Damage To Houses Research Articles

Population displacement after earthquakes: benchmarking predictions based on housing damage

In the aftermath of an earthquake, the number of residents whose housing was destroyed is often used to approximate the number of people displaced (i.e., rendered homeless) after the event. While this metric can provide rapid situational awareness regarding potential long-term housing needs, more recent research highlights the importance of additional factors beyond housing damage within the scope of household displacement and return (e.g., utility disruption, tenure, place attachment). This study benchmarks population displacement estimates using this simplified conventional approach (i.e., only considering housing destruction) through three scenario models for recent earthquakes in Haiti, Japan, and Nepal. These model predictions are compared with officially reported values and alternate mobile location data-based estimates from the literature. The results highlight the promise of scenario models to realistically estimate population displacement and potential long-term housing needs after earthquakes, but also highlight a large range of uncertainty in the predicted values. Furthermore, purely basing displacement estimates on housing damage offers no view on how the displaced population counts vary with time as compared to more comprehensive models that include other factors influencing population return or alternative approaches, such as using mobile location data.

Monitoring the Public Health and Safety Impact of the Groningen Gas-Extraction Crisis

Abstract Background Gas extraction in the Dutch province of Groningen began in 1963 and was initially seen as an economic boon for the nation. Yet, it turned into a significant burden for the region, leading to earthquakes, damage to houses and property, complicated compensation processes, recovery, and reinforcement programs, as well as a lack of recognition. In 2016, the research group Gronings Perspectief (GP) was established with the objective of independently monitoring the public health and safety impact of the gas-extraction crisis from the residents’ perspective. Methods Monitoring activities take place in dialogue with sounding boards comprising residents, professionals, scientists, and local and national governments. GP employs a longitudinal mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. Representative panel surveys are conducted yearly among residents in the provinces of Groningen (twice) and Drenthe (once). Additionally, 20 in-depth interviews are carried out each year, alongside a survey among households in the reinforcement program. GP analyses the periodic health monitors conducted by municipal health authorities. All reports are publicly accessible. Results Since 2016, monitoring consistently points to a profound and enduring effect of housing damage on health and well-being, subjective safety, risk perceptions, trust in governments and agencies among residents. The impact of the procedural burden imposed by governments and institutions, is as significant as the effects of earthquakes and housing damage. Conclusions GP’s findings were included in a parliamentary inquiry, which concluded in 2023 that the interests of residents were persistently neglected in favour of economic gain. New risk reduction and reconciliation programs are introduced. Despite the recent decision to end the gas extraction, continuation of GP is needed to monitor further developments. Key messages • GP’s stakeholder-driven monitoring approach made the impact of the gas-extraction crisis visible. • Enduring public health and safety risks, beyond the gas extraction, require continuing monitoring.

Quality of life and post-traumatic stress disorder among elderly earthquake survivors: a focus on the February earthquake in Turkey.

On 6 February, 2023, Turkey experienced a disaster resulting from two major earthquakes. The elderly population stands out as one of the most vulnerable and least adaptable. This study aims to identify the quality of life (QOL) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among elderly earthquake survivors in Turkey. This research was conducted between 1 October, 2023 and 15 December, 2023 as a cross-sectional design. During the data collection process, survey questions prepared by the researchers (29 questions) and the Elderly Quality of Life Scale (OPQOL-Bref) and the Impact of Events Scale (IES-R) were used. Three hundred and eighty-four elderly people participated in the study. PTSD was more common in those diagnosed with chronic diseases after the earthquake, in those who had a drug-free period after the earthquake, in those who smoked and quit smoking, and in those who started psychiatric medication after the earthquake. Post-traumatic stress was seen more frequently in those with low QOL scores and in those who had a longer period of not using medication after the earthquake. It was observed that QOL was better in married people, high school graduates, those with average income levels, those who did not have chronic diseases before and after the earthquake, those who did not have a drug-free period after the earthquake, those who were physically active, and those who did not use psychiatric medication after the earthquake. Chronic disease diagnosis post-earthquake, drug-free periods, smoking habits, and psychiatric medication usage were identified as influential factors in PTSD occurrence. Additionally, the study shed light on the profound effect of earthquake-related experiences, such as house damage, injuries, deaths in first-degree relatives, displacement, and changes in living conditions, on PTSD prevalence.

