Natural disasters journal articles

General

• 'Earth 1998', Discover, 1999, vol. 21, no. 1, January, pp. 64-7
  1998 was the warmest year on record and amongst the most important natural happenings were the flooding of the Yangtze River, Hurricane Mitch which devastated Central America, the destruction of Papua New Guinean villages by a tsunami as a consequence of an underwater earthquake, and evidence that the thermosphere is shrinking. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Epstein, Paul 2000, 'Is global warming harmful to health?', Scientific American, vol. 283, no. 2, August, pp. 36-43.
  The author discusses the myriad impacts on health that experts now believe global warming will bring. These do not just include a greater frequency of natural disasters due to increased storm activity, but also a greatly altered pattern and spread and range of numerous infectious and contagious diseases, including malaria, cholera and dengue fever. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Hoy, Anthony 2000, 'The storm troopers', Bulletin, vol. 118, no. 6219, 11 April, pp. 44-6.
  A look at Australia's meteorological observation systems, showing how data transmitted from isolated cattle stations along Australia's north coast is integrated into the Bureau of Meteorology's climate and synoptic network. Information in Australia is used by the World Meteorological Organisation to track cyclones and other extreme weather events. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Lidstone, John 1997, 'Global patterns of natural disasters', Geodate, vol. 10, no. 4, September, pp. 1-5.
  Any examination of global patterns of natural disasters inevitably raises more questions than it can answer since the range of patterns is so large, embracing all human and physical aspects of the planet. [Abstract from author]
• McGuire, Bill 2006, 'Earth, fire and fury', New Scientist, vol. 190, no. 2553, 27 May, pp. 32-6.
  Evidence is accumulating that changes in global climate can and do affect the frequencies of events such as earthquakes, sea-floor landslides and volcanic eruptions, and there is a growing consensus among scientists that if climate change continues unchecked we can expect more geological activity in the future. [Abstract from Austguide]
• MacKenzie, Debora 1998, 'Never again', New Scientist, vol. 160, no. 2164, 12 December, p. 57.
  In the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch and the havoc it wrought in Central America, the author argues that such natural disasters can be ameliorated because we have the means to produce disaster plans for coping with such situations. These plans are cost-effective, and they are in the best interest of everyone. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Natural disasters: floods and droughts', Understanding Global Issues, 2006, no. 141, pp. 4-5.
  While earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis are rare events, flooding and drought have become increasingly common, and cause more deaths than any other type of natural disaster. [Abstract from article]
• 'Natural disasters: from landslides to locusts', Understanding Global Issues, 2006, no. 141, pp. 10-11.
  Landslides, forest fires, insect infestations and disease epidemics present additional perils. Multiple hazards are common. Landslides and fires may follow earthquakes, floods may follow windstorms. [Abstract from article]
• 'Natural disasters: relief and reconstruction', Understanding Global Issues, 2006, no. 141, pp. 14-15.
  Worldwide deaths from natural disasters have been reduced from 2.7m in 1956-1965 to 0.9m in 1996-2005. But property damage has rocketed from $4bn to over $100bn a year. [Abstract from article]
• 'Natural disasters: the restless Earth', Understanding Global Issues, 2006, no. 141, p. 1.
  Planet Earth's hospitable environment has enabled human civilisation to develop. Natural disasters are a reminder of the powerful forces that surround, and can sometimes overhelm mankind. [Abstract from article]
• 'Natural disasters: risk assessment and early warning systems', Understanding Global Issues, 2006, no. 141, pp. 12-13.
  Government officials, scientists and insurance actuaries have to assess the risks of different natural disasters, and devise ways to reduce their impact. [Abstract from article]
• 'Natural disasters: volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis', Understanding Global Issues, 2006, no. 141, pp. 2-3.
  There are over 1 500 active volcanoes worldwide, but major eruptions are relatively rare. There are thousands of earthquakes every year though only a few give rise to tsunamis. [Abstract from article]
• 'Natural disasters: when the wind blows', Understanding Global Issues, 2006, no. 141, pp. 6-7.
  Windstorms are among the most destructive of all natural forces and are often followed by floods. Tornadoes can strike almost anywhere but hurricanes are limited to tropical and sub-tropical areas. [Abstract from article]
• Powell, Corey 2000, 'Twenty ways the world could end suddenly', Discover, vol. 21, no. 10, October, pp. 50-7.
  In 1983, British cosmologist Brandon Carter framed what has been termed the 'Doomsday argument', which put forward a statistical way to view the likelihood of the extinction of man. Here the author outlines twenty scenarios, ranging from natural disasters such as an asteroid hit, to human-triggered disasters that could result in the extinction of humanity. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Bushfires

