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Begin New Search Topic Earthquake Publication Year within 5 Years

11. The Humanitarian Response in Post-Earthquake Syria: An Urgent Need for Depoliticisation

Author:
Munqeth Othman Agha
Publication Date:
03-2023
Content Type:
Commentary and Analysis
Institution:
Istituto Affari Internazionali
Abstract:
Less than four days following the deadly earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on 6 February 2023, Syrians from the less-impacted areas in the northeast sent a convoy of 140 trucks carrying humanitarian aid toward the northwest.[1] Solidarity convoys drove successfully through checkpoints across different zones of control, including those controlled by the Kurdish Autonomous Administration (AA) in northeast Syria, the Syrian regime and the Syrian Interim Government (SIG) in Turkish-influenced areas in northern Syria. While doing so, they overtook other convoys sent by the AA and the UN Damascus that were stuck behind for different political and logistic reasons. Search and rescue activities in northwest Syria were primarily led by local efforts (in particular the Syrian Civil Defense or the White Helmets),[2] with very few international rescue teams joining, especially in the early days. Eyeing this, Syrians furiously, but also sarcastically, wondered how ordinary Syrians already living in harsh living conditions were able to mobilise more aid and deliver it faster than the UN and other INGOs. This event adds another episode to the long history of UN structural failure to deliver aid to disaster-struck zones in the country since the outbreak of the conflict in 2011. As living conditions have never been worse in Syria, and the humanitarian system has never been more paralysed and politicised, there is no more rightful time than now to rethink the whole system of aid delivery.
Topic:
Natural Disasters, Earthquake, Humanitarian Response, and Economic Aid
Political Geography:
Middle East and Syria

12. Addressing Earthquake Risk in India

Author:
India International Centre (IIC)
Publication Date:
04-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
India International Centre (IIC)
Abstract:
Earthquakes are among the major hazards in India. The areas vulnerable to earthquakes are the plate boundary regions, e.g., Himalaya, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, northeast India and some of the regions in plate interior, e.g., Kachchh. Unlike other hazards such as cyclones, tsunamis or floods, where forecasts for their likely arrival are made, earthquakes strike without any warning. The current scientific knowledge is not sufficient to predict earthquakes. Hence it is necessary to assess our vulnerability to impacts of earthquakes and ensure preparedness to mitigate their effects on society. The development of such resilience can certainly help to avoid disasters. This issue has to be addressed at three levels: a) earth system level or status of knowledge about earthquake generation processes and it’s hazard potential; b) social system level or response mechanism, role of government, private sector and nongovernment organisations, and infrastructure development; and c) human system level or consciousness, awareness and readiness of people towards an earthquake hazard. Today, in our country, monitoring of earthquakes, estimating earthquake parameters, and disseminating this information has become very efficient. All the earthquake monitoring systems have been networked to provide data in the shortest possible time. It is well known that earthquakes do not kill people; poorly designed and built buildings do. The building codes designed to minimise the impact of earthquakes depend on potential risks from hazards. Microzonation maps, useful in assessing seismic hazards and risk potential, seismic response of engineering structures and land-use planning maps, have been prepared for many cities. During the last two decades, the response mechanism has been made very efficient. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with the central and state governments have been provided necessary relief and rescue. Still, there are certain gaps and many questions to be addressed. a) Is there is a possibility of a large earthquake in Himalaya, especially in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, in the near future? If so, what actions do we need to take? b) How do we use our current understanding acquired through research in objective hazard assessment? What are the shortcomings, what should, can and needs to be done? c) How can microzonation maps be integrated in urban planning? What are the impediments? d) Are there any precursors to earthquakes? What is the status of precursor research in the country? e) Is early warning of earthquakes possible and can it be safely implemented? What is the current status of our knowledge about earthquake warning systems and their effectiveness? f) What are triggered earthquakes? What is the state of knowledge and can they be avoided? g) What is the status of the response mechanism (organisational strength) at the central, state and local levels? How effective is communication with people? h) What is the status for providing relief and rescue in an earthquake event? What are the preparations for providing medical care, shelter and food? i) What kind of public outreach programmes are required? How can we sensitise people, especially children? To discuss these issues and to provide possible solutions, a Workshop was organiaed on 12 April 2023 at the India International Centre, New Delhi. What follows are the presentations made by experts in the field
Topic:
Natural Disasters, Crisis Management, Earthquake, and Risk Assessment
Political Geography:
South Asia and India

