In the 10/20/2026 edition:
News: Advancing community wildfire adaptation
By Wildfire Today on Oct 19, 2026 02:58 pm
Community wildfire adaption activities may not work as well as hoped because they downplay the importance of local contexts and local input.
News: Coastal erosion in England has claimed at least 183 homes in past 16 years
By Guardian, the (UK) on Oct 19, 2026 02:29 pm
Seaside communities along the east coast of England have lost at least 183 homes to coastal erosion and landslides over the past 16 years, figures obtained by the Guardian reveal.
News: Australia urgently needs a national bushfire database. Here’s what it could look like
By Conversation Media Group, the on Oct 19, 2026 02:26 pm
Beyond coordination, a national database could help Australia more fairly distribute bushfire management resources and facilitate the sharing of expertise, equipment and systems.
News: Houses of worship in New York City prepare for growing climate threats
By Yale Climate Connections on Oct 19, 2026 02:20 pm
Free climate-readiness audits are helping religious organizations identify ways to buttress their buildings for extreme heat, flooding, and other dangers.
News: Leveraging anticipatory action for disaster risk finance: lessons from Bangladesh
By Financial Protection Forum (World Bank) on Oct 19, 2026 02:15 pm
Bangladesh is building flood risk insurance and a Community Protection Fund using existing anticipatory action systems. The initiative uses established triggers, beneficiary registries and delivery networks, while adapting them for post-flood payouts.
News: El Niño looms large on World Food Day
By World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Oct 19, 2026 02:15 pm
World Food Day takes place on 16 October against a backdrop of an intensifying El Niño which is driving significant shifts in rainfall patterns – from drought to deluge – and impacting agriculture, fisheries and food production.
News: How Indian farmers use weather forecasts to plan weeks ahead
By World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Oct 19, 2026 02:14 pm
India is using sub-seasonal forecasts to help farmers anticipate rainfall, drought and pest risks, with examples showing how longer-range weather information supports planting, harvesting and more efficient irrigation.
News: NZ’s climate in ‘uncharted territory’, with more extreme weather events ahead
By Conversation Media Group, the on Oct 19, 2026 12:06 pm
New Zealand is set to see a future of more frequent and extreme droughts, heatwaves and fires, along with bigger floods.
News: How the climate crisis fueled the youth protests roiling France
By Inside Climate News on Oct 19, 2026 11:57 am
Youth protests for better school conditions have prompted a national political crisis. Lack of adaptation to a hotter world is part of the story.
News: Long after the Maui fires, toxic metals linger in residents’ bodies
By Grist Magazine on Oct 19, 2026 11:40 am
The toxic exposures didn’t begin with the flames. Researchers are examining how fires impacted a community already harmed by plantation agriculture, development, and colonialism.
News: How rewilding could help atoll islands keep pace with rising seas
By Inside Climate News on Oct 16, 2026 05:15 pm
Healthy ecosystems may give some of the world’s most vulnerable islands a better shot at survival, new research shows.
News: Same-day heat wave and wildfire smoke exposure is increasing worldwide
By Monash University on Oct 16, 2026 05:15 pm
A 20-year study found that global exposure to wildfires and heat waves occurring on the same days rose by 287 million from 2000 to 2019, with over half the world’s population experiencing these combined events.
News: Magic: The Gathering draws a bad hand with El Niño
By Grist Magazine on Oct 16, 2026 05:15 pm
El Niño-related shipping delays have left fans waiting for the game’s latest release.
News: Tigray faces a double catastrophe: War and worsening hunger
By The New Humanitarian on Oct 16, 2026 05:14 pm
Nearly four years after a peace deal ended the devastating war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, conflict has resumed, threatening stability across the Horn of Africa and overshadowing a catastrophic food crisis.
News: Japan hosts 2026 tourism resilience working-level meeting on Sendai statement pillar 2
By JTB Tourism Research and Consulting Co. on Oct 16, 2026 03:56 pm
The meeting highlighted the importance of continuous efforts after a crisis, such as the continuation and resumption of tourism-related businesses through public-private partnerships, securing human resources, and developing and promoting tourism products
News: Disasters cost $228 billion in housing losses every year
By United Nations – Headquarters on Oct 16, 2026 11:09 am
Marking the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, the UN chief stressed that “as climate and disaster risks multiply, building safer dwellings is the shared responsibility of governments, developers, engineers and communities”.