• Beale, Bob 2002, 'Flashpoint', Bulletin, vol. 120, no. 6311, 12 February, pp. 26-8.
  There are a multitude of ways in which bushfires shape, inspire, pervade and regenerate life and landscapes across vast areas of the Australian continent, and we must learn to understand and appreciate these qualities of bushfires, despite their destructive potential. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Catchpole, Heather 2003, 'Bushfires: preventing a natural disaster', Helix, no. 93, December-January, pp. 9-16.
  Bushfires are one of Australia's worst nightmares and are one of the most serious threats to Australian homes. They have been responsible for the loss of hundreds of human lives, and countless animals, as well as affecting vast areas of farmland, buildings, roads, rail and communications, causing damage totalling billions of dollars. [Abstract from author]
• Dopita, Igor 1993, 'BHP Prize: bushfire computer modelling', Australasian Science, Winter, pp. 50-3.
  The writer, a Year 9 student, developed a computer program which reproduced the observed features of the Ash Wednesday fires in both grassland and forest. Includes photograph, diagrams. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Feizkhah, Elizabeth 2003, 'Keeping fires at bay', Time Australia, no. 4. 3 February, pp. 42-3.
  The massive bushfires that swept into urban regions in Canberra in late 2002 destroyed more than 500 homes. This article examines the likely causes of much of the damage: poor urban design, houses not fireproofed, and a lack of standard guidelines for fire prevention. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Flannery, Tim 2003, 'Bushfire of our vanities', Bulletin, vol. 121, no. 6364, 4 February, pp. 20-1.
  By examining the ecological influence of European colonisation and the underlying assumptions regarding the land and its management, this article argues that the bushfires that have swept much of Australia in recent years have been caused by a poor understanding of the basic ecology of Australia and a lack of fire management as practised by Aboriginals. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Gantenbein, Douglas 2002, 'Burning questions', Scientific American, vol. 287, no. 5, November, pp. 66-73.
  Wildfires in the American West have been getting progressively bigger and more dangerous to both property and life over the last few years. This article looks at a number of research programs under way to better understand the behaviour of wildfires, aimed at helping to mitigate their destructive potential. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Linnell, Garry 1999, 'Keepers of the flame', Bulletin, vol. 117, no. 6161, 16 February, pp. 28-9.
  Experimental work with controlled fires, complex computer modelling and the information gathered from the Ash Wednesday fires of 1983 aimed to give researchers and fire fighters a better understanding of the behaviour of bushfires in Australia. Includes photograph. [Abstract from Austguide]
• McGhee, Karen 2003, 'A Royal recovery', Australian Geographic, no. 69, January-March, pp. 78-9.
  An account of the Royal National Park, between Sydney and Wollongong, and the effects upon it of devastating bushfires in 1994 and 2001. There is some concern that the second fire was too soon after the first to allow the Park to recover completely, but no plant species appears to be lost, although some animal species may have disappeared. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Moldofsky, Leora 2002, 'Saving the fires' smallest victims', Time Australia, no. 2, 21 January, p. 12.
  Thousands of animals were lost in the bushfires which engulfed 300 000 hectares of New South Wales' national parks in 2001. Some of the injured animals were cared for by volunteers, but it was months before they were returned to their habitat and there will need to be no further fires there for ten years if numbers of some species are to recover. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Pockley, Peter 2002, 'Bushfire research smoulders', Australasian Science, vol. 23, no. 2, March, p. 20.
  Although Australian researchers have made important discoveries about bushfires and their control, the urban population has not heeded recommendations for controlled fires to reduce fuel levels in bushland, and, compared to the cost of fires, the finance available for bushfire research is paltry. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Cyclones and hurricanes