Hail hazard modeling with uncertainty analysis and roof damage estimation of residential buildings in North America

This research presents a statistical approach for hail risk modeling that incorporates the uncertainties of hail model prediction to provide insight into assessing the roof damage of a residential house in hail events. By quantifying the inherent uncertainties in evaluating hailstorm characteristics, this study extends the current existing hail models. The hail data are sourced from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) in the U.S. In the modeling process, the largest hail diameter reported in the CoCoRaHS database serves as a primary input variable to estimate the number of observations for the largest hail diameter, hailstorm duration, and hit rate. The assessment of hail risk in this study focuses on the probability of hail damage and resultant repair costs for five types of roofs in North America (unrated roof and impact-resistant roofs with UL 2218 rating classes 1 to 4). The probability of hail damage is calculated as the failure probability by integrating all individual hailstone hits having variable diameters during a hailstorm with fragility curves, which estimate the probability that hailstones will fracture asphalt shingles (allowing water infiltration) or that they dislodge enough granules to cause visible damage requiring replacement for aesthetic reasons. The results reveal that an impact-resistant roof (impact-resistant rating classes 1 to 4) is associated with lower hail risks, with 60 % to 98 % reduction on average compared to unrated roofs. This study provides a comprehensive uncertainty modeling approach for hail hazard and risk, enabling better-informed decision-making and risk management strategies.

Fatigue life sensitivity research for electric driving system in driving load cases and random vibration load cases

In this paper, the fatigue characteristics of the electric drive system in driving load cases and random vibration load cases are analyzed numerically and experimentally. The fatigue life of the driving system under these two load cases is analyzed by using the time domain method and frequency domain method respectively. The results show that the damage of rotating parts (gear and bearing) mainly occurs in driving load cases, and the damage of gear and bearing in the driving load cases is 71.78% and 43.46% respectively. Fixed components (housing and suspension support) have certain damage in driving load cases and random vibration load cases, and the damage is greater in driving load cases. The damage of housing and suspension support in driving load cases is 10.6% and 0.167% respectively; the damage under random vibration load cases is 1.32 × 10−11 and 3.12 × 10−11 respectively. Based on the above conclusions, it is suggested that the driving load case tests for electric driving system are necessary, but it is not necessary to do random vibration tests only for electric driving system, or the number of random vibration tests can be reduced. This not only ensures the reliability of the components, but also helps to reduce the test cost.

Untangling the relationship between power outage and population activity recovery in disasters

Despite recognition of the relationship between infrastructure resilience and community recovery, very limited empirical evidence exists regarding the extent to which the disruptions in and restoration of infrastructure services contribute to the speed of community recovery. To address this gap, this study investigates the relationship between community and infrastructure systems in the context of hurricane impacts, focusing on the recovery dynamics of population activity and power infrastructure restoration. Empirical observational data were utilized to analyze the extent of impact, recovery duration, and recovery types of both systems in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. The study reveals three key findings. First, power outage duration positively correlates with outage extent until a certain impact threshold is reached. Beyond this threshold, restoration time remains relatively stable regardless of outage magnitude. This finding underscores the need to strengthen power infrastructure, particularly in extreme weather conditions, to minimize outage restoration time. Second, power was fully restored in 70% of affected areas before population activity levels normalized. This finding suggests the role infrastructure functionality plays in post-disaster community recovery. Quicker power restoration did not equate to rapid population activity recovery due to other possible factors such as transportation, housing damage, and business interruptions. Finally, if power outages last beyond two weeks, community activity resumes before complete power restoration, indicating adaptability in prolonged outage scenarios. This implies the capacity of communities to adapt to ongoing power outages and continue daily life activities. These findings offer valuable empirical insights into the interaction between human activities and infrastructure systems, such as power outages, during extreme weather events. They also enhance our empirical understanding of how infrastructure resilience influences community recovery. By identifying the critical thresholds for power outage functionality and duration that affect population activity recovery, this study furthers our understanding of how infrastructure performance intertwines with community functioning in extreme weather conditions. Hence, the findings can inform infrastructure operators, emergency managers, and public officials about the significance of resilient infrastructure in life activity recovery of communities when facing extreme weather hazards.

