Natural Disasters

News about UB’s research and advocacy in extreme events and disaster response. (see all topics)

Meet an Expert
  • Hurricane Refugees Traumatized on Multiple Levels
    9/2/05
    The hundreds of thousands of Gulf coast residents left homeless by Hurricane Katrina have not only lost their homes, possessions and possibly loved ones, they also have lost their sense of security, says Hilary Weaver, associate professor of social work at the University at Buffalo.
  • Getting Floodwaters Out of New Orleans
    9/1/05
    Efforts to remove floodwaters from New Orleans should focus on flood bypass, strategic pumping and channel improvement, according to Christina Tsai, Ph.D., an expert on open-channel hydraulics and water-resources engineering at the University at Buffalo.
  • Earthquake Engineering Can Protect Against Hurricanes
    9/1/05
    Techniques developed to safeguard buildings from earthquakes developed by engineers such as those affiliated with the University at Buffalo's internationally known Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research may be key to protecting buildings and bridges from the kind of widespread damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.
  • Resettling the Gulf Region is Highly Questionable
    9/1/05
    The wisdom of attempting to resettle the Gulf region "is highly questionable," according to Alfred Price, associate professor and interim chair of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University at Buffalo.
  • Engineers to Study Hurricane Damage in Mississippi
    9/1/05
    A reconnaissance team from University at Buffalo's Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER) will travel next week to Gulfport, Biloxi and other areas of Mississippi devastated by Hurricane Katrina to determine the specific causes behind the failures of large engineered structures, primarily commercial buildings.
  • Disasters like Katrina Defy "Adequate" Response
    9/1/05
    Widespread devastation in the wake of Hurricane Katrina reminds Americans who are used to localized disasters being dealt with adequately that the U.S. is susceptible to catastrophes in which the ability to respond is itself severely damaged, says Ernest Sternberg, Ph.D., University at Buffalo professor of urban and regional planning.
  • Survivors May Suffer from Acute Stress Disorder
    9/1/05
    A large percentage of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina and its catastrophic aftermath will suffer from Acute Stress Disorder, according to Nancy J. Smyth, Ph.D., LCSW, a University at Buffalo expert on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  • Nasty Social Behavior Common after a Disaster
    9/1/05
    "Nasty social behavior" is very common following the first 48 hours of a disaster, according to University at Buffalo professor Charles Ebert, Ph.D., who teaches the course, "Disasters: analysis of natural and human-induced hazards."
  • Looting an Act of Desperation, Not Crime
    9/1/05
    Reports of widespread looting in New Orleans following the tragic flooding of the historic city sound less like actual criminal activity than desperation, according to a forensic psychologist at the University at Buffalo.
  • Ancient Statue of Hermes Fitted for Earthquake Protection
    2/1/05
    The world-renowned statue Hermes with the Infant Dionysos has been equipped with innovative seismic protective devices that will help the 7-foot-high marble statue of the Greek god withstand powerful earthquakes. The protective devices were custom made for the statue based on analysis and tests conducted at the University at Buffalo's earthquake engineering laboratory.