• Beardsley, Tim 2000, 'Dissecting a hurricane', Scientific American, vol. 282, no. 3, March, pp. 62-7.
  The author describes a flight into the heart of Hurricane Dennis undertaken by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Researchers took wind speed and temperature readings to better understand why some tropical storms develop into hurricanes, and whether water temperature determines how hurricanes evolve. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Behar, Michael 2005, 'When Earth attacks!', Popular Science, vol. 266, no. 5, May, pp. 46-53.
  Despite very considerable advances in the detection of possible disasters, these can still cause a great deal of damage and loss of life. The article looks at our means of detecting volcanoes, hurricanes, landslides, tsunamis and earthquakes and how, by our actions in destroying some natural protection mechanisms, we enhance their destructive effects. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Hayden, Thomas 2006, 'Super storms', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 210, no. 2, August, pp. 66-77.
  2005: Year of the Hurricane. It was a season of superlatives. Never before had a hurricane caused as much economic damage as Katrina. Never before had the Atlantic seen twenty-seven named tropical storms - so many that the list of storm names had to be extended to Greek letters. Seven made landfall in the United States. Never had fifteen hurricanes been spotted in one season, including four category five storms. Includes photographs. [Abstract from author]
• Hoffman, Ross N. 2004, 'Controlling hurricanes', Scientific American, vol. 291, no. 4, October, pp. 38-45.
  Researchers, including the author, believe they will ultimately find ways to nudge hurricanes to benign paths or defuse them. Computer simulation work, now in its infancy, will enable the accurate prediction of a hurricane's course, to indentify the physical changes needed to influence its behaviour and determine ways to effect these changes. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Kluger, Jeffrey 2005, 'Global warming: the culprit?', Time Australia, no. 39, 3 October, pp. 34-8.
  With two months of the hurricane season still to come, there were only four names unused on an annual list of twenty-one. The number of hurricanes is largely constant, but the number of category four and five ones has nearly doubled over the past decades. The article discusses this increase and its possible attribution to the effects of global warming. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Lemonick, Michael D 1999, 'A very close call', Time Australia, no. 39, 27 September, pp. 28-31.
  The powerful and dangerous Hurricane Floyd narrowly missed wreaking destruction on the coastal state of Florida in south-east United States in 1999. Warnings by meteorological organisations led to the largest evacuation of inhabitants of the area in American history. The downgraded hurricane produced heavy flooding in North Carolina. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Middleton, Nick 2000, 'Coming to blows', Geographical Magazine, vol. 72, no. 10, October, pp. 54-8.
  The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to the end of November, during which time the Caribbean, Central America and South-eastern United States can expect to experience these swirling masses of air with wind speeds up to 300 km per hour. This article describes hurricane formation, and some of the more destructive storms in recent years. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Nash, J Madeleine 1999, 'Wait till next time', Time Australia, no. 39, 27 September, pp. 32-4.
  An explanation of how hurricanes are formed and how their strength and intensity is affected by factors such as the El Nino and La Nina phenomena, wind currents and global warming. Oceanographers are predicting relatively high hurricane activity in the future. Includes photograph, diagrams, map. [Abstract from Austguide]
• O'Neill, Graeme 1999, 'Cyclone warnings', Ecos, no. 99, April-June, pp. 20-2.
  Global warming may produce changes in the pattern and severity of cyclones and storm surges in northern Australia and, as discussed here, CSIRO is endeavouring to develop models which will enable the possible changes and their effects to be studied. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Schulz, Dennis 1995, 'The night Darwin was blown away', Bulletin, vol. 116, no. 5952, 27 December-3 January, pp. 26-30.
  It is more than twenty-five years since Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin, laying waste to 90% of the city and killing at least sixty-five people. This article recalls the destruction, the tales of those who survived, and the aftermath. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Williams, A R 1999, 'After the deluge: Central America's storm of the century', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 196, no. 5, November, pp. 108-29.
  During the last days of October and early days of November 1998, Hurricane Mitch, one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded, and the tropical storm it became as it slowed down, wound its way through Central America, bringing winds and then rain which simply devastated large swathes of land, causing thousands of deaths and billions of dollars of damage. Includes photographs, diagram, map. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Drought

• 'Can we 'drought-proof' Australia?', Studies of Society and Environment, 2003, no. 1, pp. 3-14.
  Investigates drought in Australia - its causes, impacts and management. [Abstract from article]
• Cawood, Matthew 2003, 'The drought', Australian Geographic, no. 70, April-June, pp. 92-103.
  A discussion of the extent of the drought in Australia which looks at how it has affected a number of farmers in outback and rural New South Wales, and how it compares with previous drought periods, all discussed within the context that drought is a natural, episodic event in Australia and thus is an event that farmers must try to manage as best they can. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Clausen, Lisa 2003, 'Precious drops', Time Australia, no. 3, 27 January, pp. 44-6.
  Water restrictions have been introduced and better water management encouraged across Australia as the worst drought in two decades affects many parts of the continent. The article also looks at new technologies for water management and new attitudes to water conservation. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'A growing thirst', Economist, 2003, vol. 366, no. 8308, 25-31 January, p. 38.
  Large areas of the United States are experiencing drought. While western cities, such as Los Angeles, have sufficient water, non-urban areas are suffering, and climatologists are concerned about shifts in weather patterns that suggest that future droughts will be more frequent and severe. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Karoly, David; Risbey, James; Reynolds, Anna 2003, 'Global warming contributes to Australia's worst drought', Issues, no. 62, pp. 38-43.
  The authors set out their arguments that Australia's current severe drought is the first in Australia where the impact of global warming can be observed, noting that not only was the drought associated with low rainfall, but in 2002 Australia recorded its highest-ever average annual daytime maximum temperatures. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Lester, Tim; Olsen, Julie 2003, 'Challenging perceptions of drought in Australia', Issues, no. 62, pp. 32-4.
  There has been little questioning to date of the economic system and traditional thinking that has supported land management practices that are generally unsustainable in an Australian context, particularly in times of drought. Research is now under way to development regional plans and policy settings for sustainable land use. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Living with drought', Issues, 2003, no. 62, pp. 35-7.
  The Bureau of Meteorology's brief overview of the general climatic conditions in Australia, which has one of the most variable rainfall climates in the world, including discussion of the Drought Watch Service which it has operated since 1965. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Way, Nicholas 2003, 'Smart farmers see hope on the horizon', Business Review Weekly, vol. 25, no. 1, 16-22 January, pp. 56-9.
  While there is no doubt that the latest drought has brought much hardship to vast areas of regional and outback Australia, the good news is that better agronomy and farm management practices and reforms to the agricultural sector over the past two decades mean that more farmers were prepared, and the sector will quickly recover once the drought ends. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Earthquakes