Distinguishing Crimes against Morality and Freedom of Religion from Related Elements of Crimes in the Criminal Legislation of Ukraine

The article is devoted to the study of the issue related to the qualification and distinction of crimes against morality and freedom of religion from related crimes elements of in the criminal legislation of Ukraine. The Law on Criminal Liability (Criminal Code of Ukraine) contains a number of crimes that can be related to the crime provided for in Article 178 “Damage of religious buildings or houses of worship” and 179 “Illegal retention, desecration, or destruction of religious sanctities” of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. At the same time, the ratio of adjacent elements of crimes should be distinguished from the competition of general and special norms. As part of the study, a detailed analysis of the signs established in the criminal law, in the presence of which a socially dangerous act is recognized as a crime against morality and religion in Ukrainian legislation, was conducted. By investigating objective and subjective signs, the author differentiates the elements of crimes provided for in Articles 178 and 179 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine from the elements of crimes provided for in Article 161 “Violation of equality of citizens depending on their race, nationality, regional affiliation, religious beliefs, disability, and other grounds”, 180 “Preclusion of religious ceremonies”, 297 “Violation of graves, any other burial place, or a corpse”, 298 “Illegal conduct of search works on the archaeological heritage site, devastation, destruction, or damage to cultural heritage sites” of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

3D visualization of hurricane storm surge impact on urban infrastructure

As climate change intensifies, resulting in more severe rainfall events, coastal cities globally are witnessing significant life and property losses. A growingly crucial component for flood prevention and relief are urban storm flood simulations, which aid in informed decision-making for emergency management. The vastness of data and the intricacies of 3D computations can make visualizing the urban flood effects on infrastructure daunting. This study offers a 3D visualization of the repercussions of hurricane storm surge flooding on Galveston, TX residences, illustrating the impact on each structure and road across varied storm conditions. We employ target detection to pinpoint house door locations, using door inundation as a metric to gauge potential flood damage. Within a GIS-based framework, we model the damage scope for residences exposed to varying storm intensities. Our research achieves three core goals: 1) Estimating the storm inundation levels on homes across different storm conditions; 2) Assessing first-floor elevations to categorize housing damages into three distinct groups; and 3) Through visualization, showcasing the efficacy of a proposed dike designed to shield Galveston Island from future storm surge and flood events.

Associations between housing and psychological damage by earthquake and modifiable risk factors for dementia in general older adults: Tohoku Medical Megabank community-based cohort study.

To evaluate the association between housing and psychological damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and modifiable risk factors (MRFs) of dementia for general population of older adults. This cross-sectional study enrolled 29 039 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 69.1 ± 2.9 years, 55.5% women). We evaluated disaster-related damage (by complete or not complete housing damage) and psychological damage (by post-traumatic stress reaction [PTSR]) after the GEJE using a self-report questionnaire. MRFs encompassed the presence of depression, social isolation, physical inactivity, smoking, and diabetes. We examined the association between disaster-related damage and MRFs using ordinary least squares and modified Poisson regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and health status variables. Complete housing damage and PTSR were identified in 2704 (10.0%) and 855 (3.2%) individuals, respectively. The number of MRFs was significantly larger for the individuals with complete housing damage (β = 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.19-0.27) and PTSR (β = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.53-0.67). Prevalence ratios (PRs) for depression and physical inactivity were higher in individuals with complete housing damage. The PRs for all domains of the MRFs were significantly higher in individuals with PTSR. Housing and psychological damage caused by the GEJE were associated with an increased risk factor of dementia. To attenuate the risk of dementia, especially among older victims who have experienced housing and psychological damage after a disaster, multidimensional support across various aspects of MRFs is required. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 509-516.

Assessment of impacts of flood and coping strategies among rural households in Gicumbi district, Rwanda

Floods have become recurrent events in Rwanda, causing diverse effects on rural households across the country. However, little is known about the effects of floods encountered by people and their coping strategies, which are crucial for reducing vulnerability. Gicumbi District is among the most exposed to climate hazards and is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The effects of floods on rural households in Gicumbi district and their coping strategies were examined. A mixed approach was adopted where quantitative data was collected to inform wider understanding of a population and qualitative ones to acquire deep contextual insights about individual’s lived experiences. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 399 heads of households stratified into six district sectors. The study employed descriptive and inferential statistics for data analysis. Common effects of flooding experienced by the respondents included crop destruction, house damage, lack of sufficient food and safe drinking water. The coping strategies adopted by the respondents included saving money and food, support from friends and families, selling assets, borrowing money to restore losses, and migrating to other communities. In addition, flood victims received support from local authorities and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), including financial support, temporary shelters, and life support materials. Adaptation strategies adopted by households included drainage channels, plantation of trees, radical terraces and sandbags. The results showed that lack of flood risk knowledge and access to early warnings, inadequate housing, living in high-risk areas, and dependence on a single source of income were the main factors influencing the severity of flood effects. Early warnings (p < 0.001) and flood risk awareness (p = 0.009) significantly elicited positive coping mechanisms. Governments and relevant stakeholders should develop effective strategies and establish programs enabling timely access to early warning systems and increasing disaster risk awareness to reduce vulnerability for improved livelihoods and community resilience.

