natural disaster

This satellite image, taken on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019 and provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shows Hurricane Dorian moving off the east coast of Florida in the Atlantic Ocean. NOAA via AP

The first line of defense for Hurricane Dorian is the shoreline

Natural barrier habitats such as marshes, mangroves, and dunes along coastlines can help protect coastal communities from storm surges like the ones expected as Dorian approaches the East Coast, says Steven Scyphers, an assistant professor of marine and environmental sciences at Northeastern.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa September 3, 2019

A bicycle is hung from a tree branch to avoid being washed away in flood waters as a man rows with his dog in a country boat at Kuttanad in Alappuzha in the southern state of Kerala, India, Monday, Aug. 20, 2018. Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours since Aug. 8, with floods and landslides killing at least 250 people. About 800,000 people now living in some 4,000 relief camps. (AP Photo/Tibin Augustine)

Severe floods devastated southwestern India. And it’s not just because of the monsoons.

Floods in southwestern India have killed more than 350 people and stranded thousands since monsoon season arrived earlier this summer. Northeastern civil and environmental engineering professor Auroop Ganguly says the destruction is as much a consequence of irresponsible construction and harmful environmental practices as the result of a natural disaster.

by Emily Arntsen August 28, 2018

Angel and Ana Delgado hug family members after arriving at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, on an IBC Airways flight that evacuated seniors from Puerto Rico. The flight was provided by a local nonprofit organization, the Pathfinders Task Force, through a program called Eagles Wings. (Michael Laughlin/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)

The changing face of Puerto Rican migration

Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Rican people have migrated from the island to various parts of the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Maria swept through six months ago. Unlike the last great migrant wave, says associate professor Amílcar Barreto, this one is more dispersed and has the potential to shift cultures both on the mainland and the island.

by Molly Callahan April 11, 2018

Juan Antonio Higuey, right, shows his destroyed home at Cold Bay community after the passage of Hurricane Irma, in St. Martin, Monday, September 11, 2017. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

After recent disasters, Northeastern students, faculty help map crisis response

In the past month, hurricanes have pummeled Caribbean islands and regions of the U.S. With such catastrophic damage, it can be difficult to know where to begin recovery efforts. Enter Northeastern students and faculty, who are using geospatial technology to help map the destruction and aid rescue groups in identifying critical areas for response.

by Molly Callahan September 25, 2017

3Qs: The human rights impact of Hurricane Katrina

Beyond the physical destruction Hurricane Katrina caused along the Gulf Coast a decade ago, the storm ultimately led to widespread human rights violations, according to Amnesty International. Political science professor Thomas Vicino holds forth on the issues former Gulf Coast residents continue to face today.

by Joe O'Connell August 28, 2015

The first line of defense for Hurricane Dorian is the shoreline

Severe floods devastated southwestern India. And it’s not just because of the monsoons.

The changing face of Puerto Rican migration

After recent disasters, Northeastern students, faculty help map crisis response

3Qs: The human rights impact of Hurricane Katrina

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