• Cervelli, Peter 2004, 'The threat of silent earthquakes', Scientific American, vol. 290, no. 3, March, pp. 58-63.
  A silent earthquake, producing no sound or seismic record, is a type of massive earth movement along a fault line. The article discusses the characteristics of these quakes, which were identified only a few years ago, such as the production of massive tsunamis and the conditions under which they can increase or decrease the possibility of further shocks. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Dorreen, Emma 2001, 'Firestorm: after the quake the real nightmare begins', Newton, no. 7, September-October, pp. 60-77.
  Outbreaks of fire in urban areas after earthquakes are common - for example, after the Kobe earthquake some 200 fires were ignited - and this article looks at the danger posed by such fires, and the potential of a firestorm erupting if a quake was to hit a major city such as Tokyo. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Gibbs, Nancy; Van Biema, David 1994, 'Aftershock', Time Australia, vol. 9, no. 5, 31 January, pp. 20-8.
  The Los Angeles earthquake had left thousands of people homeless and disrupted the everyday lives of millions. This article looks at the damage done and highlights how the quake affected the lives of people in the vast city. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Gore, Rick 2000, 'Wrath of the gods. Centuries of upheaval along the Anatolian Fault: earthquake in Turkey', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 198, no.1, July, pp. 32-51.
  The North Anatolian Fault which runs through northern Turkey is one of the world's most active fault lines, causing at least thirteen major earthquakes since 1939 alone. This article describes the effects of the August 1999 earthquake along this fault, which killed tens of thousands of people. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Lawson, Margaret 2001, 'What caused the Newcastle earthquake?', Australasian Science, vol. 22, no.2, March, pp. 34-6.
  Scientists have now fully investigated and located the fault line responsible for the 1989 earthquake that struck Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. Their studies indicate that the fault still has enough potential energy to cause another quake in the future, perhaps of a magnitude of 7. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Pease, Roland 2001, 'Tailing the tremors: interview with Rebecca Bendick', New Scientist, vol. 170, no. 2288, 28 April, pp. 42-5.
  Bendick is an American seismologist who has been studying the devastating earthquake that hit the Indian state of Gujarat in January. This was a rare intra-plate quake - which occurs within plates rather than at the point where two plates meet. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Pfeiffer, Tom 2003, 'Mount Etna's ferocious future', Scientific American, vol. 288, no. 4, April, pp. 40-7.
  Long regarded as a relatively tame volcano, over the last two years Mount Etna has defied this description and erupted a number of times. Researchers now believe that these eruptions may have been caused by the collision of two tectonic plates. If correct, this hypothesis suggests the volcano may become even more explosive and violent. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Reed, Christina 2004, 'Silent alarm', New Scientist, vol. 183, no. 2464, 11 September, pp. 34-7.
  Megathrusts are major earthquakes produced when an oceanic plate sliding down underneath a continental plate jams against it, building up stress until the jam catstrophically gives way. Seismic and GPS studies have detected seismic noise connected to 'silent' earthquakes, suggesting a way of obtaining warning of a possible major coastal earthquake. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Stein, Ross 2003, 'Earthquake conversations', Scientific American, vol. 288, no. 1, January, pp. 60-7.
  Scientists have recently discovered that earthquakes interact in complex ways and fault lines have been found to be unexpectedly responsive to subtle stresses they acquire during shocks that strike nearby faults - if correct, these discoveries would enable scientists to dramatically improve the accuracy of earthquake predictions. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Van Biema, David 1995, 'When Kobe died', Time Australia, no. 4, 30 January, pp. 14-23.
  An earthquake that registered 7.2 on the Richter scale devastated the city of Kobe in Japan. An estimated 5 000 people died in the quake that buckled freeways, wrecked houses, ignited countless fires and left an estimated 310 000 homeless. This article and pictures describe the tragedy, and the relief work, and gives the stories of some of the survivors. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Wilson, Jim 2003, 'Predicting earthquakes from space', Popular Mechanics, vol. 180, no. 12, December, pp. 44-5.
  Shortly geologists will have a new earthquake sensing system and a tool for analysing shifts and movements in fault lines which could also help in predicting future quakes. The system, called QuakeSim, utilises GPS technology to monitor movements along fault lines and uses Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) to measure normal tectonic movements. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Working knowledge: earthquake protection. Shock absorbed', Scientific American, 2004, vol. 291, no. 4, October, pp. 72-3.
  Constructing buildings to prevent loss of life during earthquakes is largely an economic problem, so efforts are being made to minimise damage to structures, mechanical systems and equipment. The article discusses some of the heavy-duty features being inserted between buildings and their foundations to allow the building to sway instead of snap. Includes diagrams. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Year in science 2003: earthquake alerts - buying a few precious seconds', Discover, 2004, vol. 25, no. 1, January, p. 62.
  Two American researchers devised a new earthquake warning system in 2003 based on the fact that earthquakes emit two kinds of energy waves, one of which travels faster than the other, thereby giving a few seconds of warning. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Famine