Mite allergen levels and fungal counts in children's bedding in four widely separated towns in Japan

We evaluated the relationships between children's housing, earthquake or tsunami damage affecting children, prevalence of allergic diseases, and levels of mite allergens and fungi on children's bedding after the Great East Japan Earthquake in four municipalities in Japan. We surveyed 464 children in Ishinomaki, 254 in Kami, 614 in Iwanuma, and 300 in Oiso whose parents or guardians had completed the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. We measured the levels of Dermatophagoides 1 allergens (Der 1) (Dermatophagoidespteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae) on children's mattresses or futons and fungal counts (Aspergillus and yeast) between 2016 and 2018. Earthquake damage was significantly greater in Ishinomaki than in the other three municipalities. There were no differences in the prevalence of allergic disease among the four municipalities. Der 1 levels were significantly higher in Ishinomaki than in Iwanuma, but there were no differences among Oiso, Iwanuma, and Kami. Der 1 levels in children with asthma in Iwanuma and with allergic rhinitis in Kami were significantly higher than in those without these conditions. Total fungal counts and Aspergillus counts were highest in Kami and lowest in Oiso. Der 1 levels were significantly correlated with fungal counts in Kami and Iwanuma, but not in Ishinomaki or Oiso. Both Der 1 levels and total fungal counts in Ishinomaki were greater than those in other three municipalities. Housing and allergen-avoidance strategies varied among the four municipalities. Mite allergen and fungal levels in these Japanese municipalities might have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami, and these changes might have affected the prevalence of allergic diseases in children.

Analysis of house damage and prevention strategies for cut slope house-building landslides in tectonically weak and humid hilly areas: a case study of Jiangxi Province

Analysis of house damage and prevention strategies for cut slope house-building landslides in tectonically weak and humid hilly areas: a case study of Jiangxi Province

Dynamics of household welfare change and analysis of coping strategies during floods: an empirical investigation

PurposeThis study aims to understand the socioeconomic impact of flood events on households, especially household welfare in terms of changes in consumption and coping strategies to deal with flood risk. This study is based on Bihar, one of the most frequently flood-affected, most populous and economically backward states in India.Design/methodology/approachPrimary data were collected from 700 households in the seven most frequently flood-affected districts in Bihar. A total of 100 individuals from each district were randomly selected from flood-affected villages. Based on a detailed literature review, an econometric (probit) model was developed to test the null hypothesis of the availability of consumption insurance, and the multivariate probability approach was used to analyze the various coping strategies of these households.FindingsThe results of this study suggest that flood-affected households maintain their consumption by overcoming various losses, including income, house damage and livestock loss. Households depend on financial transfers, borrowings and relief, and migrate to overcome losses. Borrowing could be an extra burden as the government compensates for house damage and crop loss late to the affected households. Again, there is no compensation to overcome livelihood loss and deal with occurrences of post-flood diseases, which further emphasizes the policy implications of strengthening the health infrastructure in the state and generating alternative livelihood opportunities.Originality/valueThis study discusses flood risk in terms of changes in household welfare, identifies the most effective risk-coping capabilities of rural communities and contributes to the shortcomings of the government insurance and relief model.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-07-2023-0569

Depressive symptoms among women in disaster-prone region in Bangladesh

Women are one of the crucial mental health victims of disaster but there is a lack of rigorous research in this area. This study, therefore, conducted a survey using a questionnaire among 350 randomly selected women from Khulna district (a disaster-prone region in Bangladesh) to explore the prevalence of depression and associated factors among women. 9-items Patient Health Questionnaire was used to measure the depressive symptoms and 63% were found to have the moderate to severe level of depression. Similarly, the ordered logistic regression model revealed that being married, having children, facing physical injury, job loss in disaster, damage of house, damage of crops, loss of domestic animals, worrying about future possible loss, family conflicts, and physical violence were the significant risk factors of depression among women in disaster-prone Bangladesh. This is because disasters increase caregiving obligations, financial instability, weak social support, and gender-based violence among women comparing men. Thus, it is crucial to prioritize mental health interventions for women including livelihood and emotional supports within disaster management policy framework. Likewise, future studies should use a longitudinal design with an extensive sample and study region since the current study employed a cross-sectional design with a small sample and study region.