DRR Community Voices: Rethinking disaster reconstruction in Nepal: Building back for a changing climate
By Kshitiz Pokharel on Oct 16, 2026 10:15 am
Repeated floods in Nepal’s mountain and hill regions made the author raise a fundamental question: should reconstruction simply restore what was lost, or should it address the changing risks that made those communities vulnerable in the first place?
News: 5 expectations for COP 31 in Antalya
By United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) on Oct 15, 2026 05:14 pm
As climate negotiations move from commitment to implementation, here are five expectations for COP31 in Antalya.
News: Rewriting the rules of disaster finance
By Centre for Disaster Protection on Oct 15, 2026 05:13 pm
Kenya’s new risk financing strategy funds disaster prevention as well as recovery, breaking with a model most of the field still follows.
News: Mapping the risk: Is coastal Alaska ready for the next tsunami?
By Alaska Earthquake Center (University of Alaska Fairbanks) on Oct 15, 2026 05:11 pm
Alaska scientists have launched an interactive tsunami map covering 66 coastal communities, highlighting flood risks and preparedness gaps to help local leaders strengthen evacuation planning and protect lives.
News: Cities are sinking – but citywide averages hide the real problem
By Conversation Media Group, the on Oct 15, 2026 04:20 pm
As cities continue to sink, we need to examine these changes at the local scale. Averages across a whole city can tell us how big the problem is, but knowing where the land is sinking fastest – and who lives there – is essential to deciding for respon
DRR Community Voices: Resilience is about having more choices when risk arrives
By Manu Gupta on Oct 15, 2026 02:11 pm
This blog resilience means having more choices when risks arise. Strengthening livelihoods, empowering women and protecting ecosystems helps households build financial security, manage uncertainty and adapt to changing circumstances.
News: Saving lives, restoring livelihoods: building resilient communities in Indonesia
By Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Oct 14, 2026 03:37 pm
Between 2010 and 2025 floods in Indonesia claimed more than 1,700 lives and caused an estimated USD 5.8 billion in losses. ADB-backed forecasting systems now warn communities up to nine hours ahead, alongside livelihood support for affected households.
News: Resilience starts at home: building a safer future in Latin America and the Caribbean
By United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Oct 14, 2026 03:36 pm
For this year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNDP describes how risk-informed housing and land-use planning is taking shape in Cuba, Jamaica and Venezuela, in a region where 81.2 per cent of the population lives in cities.
News: When El Niño hits home: building household resilience ahead of a record-breaking climate event
By United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) on Oct 14, 2026 03:35 pm
Households absorb much of the cost of disasters: Post-Disaster Needs Assessments from 20 countries in Asia and the Pacific put about 40 per cent of impacts in social and productive sectors. ESCAP sets out three government interventions.
News: Sinking Bangkok: How historic floods exposed cracks in city’s disaster defenses
By Thai Public Broadcasting System World on Oct 14, 2026 03:33 pm
Experts say that without major upgrades to flood defenses, the city will fall deeper into an annual pattern of chaos and paralysis as climate change takes hold.
News: 2026 Kumamoto earthquake: The problem is not resource shortage but a lack of accessibility
By Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI) 独立行政法人経済産業研究所 on Oct 14, 2026 03:32 pm
In the aftermath of a disaster, affected areas are trapped in a severe information vacuum. When roads are damaged and communications fail, entering the disaster zone and conducting onsite surveys doesn’t give an tell what help is necessary and where.
News: How rapid financing helped Madagascar recover after a devastating cyclone
By Financial Protection Forum (World Bank) on Oct 14, 2026 03:31 pm
After Cyclone Gezani devastated Madagascar, pre-arranged financing programme, REPAIR, helped mobilize over US$15 million within seven days, supporting emergency assistance, cash-for-work activities and community-led recovery for more than 400,000 people.
News: Extreme El Niños are coming. Reaching net zero sooner means facing fewer of them
By Conversation Media Group, the on Oct 14, 2026 03:30 pm
New modelling suggests the tropical Pacific could stay in an El Niño-like state for centuries even after net zero is reached, with a larger share of El Niño events turning extreme. The longer emissions take to fall, the more of them.