• 'Africa's horn of famine', Economist, 2002, vol. 365, no. 8299, 16-22 November, p. 41.
  Drought has resulted in Ethiopia now facing a famine which could be worse than the 1984 famine in which one million people died. Without help, some fifteen million Ethiopians could be at risk by early 2003, but the better political situation means that fewer people face death than in 1984. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Against the grain', Economist, 2003, vol. 366, no. 8312, 22-28 February, p. 34.
  Shandong Province in eastern China has been in the grip of a drought for the past three years plunging many farmers further into poverty. Despite directives from the central government for local county governments to help these peasants with free grain, many have failed to help the farmers. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Bell, Martin 2002, 'No hope in hell: famine in Malawi', Geographical Magazine, vol. 74, no. 11, November, pp. 18-28.
  Half of the population of Malawi are children and, added to the scourge of AIDS, the crops have failed. As in other African countries, the government simply refers to this as a food shortage but the author is appalled by the condition of the countryside and the number of children and young people dying from hunger. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Collis, Brad 2000, 'Feeding the soils of Africa', Ecos, no. 103, April-June, pp. 25-8.
  This article discusses how Kenyan farmers are using agroforestry methods developed by the Nairobi-based International Centre for Research into Agroforestry to develop 'sustenance' farming. A combination of legumes and cow manure is raising milk production and allowing diversification into cash crops, and perhaps famine-proofing their communities. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Drought, death and taxes', Economist, 2002, vol. 364, no. 8289, 7-13 September, pp. 47-8.
  Drought conditions in much of Ethiopia, coming on top of the expensive and futile war with neighbouring Eritrea, and a tax system which denies poor farmers much needed crops, is now spreading the risk of famine, with the World Food Programme estimating that some six million people may require food aid. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Egziabher, Tewolde Berhan Gebre 2003, 'How (not) to feed Africa', New Internationalist, no. 353, January, pp. 14-5.
  Famine is widespread in Africa, largely, according to the general view, through drought, but just moving food would alleviate the shortages. The solution to Africa's food shortage lies in decentralised storage of enough food to cope with the vagaries of weather and other variables. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Will they ever have enough food?', Economist, 2001, vol. 361, no. 8252, 15-21 December, p. 40.
  Despite some recent improvements, parts of Ethiopia remain chronically vulnerable to famine because of a lack of water resources, land tenure laws which make it hard for farmers to raise capital and thereby improve their lands, and a lack of simple infrastructure, such as decent roads. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Floods

