Article by Adrian Reid

??? soon 2024

In the early 1970s there were about 100 medium to large disasters per year. Now there are about 500 per year, and that number is expected to keep on growing. That means especially more heatwaves, but also floods, forest fires and drought, among other disasters. To survive, we need to prepare and plan, while we can, for this new era of disasters.

Article by Adrian Reid

??? soon 2024

There are now five times more natural disasters than there were a few decades ago, in the 1970's.

It's because of climate change says the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The UN is saying that the risk of disasters is "spiralling out of control".

There is one piece of good news out of all the doom. While the number of disasters have gone up over recent years, the number of deaths have gone down.

So even with five times as many disasters as before, the number of deaths has dropped. We still have a chance.

Preparing for disaster

There are a lot of ways to prepare for a natural disaster. Official advice depends on where you are, but can be boiled down to a few steps.

1. Identify what kind of disasters you need to prepare for. What kind of disasters is your area prone to, and what kind of disasters are the experts predicting?
2. Make a plan of action. Sit down with family members and discuss what each family member needs to do in a disaster, and write it down. Here are some templates — for family members and for pets.
3. Start preparing. After a disaster you might not have access to fresh food and water for days or even weeks. Stock up on supplies, enough to survive until help comes, with food, water and medicine. A grab bag ready could be handy in case you need to evacuate. Learn first aid if you can.

With all these preparations in place, you'll be a lot more ready for a disaster. But to make sure, it's a good idea to practice your plan. One day it might not be just a drill.

When disaster hits

Despite our best preparations, it seems like nothing can ever really prepare us for disaster.

There's the emotional impact.

"Black Sunday" bushfire survivors shared a common factor leading to their survival. Credit: robdownunder, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

In the face of a disaster we could have only seconds to react. But many just don't. Our reactions are usually overwhelming confusion, bewilderment and denial, and extreme emotions like fear and anger befuddle any capacity to think.

Survival psychologist John Leach says intense emotions are typical during what he calls the "impact" stage of a disaster.

Yet somehow, people survive.

What makes someone a survivor? Good luck, destiny, religion - we tend to think of some kind of X-factor.

In fact it could be something much simpler.

In interviews with victims of Australia's "Black Sunday" bushfires, researchers identified thirty-three survivors who were in such danger they could easily have perished. The stories these survivors told revealed a common factor, a mindset that they all shared, that led to their survival.

Black Sunday survivors showed in their stories how they were able to control their fear, identify threats and focus on dealing with these threats.

It could be why Christing Lang survived too. After the terror of regaining consciousness underwater at the bottom of a tsunami, she somehow managed to focus on swimming to the surface and eventually reaching safety on a balcony. In her words, "I made it my mission". She controlled her fear and became a survivor.

The days after

The days after. Credit: Russell Watkins/Department for International Development, CC BY 2.0

Rebuilding lives

Child amputee in recovery, Haiti. Credit: United Nations Photo, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Living with chronic crisis

Cat 5 Hurricane Patricia from space, 2015. Credit: NASA Earth Observatory, CC BY 2.0