News: IIT Madras-led international study finds atmospheric air pollution levels could aid in improving urban flood forecasts
By Indian Institute of Technology Madras on Oct 14, 2026 03:30 pm
An Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras)-led international study has found that atmospheric air pollution could play a critical role in improving the forecasting of rainfall and urban floods.
News: South Africa launches first climate and health surveillance platform to support climate-health intelligence and decision-making
By South African Medical Research Council on Oct 14, 2026 03:17 pm
South Africa launched its first national Climate and Health Surveillance platform, a pioneering research and decision-support tool designed to strengthen the country’s ability to understand and respond to the growing health impacts of climate change.
News: Monsoon megacities under pressure: Hydro-political resilience and urban inundation risks in Bangkok
By The Water Diplomat (TWD) on Oct 14, 2026 03:17 pm
On September 26th, following nearly 48 hours of continuous heavy rainfall, Bangkok was officially designated a disaster-affected zone following severe meteorological disruptions driven by an active low-pressure cell stalled across central Thailand.
News: When doctors are also survivors: Inside the minds of residents during the 2023 Türkiye earthquake
By Bioengineer.org on Oct 14, 2026 03:17 pm
A study of doctors’ experiences during the 2023 Türkiye earthquakes highlights gaps in disaster preparedness and calls for practical training, psychological support and policies that recognize healthcare workers may also be disaster survivors.
News: Podcast: Counter Crisis Season 3
By Centre for Disaster Protection on Oct 14, 2026 10:26 am
Third season of Counter Crisis bridges the distance people closest to a disaster and decision makers about the money to respond. In each episode, the policymakers and the people living with their decisions are in the same conversation for the first time.
News: Insurwave relaunches platform to make dynamic risk measurable 24/7
By Insurwave on Oct 14, 2026 10:25 am
Insurwave announced a powerful update and relaunch of its dynamic risk platform, bringing insurers, brokers and fleet owners onto one platform designed to make dynamic risk measurable as it moves, alongside a new brand identity.
News: How California is using AI and cameras to spot wildfires early
By New York Times, the on Oct 14, 2026 10:21 am
A roving crew installs cameras on California’s highest, craggiest ridgelines to catch wildfires early. Since 2023 artificial intelligence has scanned the network’s footage, and it now spots 51 per cent of the state’s wildfires first.
News: Most Romanians know what to do in an earthquake, far fewer have a family plan
By Romania Journal on Oct 14, 2026 10:19 am
A survey by IRES for the Romanian insurers’ association UNSAR finds that 88 per cent of Romanians say they know how to react in an earthquake, but only 44 per cent have agreed a family plan and 40 per cent keep a first-aid kit.
News: Major cities worldwide are sinking, satellite data reveal
By Phys.org on Oct 14, 2026 10:10 am
A study of 465 cities across 107 countries reveals global land subsidence trends from 2014 to 2023, identifying hotspots including Mexico City and several Asian cities. The findings highlight the need for continued monitoring and targeted action.
News: Indonesia and Japan develop mosque loudspeakers as earthquake warning alarms
By Guardian, the (UK) on Oct 14, 2026 10:09 am
The Indonesian government is working with Japan to broadcast earthquake early warnings through mosque loudspeakers, with trials planned in Jakarta and other regions by 2030 before nationwide rollout.
News: Drones are responding to wildfires. Are AI and robots next?
By Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, The on Oct 14, 2026 10:09 am
Federal agencies in the United States already use drones to map wildfires and detect hotspots. The Forest Service is now testing ground robots, and researchers are training machine-learning models on drone imagery to predict how fast a fire will spread.
News: Pacific sea-surface temperatures forecast to reach record levels as El Niño strengthens
By World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Oct 14, 2026 10:07 am
WMO’s Global Seasonal Climate Update forecasts the Niño 3.4 anomaly reaching about +3.7°C in October–December, the highest since observations began, with a near-100 per cent likelihood that El Niño persists through February 2027.
News: Call for poster abstracts: 6th Asia Pacific Science and Technology Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction
By UCL Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction on Oct 14, 2026 09:58 am
APSTCDRR 2027 aims to assess progress made since 2015, promote risk-informed policymaking, foster science-policy-practice interfaces, and advance inclusive, demand-driven innovation.