Detailed seismic structure beneath the earthquake zone of Yogyakarta 2006 (Mw ∼6.4), Indonesia, from local earthquake tomography

The earthquake, which occurred in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on May 26, 2006, at 22:53:58 UTC with Mw ∼6.4, was one of the most destructive earthquakes in Indonesia. The earthquake caused thousands of fatalities, tens of thousands of injuries, and hundreds of thousands of house damages in the Yogyakarta area and its surroundings at a loss of billions of dollars. Previous studies from seismic tomography and satellite radar imaging hypothesized that the earthquake was caused by activating a so far unknown fault east of the Opak Fault. Although, in the beginning, the Opak fault was suspected to be the source of the Yogyakarta earthquake in 2006. This assumption was made because the damage was maximum in the Bantul area west of the Opak Fault. This study demonstrates that our seismic tomography achieved a higher resolution than the previous study and could resolve a failed complex fault system. We utilized more aftershocks (2170 events) and smaller grid sizes for seismic tomography inversion. Four focal mechanisms from aftershocks for Mw ≥ 4.5 were also conducted to support structure interpretation in the study area. Our results successfully delineate the Opak Fault and the second fault, namely the Ngalang Fault, parallel to the eastern part of the fault at a depth of 9 km. Two faults could be indicated by the velocity contrast of Vp, Vp/Vs ratio, and Vs from a horizontal section tomogram. Our focal mechanisms also support seismic tomography, revealing two fault planes in our study area. The results show that the two faults are connected by the Oyo Fault, which is ruptured in the opposite direction compared to the two faults.

TDFPI: A Three-Dimensional and Full Parameter Inversion Model and Its Application for Building Damage Assessment in Guotun Coal Mining Areas, Shandong, China

Subsidence prediction is essential for preventing and controlling geohazards in coal mining areas. However, the Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technique is limited in deriving the goaf displacements with a large gradient and fast deformation rates, hindering its application for potential risk evaluation over the mining areas. In this study, we proposed a three-dimensional and full parameter inversion (TDFPI) model to derive the large-gradient subsidence and then investigate its application for building damage assessment over coal mining areas. By taking the Guotun coal mine as the case study, the TDFPI model was demonstrated to have effectively predicted the large-gradient deformation of the mining areas and successfully evaluated the house damage in Chelou village, which agrees well with our field investigations. Specifically, the predicted subsidence results were validated with high fitting accuracy against field measurements, with RMSE of 0.083 m and 0.102 m, respectively, on observation line A and line F. In addition, the classified damage levels are highly consistent with in situ field surveys for the house cracks in Chelou village, presenting its practicality and effectiveness for building damage evaluation, and thus can provide a useful tool for potential risk assessment and prevention over the mining areas.

Classifying climate vulnerability and inequalities in India, Mexico, and Nigeria: a latent class analysis approach

The climate crisis exacerbates social, economic, and health disparities. This study employs innovative methods to identify distinct groups affected by recent climate events. A mobile phone-based survey was conducted in April 2022 with individuals residing in multiple climate-affected states across three countries: India (n = 1020), Mexico (n = 1020), and Nigeria (n = 1021). Latent class analysis and classification and regression tree analysis were used to identify the groups most exposed to climate events, the effects and responses taken, and then to identify the characteristics associated with group membership. Effects included housing damage or lost work, while responses included actions such as borrowing money or dropping out of school. Findings revealed four distinct groups: Group 1 reported low exposure, no effects, or responses (49% of respondents in India, 43% in Mexico, and 27% in Nigeria); Group 2 experienced multiple hazards with moderate effects and some responses; Group 3 was characterized by drought exposure with more effects and responses taken; Group 4 was affected by heavy flooding and rainfall with varied effects. Notably, India had the largest proportion of respondents in Group 3 (17%), in Mexico over a quarter (29%) were in group 4, while over half of Nigerian respondents were in Group 2 (52%). Characteristics associated with membership in each group varied by country. Overall, men from rural areas with lower incomes and reliant on agriculture experienced the highest levels of exposure and vulnerability, while urban women from higher-income households were the least affected. This study underscores the importance of considering the intersectionality of risk and vulnerability when formulating policies and programs to address the impacts of climate change. Results emphasize the need for multi-sectoral policies that target the needs of different groups, to reduce inequalities and tailor to the context-specific needs of the most vulnerable people and households.