• 'After the deluge, moi?', Economist, 2002, vol. 364, no. 8287, 24-30 August, pp. 37-8.
  In 2002, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Germany suffered the worst floods for a century, with the effects being most pronounced in Germany. The article looks at the general effect of flooding, particularly in the eastern state of Saxony, and at the possible economic and political consequences of the floods. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Fischetti, Mark 2006, 'Protecting New Orleans', Scientific American, vol. 294, no. 2, February, pp. 46-53.
  The devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita raise doubts as to whether coastal communities can ever be completely protected from future storms. The article discusses technologies already in use - floating flood gates, sliding sluices, hydraulic disks and rising flaps - in other areas which could help to prevent or control flooding. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Furniss, Charlie 2006, 'Geographical dossier: saturation point', The Geographical Magazine, vol. 78, no. 6, June, pp. 34-44.
  A recent British report suggests that more than half a million properties in Britain are now in danger of flooding, from heavy rains and sea level increases, a situation perhaps to be exacerbated by global warming. This dossier looks at these problems and the steps that are being, and could be, taken to lessen potential flooding problems. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Hoy, Anthony 2000, 'Spillage of the damned', Bulletin, vol. 118, no. 6253, 5 December, pp. 46-7.
  Much of the damage to farmland in northern New South Wales during flooding has been exacerbated by poor river management policies, particularly the unrestricted building of levees on individual properties which forces excess flood waters onto unprotected areas. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Longreach by the sea', Wildlife Australia, 2000, vol. 37, no. 2, Winter, pp. 44-5.
  A number of photographs taken in and around Longreach after the town was flooded in February 2000 by a deluge caused by Cyclone Steve. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Pearce, Fred 2002, 'Europe's wake-up call', New Scientist, vol. 175, no. 2357, 24 August, pp. 4-5.
  In the aftermath of the worst floods to strike parts of central Europe for 100 years, questions are being asked about why the flooding was so bad. Although global warming in general has been highlighted as a cause, exceptionally high rainfall in the Austrian Alps, linked with early meltwater, were the more immediate causes of the flooding. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Pearce, Fred 2004, 'We can't hold back the water any more', New Scientist, vol. 181, no. 2429, 10 January, pp. 26-9.
  Recent devastating floods in Europe have caused engineers and governments to re-think flood control measures and how rivers are controlled and directed. Many experts now advocate flood plans in which the destructive strength of water is lessened by allowing it to disperse into natural flood plains, fields and lakes. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Stojaspal, Jan 2002, 'Raging waters', Time Australia, no. 33, 26 August, pp. 30-7.
  Flooding across Europe killed dozens and caused billions of dollars in damage to cities and farms in 2002. Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany were hardest hit, with rivers and dams unable to cope with the water from torrential rains. A debate has ensued as to whether global warming or Europe flood management faults are to blame. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Plague

• MacKenzie, Debora 2002, 'West Nile virus: plague on a national icon', New Scientist, vol. 176, no. 2366, 26 October, pp.14-5.
  West Nile virus, which first arrived in North America in 1999, has now spread, as ornithologists predicted, to nearly all states in America and Canadian territories. While most publicity has been given to the threat posed by the disease to humans, with over 3 200 people contracting fever in 2002, the disease also threatens to decimate native bird populations. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Marriott, Edward 2002, 'Return of the Black Death', Geographical Magazine, vol. 74, no. 9, September, pp. 42-7.
  Madagascar was recognised by the World Health Organisation (WTO) in the mid-1990s as one of four plague hotspots in the world and during the 1990s reported rates of infection in Madagascar climbed steadily, while strains developed which are increasingly showing resistance to the main antibiotics used for treatment. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Orent, Wendy 2001, 'Will the Black Death return', Discover, vol. 22, no. 11, November, pp. 72-7.
  This article discussing the plague looks at the two different types of plague outbreaks which have occurred in the past 2 000 years, pneumonic plague and bubonic plague. Scientists need to understand these two varieties and how they spread to fully evaluate the threat posed by a genetically engineered plague that may have been created by Soviet scientists. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Tornadoes

• Miller, Norman 1999, 'How a whirlwind works', Geographical Magazine, vol. 71, no. 6 June, pp. 82-3.
  A British meteorologist, working on a storm in Wokingham, pieced together the first accurate picture of a tornado in 1959 and some account of that picture is given here. The country with the highest frequency of tornados in the world is the United Kingdom, although we hear more of those forming in the United States. Includes photograph, diagram. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Svital, Kathy 2003, 'Tiny tornadoes', Discover, vol. 24, no. 7, July, pp. 44-7.
  Dust devils are storms of dust which occur in hot regions, swirling and circling in the same way as tornadoes. Long overlooked because they lack the destructive impact of other meteorological phenomena, scientists are now taking more of an interest in dust devils because of evidence that they may play a crucial role in the weather on Mars. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Walker, Gabrielle; Kleiner, Kurt; Seife, Charles 1999, 'Out of the wreckage', New Scientist, vol. 162, no. 2186, 15 May, pp. 4-5.
  The seventy-six tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas and Texas in 1999 were the most destructive in decades. The article discusses what is now known, and what is speculated, about the formation of tornadoes and how better data could lead to a system of predicting when violent storms could turn into tornadoes. Includes photographs, diagrams. [Abstract from Austguide]

