigation in reducing disaster risks. With no let-up in the increasing costs of disasters to lives and livelihood, homes and infrastructure - such preventive measures must be part of policy and planning.

Constructing Gender Perspective on Women’s Vulnerability to Disaster in Asia

Constructing Gender Perspective on Women’s Vulnerability to Disaster in Asia

The 7th General Assembly of Asian Seismological Commission

Devastating earthquakes often cause serious disasters in Asia. In 1996, the Asian Seismological Commission (ASC) was established in order to reduce earthquake disasters in Asia through sharing our knowledge of seismology and experience on earthquakes, and by bridging science and technology, research and application, domestic efforts and international collaboration, and Asia-Pacific and the world. The 7th general assembly of ASC was held in Tsukuba in November 2008. It was the first ASC assembly to be held in Japan. We express our sincere appreciation to Tokyo Geographical Society for supporting this meeting.

KAMEDO Report No. 91 2004 Tsunami Disaster in Asia—Home Transport and Emergency Care in Sweden

This is a descriptive report of the Swedish authorities' responses to the tsunami that affected Southeast Asia in December 2004. The main focus is the care of survivors and the injured during their transportation from Thailand and their return to Sweden. The psychological and physical after-effects also are presented based on a poll conducted one year after the tsunami.

Mental health and the psychosocial consequences of natural disasters in Asia

This article presents an overview of natural disasters in Asia, as well as mental disorders and psychosocial interventions related to disasters. Although most of the top ten worst natural disasters occurred in Asia over the past century, little is known about the mental health and psychosocial aspects. After the tsunami incident in 2004, research reports in international journals related to Asian disasters have been growing. The prevalence rate of post-traumatic stress disorder related to natural disasters is currently between 8.6% and 57.3% depending on assessment methodologies, instruments and timing. Cognitive behaviour therapy has been found to be effective with Asian survivors but needs to be adapted for cultural and local sensitivities. Further research is needed in the areas of epidemiology for mental disorders and suitable psychosocial interventions for disaster survivors in Asia.