Towards a global impact-based forecasting model for tropical cyclones

Abstract. Tropical cyclones (TCs) produce strong winds and heavy rains accompanied by consecutive events such as landslides and storm surges, resulting in losses of lives and livelihoods, particularly in regions with high socioeconomic vulnerability. To proactively mitigate the impacts of TCs, humanitarian actors implement anticipatory action. In this work, we build upon such an existing anticipatory action for the Philippines, which uses an impact-based forecasting model for housing damage based on eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) to release funding and trigger early action. We improve it in three ways. First, we perform a correlation and selection analysis to understand if Philippines-specific features can be left out or replaced with features from open global data sources. Secondly, we transform the target variable (percentage of completely damaged houses) and not yet grid-based global features to a 0.1∘ grid resolution by de-aggregation using Google Open Buildings data. Thirdly, we evaluate XGBoost regression models using different combinations of global and local features at grid and municipality spatial levels. We first introduce a two-stage model to predict if the damage is above 10 % and then use a regression model trained on all or only high-damage data. All experiments use data from 39 typhoons that impacted the Philippines between 2006–2020. Due to the scarcity and skewness of the training data, specific attention is paid to data stratification, sampling, and validation techniques. We demonstrate that employing only the global features does not significantly influence model performance. Despite excluding local data on physical vulnerability and storm surge susceptibility, the two-stage model improves upon the municipality-based model with local features. When applied to anticipatory action, our two-stage model would show a higher true-positive rate, a lower false-negative rate, and an improved false-positive rate, implying that fewer resources would be wasted in anticipatory action. We conclude that relying on globally available data sources and working at the grid level holds the potential to render a machine-learning-based impact model generalizable and transferable to locations outside of the Philippines impacted by TCs. Also, a grid-based model increases the resolution of the predictions, which may allow for a more targeted implementation of anticipatory action. However, it should be noted that an impact-based forecasting model can only be as good as the forecast skill of the TC forecast that goes into it. Future research will focus on replicating and testing the approach in other TC-prone countries. Ultimately, a transferable model will facilitate the scaling up of anticipatory action for TCs.

Association of disaster-related damage with inflammatory diet among older survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

Traumatic experiences from disasters have enduring effects on health, both directly and indirectly by influencing health behaviours. Among potential pathways, the impact of disaster-related trauma on dietary patterns has been understudied. This study investigated the relationship between disaster-related trauma and dietary inflammatory index (DII®), and how these relationships differed by gender and whether they prepare meal by themselves or not among older survivors of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (n 1375). Dietary data were collected in 2020 using a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire, from which we derived a dietary inflammatory index (DII®) based on twenty-six food/nutrient items, where higher scores indicate pro-inflammatory (i.e. unhealthy) diet. We found that the experience of housing damage due to the earthquake and tsunami was associated with slightly higher DII scores (coef. = 0·38, 95 % CI -0·05, 0·81). Specifically, women who cooked by themselves tended to have higher DII when they experienced housing damage (coef. = 1·33, 95 %CI -0·63, 3·28). On the other hand, loss of friends was associated with a lower DII score (coef. = -0·28, 95 % CI -0·54, -0·01). These findings highlight the importance of providing support to groups who are at increased risk of deterioration in dietary quality in the aftermath of disasters.

The impact of rural loudspeaker systems on typhoon disasters: Guangdong Province of China

Rural Loudspeaker Systems (RLS) are interrelated with the management of typhoons in Guangdong Province, China. The study aims to determine the effectiveness of RLS devices in reducing injuries, fatalities, and house damage caused by typhoons. Additionally, it examines the role of Typhoon Warning Signals (TWS) level, which can indicate the severity of typhoon that people are alerted about, in conveying typhoon intensity and their impact on disaster outcomes. The analysis used multiple datasets, including RLS coverage, TWS-level, and typhoon disaster records. Poisson regression models are used to estimate the impact of RLS coverage on injuries, fatalities, and house damage. The results reveals that an increase in RLS coverage by one percentage point is associated with an 3% reduction in injury events and an 1% reduction in casualty (injury and fatality) events, highlighting the importance of the RLS as a dissemination tool to inform individuals and guide their behavior during typhoon events. However, house damage, a fixed asset, is not significantly influenced by RLS coverage but is more affected by the severity of the typhoon or TWS-level. These findings enhance the understanding of the influence of RLS devices on mitigating typhoon disasters and underscore the crucial need for implementing effective early warning systems in areas prone to vulnerabilities.