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Natural Hazards

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Losses resulting from natural hazards—including floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and wildfires—cost billions of dollars each year. RAND research has shown how long-term loss-reduction strategies and disaster preparedness could improve the resilience of communities and infrastructure in the face of natural disasters, resulting in less property damage and reduced rebuilding costs.

Report

Exploring Funding Allocations to Best Support Louisiana's Flood Risk and Resilience

Mar 1, 2016

States that have recently experienced a presidentially declared major disaster can apply for funds through the Natural Disaster Resilience Competition. For Louisiana's application, RAND provided a quantitative analysis of baseline flood risks under different amounts of investment in three parishes.
Report

Climate Change May Increase Future Exposure of U.S. Infrastructure to Natural Hazards

Jul 12, 2016

Exposure to natural hazards such as flooding, drought, and wildfires is projected to be larger and more uncertain in the future due to the effects of sea level rise and changes in temperature and precipitation patterns.

Explore Natural Hazards

Report

Reducing Coastal Flood Risk with a Lake Pontchartrain Barrier

This report describes the results of an evaluation of the potential benefits for coastal Louisiana from a barrier across the mouth of Lake Pontchartrain. It also includes new estimates of the potential induced economic damage.

Aug 4, 2017
Journal Article

Economic Evaluation of Coastal Land Loss in Louisiana

This study quantifies the economic assets and activity that is at risk from the process of land loss in coastal Louisiana in a future without restoration and protection efforts to minimize or mitigate land loss.

Jul 19, 2017
Journal Article

Economic Evaluation of Coastal Land Loss in Louisiana

This report presents an economic evaluation of assets and activities at risk from land loss and associated storm damage in coastal Louisiana. The results show a significant level of risk to economic assets and activity in Louisiana.

Jul 19, 2017
Project

RAND's Support of Louisiana's 2017 Coastal Master Plan

RAND's researchers have supported development of Louisiana's 2017 Coastal Master Plan.

Jun 8, 2017
Commentary

Where Are India's Heat Hotspots?

Poverty, poor sanitation, a precarious water and electricity supply, and limited access to health care make India vulnerable to heat waves. Rural and urban districts could improve their preparedness by developing and targeting local adaptation strategies.

May 17, 2017
Report

Robust Stormwater Management in the Pittsburgh Region

The city of Pittsburgh and its surrounding region face significant—and potentially growing—stormwater management challenges. Analysis can help better understand the system's vulnerabilities and identify solutions.

Apr 24, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

Heat Wave Vulnerability Mapping for India

Indexing relative variation in heat-related vulnerability across all of India can help planners, policy makers, and disaster mitigation experts target climate adaptation efforts.

Apr 4, 2017
News Release

News Release

Rising Flood Insurance Costs a Growing Burden to Communities and Homeowners in New York City

Hurricane Sandy underscored the need for greater resilience to flooding. Insurance is part of the strategy, but it is spotty among one- to four-family properties in New York and is difficult for some to afford. Adding to the challenge is direction from Congress to phase out subsidies in the National Flood Insurance Program.

Mar 27, 2017
Report

Flood Insurance Costs Rising in New York City

Hurricane Sandy highlighted the importance of efforts to promote resilience. Flood insurance is a key component, but it's hard to afford for some households in New York City. What are some options for a program that helps reduce the impact of higher premiums?

Mar 27, 2017
Research Brief

How Affordable Is Flood Insurance in New York City and What Can Be Done to Address Affordability Issues?

This research brief examines the affordability of flood insurance in New York City and what can be done to address the affordability issue.

Mar 27, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

Setting Foundations for Developing Disaster Response Metrics

Review of three natural disasters revealed key categories and specific activities that can be used as an organizational framework to develop standardized disaster response measures and improve future disaster responses.

Mar 16, 2017
Report

Evaluation of the Jinan City Water Ecological Development Implementation Plan and Recommendations for Improvement

RAND evaluated potential effects of uncertain projections of demand and climate change on the ability of the Jinan Municipal Water Resources Bureau to meet its long-term water resources goals for Shandong Province's capital city.

Mar 9, 2017
Report

An Agenda to Advance Integrative Resilience Research and Practice: Key Themes From a Resilience Roundtable

Presents recommendations for an integrated agenda to promote transdisciplinary resilience research and practice, drawing on proceedings from a 2016 Resilience Roundtable and a supplementary literature review.

Feb 6, 2017
Commentary

Cholera in Haiti: No Surprise This Time Around

When Hurricane Matthew swept across Haiti, it left a resurgence of cholera in its wake. Tackling cholera head-on should be on the short list of health priorities for disaster relief in the island nation.

Oct 27, 2016
Journal Article

Journal Article

Geo-targeting Performance of Wireless Emergency Alerts in Imminent Threat Scenarios: Volume 1: Tornado Warnings

This study examines how Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) can be used to warn the public in three potentially deadly scenarios: --A large destructive earthquake; --A Tsunami ; and --A terrorist detonation of nuclear weapon in an urban area.

Oct 5, 2016
Journal Article

Journal Article

Geo-targeting Performance of Wireless Emergency Alerts in Imminent Threat Scenarios: Volume 2: Earthquake, Tsunami and Radiation Warnings

This study examines how WEA can be used to warn the public in three potentially deadly scenarios: A large destructive earthquake; A Tsunami ; and A terrorist detonation of nuclear weapon in an urban area.

Oct 5, 2016
Report

Report

Characterizing National Exposures to Infrastructure from Natural Disasters: Data and Methods Documentation

This report serves as the technical documentation and reference document for the data, methods, and analytic approach used in the analysis of national exposures to infrastructure from natural disasters.

Jul 12, 2016
Report

Designing Compensation Funds After Disasters

Man-made and natural disasters in the United States can cause personal injury and property damage to dozens, and sometimes even thousands, of people. Sometimes victim compensation programs are created afterwards. Program designers must consider fairness to victims, timely compensation, and low transaction costs.

Jul 6, 2016
Commentary

ISIS and Dirty Bombs

There has been growing concern that terrorists might use radiological sources to create a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD). Calculations have shown that an attack would be unlikely to produce radioactive contamination sufficient to kill or even injure anyone, but there would be psychological and economic effects.

Jun 3, 2016

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RAND Topic:
Natural Hazards

Topic Synonyms:
Natural Disasters

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