News: Measuring wildfire plumes to predict extreme fire behaviour
By Wageningen University and Research Centre on Oct 13, 2026 02:32 pm
Firefighter and researcher Marc Castellnou sends weather balloons into towering wildfire plumes to measure temperature, wind and humidity, opening a new way to anticipate when a fire turns extreme – and why some keep burning fiercely at night.
News: Builders rethink jobsite protocols due to extreme heat risks
By Urban Land Institute, the on Oct 13, 2026 02:29 pm
The construction industry is developing a more comprehensive approach to climate change as deadly heat waves pose growing risks to both workers and project deadlines.
News: The relevance of redundancy during severe weather
By Domestic Preparedness on Oct 13, 2026 02:28 pm
Municipalities can prevent system failures through redundancy – intentional duplication of critical functions that increases reliability – and keep mission-critical communications functioning so public safety professionals can serve the community.
News: AI improves long-term flood forecasting
By University of Technology Sydney on Oct 13, 2026 02:27 pm
Researchers developed advanced deep learning models incorporating attention mechanisms to identify important patterns in rainfall and river flow data, then combined the models’ predictions using a fusion approach to improve flood forecasting accuracy.
News: In an age of climate disaster, more states offer students a way to show they are ‘climate literate’
By The Hechinger Report on Oct 13, 2026 02:27 pm
More than 1,200 Colorado students have graduated with a seal demonstrating their climate awareness. The idea is spreading to other states
News: WIN DRR Awards spotlight women leaders turning global commitments into inclusive, locally-led disaster resilience in Samoa and the Philippines
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction – Regional Office for Asia and Pacific on Oct 13, 2026 11:53 am
The WIN DRR Leadership Awards 2026 have been granted to Ms Utumapu of Samoa and Ms Hualde of the Philippines, in recognition of their contributions to strengthening inclusive disaster resilience and women’s leadership.
News: New online game from Groupe de Secours Catastrophe Français helps families learn how to react to disasters and emergencies
By Groupe de Secours Catastrophe Français on Oct 13, 2026 10:01 am
This free online game, inspired by the book “Tout peut changer en une minute”, teaches the right reflexes before, during and after a disaster or emergency. Players face concrete situations and receive an immediate explanation of the right action.
News: Resilience starts at home, and travels outwards to transform societies
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on Oct 13, 2026 10:00 am
On International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, SRSG Kamal Kishore reflects on how everyday decisions about our homes shape disaster risk, how public policy can expand people’s capacity to act, and why recovery works best when households shape it.
News: To reduce humanitarian need, let us start with where and how homes are built
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on Oct 13, 2026 09:59 am
When policy, finance and implementation work together to protect where people live, resilience takes root – strengthening communities today and expanding opportunity for generations to come.
DRR Community Voices: From local resilience to systemic risk governance
By Bapon Fakhruddin on Oct 13, 2026 09:04 am
This blog poses that local preparedness cannot compensate for development, infrastructure, and investment decisions that systematically create and redistribute disaster risk.
News: Resilience starts at home: housing accounts for more than half of expected annual building losses
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on Oct 13, 2026 08:29 am
Homes account for more than half of the disaster losses expected each year across the world’s building stock, according to global risk modelling provided by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
News: UN calls for greater investment in housing resilience as homes account for 43% of reported disaster losses
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on Oct 13, 2026 08:04 am
Global modelling estimates US$228 billion in average annual residential building losses from cyclones, floods, tsunami and earthquakes, while new survey findings reveal critical gaps in household disaster preparedness.
News: Seven ways communities are coming together to make homes more resilient for everyone
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on Oct 13, 2026 07:55 am
Nobody knows a home’s risks better than the people who live in it. These seven examples show what happens when women, young people and residents with disabilities help plan, build and check the work.
News: Bridging the early warning to action gap requires building resilience at home
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on Oct 13, 2026 07:45 am
When disasters are imminent, timely warnings can be the difference between life and death. However, warnings are only effective when they are received, understood, and acted on.
News: Lao PDR launches initiative and competition to make early warnings reach everyone
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction – Regional Office for Asia and Pacific on Oct 13, 2026 03:14 am
The Government of Lao PDR, supported by the United Nations, NGOs and CSOs, launch an inclusive risk communication initiative and a video competition on the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction to improve early warnings.