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Tsunamis

• Bryant, Edward 2003, 'Tsunami in Australia', Nature Australia, vol. 27, no. 9, Winter, pp. 44-51.
  A discussion of tsunamis noting the various events which can trigger a tsunami, describing the characteristics which make these waves so potentially destructive, and outlining evidence of significant tsunami episodes in Australia's past. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Death from the deep', Bulletin, 2005, vol. 123, no. 6453, 18 January, pp. 30-31.
  A look at how the most powerful seismic event in forty years spawned killer swells across the width of the Indian Ocean - and how a warning system could have saved tens of thousands of lives. [Abstract from article]
• Clausen, Lisa 1998, 'Wave of devastation', Time Australia, no. 31, 3 August, pp. 38-9.
  A tsunami triggered by a seaquake in the Bismarck Sea devastated villages at Aitape on the north-west coast of New Guinea in 1998. The official death toll was 1 500, but thousands remained unaccounted for. This is the latest for a country hit many times by natural disaster. Includes photographs, map. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Elliott, Michael 2005, 'In the wake of tragedy', Time, no. 1, 10 January, pp. 32-44.
  On the morning of December 26, 2005, an earthquake off Sumatra was followed by a massive tsunami. Asia's suffering touched the world. Includes photographs. [Abstract from author]
• Ellis, Eric 2005, 'The long road home', Bulletin, vol. 123, no. 6453, 18 January, pp. 18-24.
  A heartbreaking journey to find loved ones in Sri Lanka. Includes photographs. [Abstract from journal]
• Gonzalea, Frank L 1999, 'Tsunami!', Scientific American, vol. 280, no. 5, May, pp. 45-54.
  Tsunamis are very destructive wave patterns, up to 30-40 metres high, generally generated by undersea seismic activity, mostly affecting the Pacific Ocean. This article discusses the physics of tsunami development, looks at some disasters, such as the wave that struck Papua New Guinea in 1998, and at American proposals for warning systems. Includes references, photographs, diagrams, maps. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Gore, Rick 1998, 'Cascadia: living on fire', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 193, no. 5, May, pp. 6-37.
  The Pacific Northwest region of America, known as Cascadia, was struck by an earthquake and tsunami of cataclysmic scale in 1700. This article looks at the future of the region, and the work done by scientists to, at least, prepare the area for further volcanic action. Includes photographs, diagrams, maps. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Jones, Nicola 2002, 'Get ready for a killer wave', New Scientist, vol. 175, no. 2350, 14 September, p.15.
  Geomorphologist Ted Bryant, from the University of Wollongong, believes he has found a mass of evidence around the Australian coastline of tsunami activity caused by large meteorites crashing into the ocean. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Knight, Jonathan 1999, 'Landslide: 1 million years ago', New Scientist, vol. 163, no. 2198, 7 August, supp 7-8.
  This article discusses the evidence that points to a massive volcanic eruption on the Hawaiian island of Oahu about one million years ago. The eruption pushed huge amounts of rock into the surrounding ocean and resulted in a massive tsunami about 100 metres high. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Marshall, Tristan 2000, 'The drowning wave', New Scientist, vol. 168, no. 2259, 7 October, pp. 26-30.
  Research on La Palma, the most volcanically active island in the Canary group, has found that a fault line runs through the western side of Cumbre Vieja, a volcano on the island. This has raised concerns about the possibility of a large eruption resulting in the western side of the mountain falling into the ocean and causing a massive tsunami. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Miller, Norman 2000, 'Making shock waves', Geographical Magazine, vol. 72, no. 6, June, pp. 92-3.
  Tsunami, translated from the Japanese as 'harbour wave', was adopted officially in 1963 to cover what had previously been called 'seismic sea waves'. These, as discussed here, can be extremely destructive when they strike shallow water near land, and are caused by earthquakes, or other phenomena such as volcanoes beneath the ocean. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Neil-Jones, Marc 2000, 'Earthquake! Tsunami!', Pacific Islands Monthly, vol. 70, no. 1, January, pp. 38-9.
  An underwater earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale occurred on 26th November 1999, about 20 km south of the island of Pentecost. It, and the resultant thirty foot tsunami, left at least ten people dead, caused one million people to be displaced and wiped out a number of villages. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'The next big wave', Economist, 2003, vol. 368, no. 8337, 16-22 August, pp. 69-70.
  America's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has developed a new sensor for detecting tsunamis which can operate far out into the ocean, thereby producing earlier warnings. The article looks at the risks posed by tsunamis and tsunami detection technology. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Schuman, Michael 2005, 'Tallying the damage', Time, no. 1, 10 January, pp. 52-3.
  Asia's engine room wasn't swamped, but the waves wiped out countless jobs and rebuilding may take years. Includes photographs. [Abstract from author]
• Toohey, Paul 2005, 'After the apocalypse', Bulletin, vol. 123, no. 6453, 18 January, pp. 10-17.
  Australian medics in Aceh battled to save limbs and lives after Asia's worst tsunami in living memory. Includes photographs. [Abstract from journal]

