A Systematic Review of Forensic Approaches to Disasters: Gaps and Challenges

Disaster forensic approaches aim to identify the causes of disasters to support disaster risk management. However, few studies have conducted a systematic literature review of scientific articles that labeled themselves as a forensic approach to disasters. This article provides a qualitative analysis of these forensic studies, focusing on five main issues: (1) the methodologies applied; (2) the forensic approaches used in the disaster risk management phases; (3) the hazards addressed; (4) if the methodologies involve social participation, and using what types of participation; and (5) if there are references to urban planning in the scientific studies analyzed. Our results showed a predominance of the Forensic Investigations of Disasters (FORIN) and Post-Event Review Capability (PERC) methodologies used in isolation or combination. There is a need for methodologiesthat engage people in participatory FORIN, fostering the co-production of knowledge and action research approache

Near-Real-Time Analysis of Publicly Communicated Disaster Response Information

Analysis of a disaster event can identify strengths and weaknesses of the response implemented by the disaster management system; however, analysis does not typically occur until after the response phase is over. The result is that knowledge gained can only benefit future responses rather than the response under investigation. This article argues that there is an opportunity to conduct analysis while the response is operational due to the increasing availability of information within hours and days of a disaster event. Hence, this article introduces a methodology for analyzing publicly communicated disaster response information in near-real-time. A classification scheme for the disaster information needs of the public has been developed to facilitate analysis and has led to the establishment of best observed practice standards for content and timeliness. By comparing the information shared with the public within days of a disaster to these standards, information gaps are revealed that can be investigated further. The result is identification of potential deficiencies in communicating critical disaster response information to the public at a time when they can still be corrected

Preface: Natural hazard event analysis for risk reduction and adaptation

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A landscape forensic investigation of the 2021 flood in the Ahr Valley, Germany

The Ahr River experienced a catastrophic flood in July 2021, damaging or destroying nearly every home and piece of infrastructure in the valley. Though the river has had serious floods in history, contemporary methods to measure risk failed to account for the qualitative descriptions available and instead referenced a limited qualitative data set that has been collected since 1947. This drastically underdimensioned the risk of flooding for the Ahr during low pressure system "Berndt", which led to approximately €40 billion in damages in the region and the deaths of 135 people in the Ahr Valley alone. A comprehensive plan for disaster risk reduction is necessary but still completely lacking nearly a year after the disaster. The understanding of what is needed to reduce risk has developed through history, with several paradigms that underwent major shifts in how we see nature, spaces, and people as having a role. These paradigms are used to understand the benefits and limitations of planning concepts in each, so that an optimal risk reduction plan can be produced for the Ahr Valley reconstruction.M-GL

Annual Report 2013 of the Institute for Nuclear and Energy Technologies (KIT Scientific Reports ; 7678)

The annual report of the Institute for Nuclear and Energy Technologies of KIT summarizes its research activities and provides some highlights of each working group, like thermal-hydraulic analyses for nuclear fusion reactors, accident analyses for light water reactors, and research on innovative energy technologies: liquid metal technologies for energy conversion, hydrogen technologies and geothermal power plants. The institute has been engaged in education and training in energy technologies

Case-Based Decision Support for Disaster Management

Disasters are characterized by severe disruptions of the society’s functionality and adverse impacts on humans, the environment, and economy that cannot be coped with by society using its own resources. This work presents a decision support method that identifies appropriate measures for protecting the public in the course of a nuclear accident. The method particularly considers the issue of uncertainty in decision-making as well as the structured integration of experience and expert knowledge