Learning from past disasters

The morning of December 26, 2004 saw the worst disaster in Indonesia’s history. A magnitude (M) 9.1 submarine earthquake occurred along the Indian Ocean subduction zone triggering a massive tsunami.

In May 2016, a wildfire swept through Fort McMurray, Alberta, ruining thousands of homes and buildings, and causing tens of thousands of people to evacuate.

For several months in 2017, many Atlantic hurricanes had devastating economic and social consequences across the United States and the Caribbean.

On Saturday, February 7, 2009, a series of bushfires blazed across the state of Victoria, killing several dozen people and amounting to billions of dollars in damages. Black Saturday is remembered as one of Australia's worst bushfires.

The 2019-2020 Australian bushfire season proved to be unprecedented in many ways. Beginning before the official arrival of spring, in June, and worsening significantly from Sept. 2019 on to mid-January 2020.

Flooding in New South Wales and southeast Queensland has led to lost lives, homes, belongings, pets and livelihoods. This region, particularly Western Sydney, is no stranger to climate-related disasters.

In 2010 and 2011, a series of floods hit Queensland, Australia, and affected approximately 90 towns, leading to major economic losses.

Massive wildfires spread throughout California in 2017 and 2018, burning down homes and even destroying the town of Paradise.