Tag: Benchmark Disasters

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1918 Flu Victim Skeletons Provide New Explanation for the Pandemic’s “W”-Shaped Mortality Curve

One question from the 1918 flu pandemic that intrigued epidemiologists was the shape of its death curve. Most communicable diseases have a U shaped death curve, as the youngest and the oldest members of society have the weakest immune defenses against contagions. However, previous studies found that those who were believed to be young and healthy were equally at risk to pass away from the 1918 flu; as a result, the death curve from the pandemic is shaped like the letter W.

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Devastating Flood in Libya: 8,000 Dead and 10,000 Missing

Photo credit: Jamal Alkomaty / AP

On Monday, heavy rainfall in Libya over two consecutive days caused the collapse of two dams in the coastal city Derna. The consequent flood has killed at least 8,000 people with 10,000 currently missing. Many were unsure of what to do as water began converging in the street at 2:30AM. Those who survived this disaster recall horrific scenes of bodies floating past them as they struggle to escape the flood.

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Omary Perez’s Case Study on the Bhopal Gas Leak Tragedy

Inside the UCC pesticide factory in Bhopal, India after the gas leak. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

On December 2, 1984, a gas leak at the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) pesticide plant in Bhopal, India resulted in around 45 tons of toxic chemicals leaking into surrounding neighborhoods. Considered one of history’s deadliest industrial accidents, the event resulted in approximately 15,000-20,000 deaths while 600,000 survivors suffered from respiratory diseases, blindness, miscarriages, and other serious health concerns.

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Jaclyn Perhati, Joey Horvath, Sofia Manzi, and Teniyah Vinson’s Qualtrics Report on Public Perceptions of Pandemic Preparedness and Response

A study by a group of NYU students aims to evaluate the relationship between public perception of, attitude towards, and experiences associated with COVID-19 along with sources for COVID-19 related knowledge and adherence to government recommendations. The group analyzed data collected from 75 respondents’ answers to a 21-question survey.

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Jiawen Shou, Victoria Sevilla, Thomas O’Neill, and Tanesha Brewster’s Report on the Public’s Behavior and Attitudes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This report on COVID-19 Attitudes, Practices and Perceptions analyzes a cross-sectional study, where surveyed individuals were asked about their attitudes, public health compliance, and perspectives on COVID-19 and any future pandemics. The subject of this report is especially important because misinformation rampant all throughout the COVID-19 pandemic had great negative impact on pandemic response measures. Information on this topic found through research can help public health officials design action plans for future pandemics to keep the public safe.

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Shatabdee Hawlader’s Mitigation Brief on the Great East Japan Earthquake

The east bank of Japan after floodwaters receded. Photo courtesy of Wiki Images.

The Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami are among the largest natural disasters in written history. In a mitigation brief, Swatabde Hawlader analyzed the disaster recovery and reconstruction process following the March 11, 2011 event.

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Himani Chhetri’s Mitigation Brief on the Great East Japan Earthquake

An emergency response worker searching through rubble after the tsunami. Courtesy of Wiki Images.

Known as the Great East Japan Earthquake, a magnitude 9.0 – 9.1 earthquake off the coast of Honshu, Japan produced a deadly tsunami on March 11, 2011. The earthquake is currently the strongest in Japan’s recorded history. Not only was the event destructive but many mitigation strategies implemented by the Japanese Government prior to the disaster failed when the tsunami made landfall.

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Olivia Ducharme’s Mitigation Brief on the Great East Japan Earthquake

An earthquake off the coast of Japan produced a fatal tsunami that made landfall on March 11, 2011. Known as the Great East Japan Earthquake, the 9.0 – 9.1 magnitude quake produced a natural disaster that took 20,000 people’s lives. The tsunami devastated homes and infrastructure, causing an ensuing accident at a power plant.

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Yemima Prophète’s Mitigation Brief on the Montserrat Volcano

The previously dormant Montserrat Volcano located in the Soufrière Hills on the Caribbean island of Montserrat erupted in 1995. The explosion released ash for months, changing the island’s landscape. Nineteen lives were lost in the disaster, and communities in the vicinity of the volcanic eruption were forced to evacuate. The tragedy also laid bare existing economic and social issues in the region.

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