13. Northwestern Syria in the Time of Cholera, Earthquakes, and Environmental Degradation

Author:
Marwa Daoudy, Muzna Dureid, and Ethan Mayer-Rich
Publication Date:
07-2023
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Abstract:
The February 6, 2023, earthquake originating near Gaziantep, Turkey displaced thousands of people throughout Syria’s northwest. At the same time, Syrians have had to contend with a host of other challenges, including acute poverty, water insecurity, wildfires, and disease, all of which the earthquake exacerbated. As a delicate political landscape makes delivering life-saving aid in the northwest increasingly difficult, the future of Syria’s internally displaced hangs in the balance.
Topic:
Environment, Health, Politics, Natural Disasters, Reform, Humanitarian Crisis, Earthquake, and Cholera
Political Geography:
Middle East, Syria, and Levant

14. Analysis of Sweden's Attempt to Join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization After the Earthquake in Turkey

Author:
Rista Herjani, Indriyanti Alghina Habiba, and Surwandono Surwandono
Publication Date:
12-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
AUSTRAL: Brazilian Journal of Strategy International Relations
Institution:
Postgraduate Program in International Strategic Studies, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Abstract:
After Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked Sweden to hand over the Kurdistan Workers' Party (Partiya Karkêren Kurdistan, PKK) in order to secure Turkey's approval to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), tensions between the two countries exploded once again. Several weeks after the tension heated up, Turkey was abruptly hit by a catastrophic earthquake on February 6, 2023, leaving the country instantly, just a few weeks after the incendiary incident. The Turkish government then proclaimed a level 4 emergency and promptly requested assistance from other countries. The aim of the article is to shed light on how Sweden used the Turkish earthquake to ratify its NATO membership. To answer the problems raised by this scientific literature, this research employs qualitative descriptive methodologies, keeping in mind the idea of disaster diplomacy. This study includes information from various literary sources, including journal publications, government websites and news items from various online media. The results revealed that Sweden used systematic disaster diplomacy to its advantage, offering various aids to the victims of the earthquake in the hope that Turkey would postpone the ratification of its NATO membership.
Topic:
NATO, Diplomacy, Natural Disasters, and Earthquake
Political Geography:
Europe, Turkey, Middle East, and Sweden

15. After the Turkish Elections, Now What for Syria?

Author:
The Carter Center
Publication Date:
08-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Carter Center
Abstract:
On May 28, 2023, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan solidified his 20‐year rule as Turkey's premier by winning the latest presidential election. Despite facing challenges, including a declining economy and the aftermath of a devastating earthquake, Erdoğan's relationship with the government of Syria (GoS) played a crucial role in the elections and their aftermath.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Elections, Syrian War, Erdogan, and Earthquake
Political Geography:
Turkey, Middle East, and Syria

16. Effectiveness of Humanitarian Exceptions to Sanctions:

Author:
Erica Moret
Publication Date:
07-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Carter Center
Abstract:
The adoption of several humanitarian carveouts under several Syria-related autonomous sanctions regimes – in response to February 2023’s devastating earthquake – has been strongly welcomed by the humanitarian community. The exceptions adopted by the United States (US), European Union (EU), United Kingdom (UK), and Switzerland are designed to facilitate transactions in relation to relief efforts and the purchase of oil and petroleum-related products in Syria, particularly by humanitarian actors. They differ in terms of scope of activities authorized, breadth of actors covered, and their duration. This article seeks to map the main characteristics of each exception and assesses them in terms of benefits, ongoing challenges, and areas for potential improvement to inform future sanctions policies.
Topic:
Natural Disasters, Sanctions, European Union, Earthquake, and Humanitarian Assistance
Political Geography:
United Kingdom, Europe, Middle East, Syria, Switzerland, and United States of America