^ Top of page

Volcanoes

• Belfield, Sarah 2002, 'Volcanic hotspot wakes', Australasian Science, vol. 23, no. 6, July, pp. 29-32.
  A discussion of the locations and features of now extinct volcanoes along the eastern coast of Australia from northern Queensland, through New South Wales and down to Victoria, all of which were the product, over millions of years, of a relatively fixed hotspot. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Branney, Mike; Zalasiewicz, Jan 1999, 'Burning clouds', New Scientist, vol. 163, no. 2195, 17 July, pp. 36-41.
  Many volcanoes, such as Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines and Mount Pelee on the island of Martinique, release destructive pyroclastic currents, which can be very hot, move very fast and cover great distances. Little is known about them, because they are impossible to study directly. The article discusses their features and what modeling suggests about them. [Abstract from Austguide]
• 'Contours of the deep', Newton, 2001, no. 6, July-August, pp. 10-1.
  The Australian Geological Survey Organisation has compiled a composite, three-dimensional representation of the seafloor around the continent of Australia that depicts the valleys, ocean trenches and towering volcanoes hidden under the water. The article includes a photograph of this map and discusses its contents. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Findley, Rowe 2000, 'Mount St Helens, nature on fast forward', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 197, no. 5, May, pp. 106-25.
  Mount St Helens erupted more than twenty years ago and this article looks at how the area devastated by the volcanic debris and lava slides of the eruption is slowly coming back to life, at a much quicker rate than scientists expected or anticipated. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Jones, Cheryl 2003, 'Sudden impact', Bulletin, vol. 121, no. 6362, 4 March, pp. 38-9.
  Australia's eastern regions, particularly the state of Victoria, could experience volcanic activity in the near future, according to University of Melbourne geologist Bernie Joyce. This article examines the likelihood of such an event, its locality and potential effects. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Jones, Nicola 2003, 'Volcanic bombshell', New Scientist, vol. 177, no. 2385, 8 March, pp. 32-7.
  Developed in the mid-1970's to explain the existence of volcanoes which do not lie along the edges of the Earth's tectonic plates, mantle plume theory was quickly adapted by geologists and has been entrenched in textbooks ever since. Now, a number of geologists are questioning the theory, suggesting that plate tectonics alone can explain all volcanoes. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Mason, Betsy 2002, 'Pinatubo dust is still a killer', New Scientist, vol. 175, no. 2351, 13 July, p. 9.
  An international team of vulcanologists surveying the eruption of Mount Pinatubo eleven years ago now say that the fountain of ash previously believed to have spewed upwards towards the stratosphere may have collapsed, sending debris down the mountain in a pyroclastic flow. Dust from this flow could still be killing people today. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Mason, Betsy 2003, 'Season of fire', Discover, vol. 24, no. 2, February, pp. 32-9.
  Researchers are now confident that they have uncovered a hitherto unnoticed pattern concerning volcanic eruptions and that a higher than average number of eruptions in the northern hemisphere occur in winter. They are now engaged in trying to discern a mechanism or process that would account for this pattern. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Schmidt, Jeremy 2001, 'Russia's frozen inferno', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 200, no. 2, August, pp. 56-73.
  The Kamchatka Peninsula, in far eastern Russia, is one of the most volcanically active regions on Earth. Twenty-nine of the area's 100 plus volcanoes are active. This article describes a scientific expedition to the region and aspects of the region's remarkable volcanicity. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Sparrow, David 2003, 'Yellowstone is breathing', Popular Science, vol. 262, no. 1, January, p. 83.
  A look at the work of the supervising geologist at Yellowstone National Park whose principal task is to monitor the volcanic activity within the park. It is the most active volcanic caldera in the continental United States and, statistically speaking, is due for a cataclysmic eruption. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Thomas, Abbie 2001, 'Guardians of fire', Newton, no. 8, November-December, pp. 22-32.
  A photographic essay depicting the power and ferocity of volcanoes. [Abstract from Austguide]
• Vesilind, Prjit 2001, 'Once and future fury: California's volcanic north', National Geographic Magazine, vol. 200, no. 4, October, pp. 68-83.
  Three tectonic plates meet off the coast of northern California, and movement between these plates has created the Cascade Range which runs from northern California up into Canada. The article looks at this vibrant and dangerous area of volcanoes and steaming fumaroles, and how the landscape has been crafted by violent geophysical movements. Includes photographs. [Abstract from Austguide]

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