Why the United States is becoming more vulnerable to natural disasters

Extreme weather continues to preoccupy society as a formidable public safety concern bearing huge economic costs. While attention has focused on global climate change and how it could intensify key elements of the water cycle such as precipitation and river discharge, it is the conjunction of geophysical and socioeconomic forces that shapes human sensitivity and risks to weather extremes. We demonstrate here the use of high-resolution geophysical and population datasets together with documentary reports of rainfall-induced damage across South America over a multi-decadal, retrospective time domain (1960–2000). We define and map extreme precipitation hazard , exposure , affected populations, vulnerability and risk , and use these variables to analyse the impact of floods as a water security issue. Geospatial experiments uncover major sources of risk from natural climate variability and population growth, with change in climate extremes bearing a minor role. While rural populations display greatest relative sensitivity to extreme rainfall, urban settings show the highest rates of increasing risk. In the coming decades, rapid urbanization will make South American cities the focal point of future climate threats but also an opportunity for reducing vulnerability, protecting lives and sustaining economic development through both traditional and ecosystem-based disaster risk management systems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies over the last 10-15 years [26,[33][34][35][36] have highlighted the need to consider not only geophysics but also the socioeconomic forces that shape human sensitivity to weather extremes. One key phenomenon to quantify and better understand is the propensity of people to settle in hazardous locations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extreme rainfall, vulnerability and risk: a continental-scale assessment for South America

Vörösmarty

Guenni

Wollheim

et al. 2013

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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“…Disaster preparedness is increasingly critical as the severity and impact of natural disasters grows as a result of global climate change [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Coinciding with the rise in average temperatures, more earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and wildfires causing significant property damage and loss of life have been recorded in the United States in recent decades than previous ones [1,3,[8][9][10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Provision of care through telemedicine during a natural disaster: a case study

Pasipanodya

Shem

2020

Spinal Cord Ser Cases

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Introduction As the frequency and intensity of natural disasters increases, disaster preparedness is necessary for individuals with disabilities, including those with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, despite vulnerability to poorer outcomes, disaster preparedness for individuals with SCI is inadequate. Telemedicine has been effectively used to mitigate the impact of natural disasters. In this case study, we describe the provision of clinical care, via telemedicine, to an individual with SCI who was affected by the California Valley Fire in 2015. Case presentation The individual described was an adult who sustained a SCI. Before discharge from acute inpatient rehabilitation, they enrolled in a research study, through which they received outpatient SCI-specific care via telemedicine (teleSCI). The participant attended several teleSCI visits prior to the start of the Valley Fire. In the midst and immediate aftermath of prolonged wildfire, and despite experiencing significant personal loss as a result of the fire, the participant continued to receive teleSCI services. TeleSCI was used to address emergent and extant medical concerns and to facilitate replacement of medical supplies and equipment destroyed by fire. Discussion TeleSCI was used to provide continuity of care and was responsive to the needs of an individual with SCI severely affected by wildfire. Emergency preparedness that meets the needs of persons with disabilities is critical during times of crisis. Telemedicine may be an effective tool that can be applied to meet the medical needs of individuals with SCI and to mitigate the impact of disasters.

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“…9,11 The number of natural disasters in the United States has increased over time, and the country's changing demographics have resulted in a larger older-adult population with variations in health and independence levels. 2,[12][13][14] Thus, disaster-related research among older adults must expand to determine their access to social support and identify social network characteristics that may facilitate or inhibit this access.…”

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confidence: 99%

Older Adults and Social Support in a Disaster Context: Did Relocation Matter for Access to Social Network Resources After the 2015 South Carolina Flood?

Botchway

Teixeira

Moore

2019

Disaster med. public health prep.

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Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine social network characteristics and social support (emotional and instrumental support) and to determine how those factors differed between relocating older adults and nonrelocating older adults who were affected by the 2015 flood in South Carolina. Methods: Twenty-five community-dwelling elderly (CDE) were interviewed between December 2015 and May 2016 to learn about their experiences in the immediate aftermath of the flood. Ego-centric network data were collected with a focus on social network members and the types of flood-related support that these network members provided. Results: Ten of 25 CDE relocated because of the flood. All CDE were more likely to receive social support from female network members and family members than from other acquaintances. Relocating CDE received significantly less emotional support in comparison to nonrelocating CDE. The odds of receiving instrumental support were higher, but nonsignificant, among relocating CDE in comparison to nonrelocating CDE. Conclusions: The findings around the support provision are concerning particularly because of the additional psychological burden that relocation can place on flood-affected, older adults. Recommendations for public health preparedness strategies are provided in addition to future research directions for examining the well-being of flood-affected, older adults.

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Why the United States is becoming more vulnerable to natural disasters

Cited by 40 publications

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Extreme rainfall, vulnerability and risk: a continental-scale assessment for South America

Extreme rainfall, vulnerability and risk: a continental-scale assessment for South America

Provision of care through telemedicine during a natural disaster: a case study

Older Adults and Social Support in a Disaster Context: Did Relocation Matter for Access to Social Network Resources After the 2015 South Carolina Flood?

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