17. Haiti’s Failed Quest for Stability and Development after the 2010 Earthquake: Why Did It Go Wrong?

Author:
Koldo Echebarria
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Center for Global Development (CGD)
Abstract:
Haiti is once more experiencing a severe crisis of instability and political unrest. The devastating 2010 earthquake catastrophe was seen as a chance to break with the past and steer the nation in a new direction. Although some progress was made, it was only short-lived, insufficient to establish a growth path, uneven across sectors, and, as we have since learned, politically unsustainable. The analysis identifies several reasons the effort was insufficient to bring stability and growth: (i) objectives spanned reconstruction and development while resources were limited; (ii) the approach taken to build up security was unsustainable, leaving an underfunded and institutionally weak police force; (iii) divisive and confrontational politics was recognized as the critical challenge but it was not dealt with as such; (iv) coordination between Haitian authorities and international actors suffered from a deep sense of mistrust, never achieving a shared and clear action plan; (v) state-building efforts failed and institutions deteriorated further; and, (vi) the project-by-project approach followed by international donors dispersed effort, limited adaptation to a complex reality and increased transaction costs. Policy recommendations follow the analysis, arguing for a more focused strategy from the international community with a long-term programmatic approach. Until a reasonable level of stability is reached, security and social protection should take precedence. A final reflection will be offered on how lessons learned in Haiti can be useful in other fragile contexts.
Topic:
Development, Natural Disasters, Earthquake, Instability, and Aid Effectiveness
Political Geography:
Caribbean and Haiti

18. Out of the Rubble? Turkey’s Post-Quake Diplomacy and Regional Opening

Author:
Hay Ertan Cohen Yanarocak
Publication Date:
04-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS)
Abstract:
Two powerful earthquakes that struck Turkey’s southeast on February 6, 2023, have taken an enormous toll on lives and livelihoods, putting aside the economic and social damage of epic proportions inflicted on the country. Apart from the ensuing chaotic political atmosphere ahead of the general election in May, the tragedy also has implications for foreign policy.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Natural Disasters, Elections, and Earthquake
Political Geography:
Turkey and Middle East

19. Marriage market responses in the wake of a natural disaster in India

Author:
Shreyasee Das and Shatanjaya Dasgupta
Publication Date:
11-2022
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
United Nations University
Abstract:
This paper examines the impact of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake on age at marriage and other assortative matching outcomes. Using the 2004–05 wave of the India Human Development Survey and employing a difference-in-differences strategy, we document that the earthquake reduced the age at marriage for both men and women and decreased the likelihood of women marrying into wealthier households. Additionally, we find no changes in matching by educational status or in the likelihood of intra-caste and out-of-village marriages. The results are driven by districts that were severely affected by the earthquake in terms of deaths and destruction. Our conjecture is that the negative economic shock pushed parents to marry off their daughters early to save on dowry expenditures. We confirm this underlying mechanism by using a proxy for dowry payments. Our results highlight how the institution of marriage can induce long-lasting demographic changes after a natural disaster.
Topic:
Natural Disasters, Marriage, Earthquake, and Dowry
Political Geography:
South Asia and India

20. Guided by Experience: A Comparative Analysis of the U.S. Military Responses to Natural Disasters in Haiti (2010 and 2021)

Author:
Christopher Davis
Publication Date:
03-2022
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Advanced Military Studies
Institution:
Marine Corps University Press, National Defense University
Abstract:
In 2010 and 2021, Haiti was struck by a massive earthquake and both times it left the nation in the grips of a humanitarian crisis. The U.S. military responded to both events with a large-scale, interorganizational relief effort to provide aid to the affected areas. Though the disaster in 2010 created unprecedented challenges, the U.S. Southern Command met those challenges and applied their lessons to its response to the 2021 earthquake 11 years later.
Topic:
Disaster Relief, Humanitarian Aid, Natural Disasters, Armed Forces, and Earthquake
Political Geography:
Caribbean and Haiti