Aging dams, political instability, poor human decisions and climate change: recipe for human disaster
In Derna, Libya, a record-breaking storm and subsequent dam failures on September 10, 2023, caused over 11,000 deaths. Analyzing satellite data from 2016–2023, we found 1.8 mm/yr of differential settlement in dams contributed to their failure, and flooding damaged ~8570 buildings. We argue that the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | npj Natural Hazards |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44304-024-00056-1 |
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| author | Manoochehr Shirzaei Farshid Vahedifard Nitheshnirmal Sadhasivam Leonard Ohenhen Oluwaseyi Dasho Ashutosh Tiwari Susanna Werth Mohammed Azhar Yunxia Zhao Robert J. Nicholls Amir AghaKouchak |
| author_facet | Manoochehr Shirzaei Farshid Vahedifard Nitheshnirmal Sadhasivam Leonard Ohenhen Oluwaseyi Dasho Ashutosh Tiwari Susanna Werth Mohammed Azhar Yunxia Zhao Robert J. Nicholls Amir AghaKouchak |
| author_sort | Manoochehr Shirzaei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In Derna, Libya, a record-breaking storm and subsequent dam failures on September 10, 2023, caused over 11,000 deaths. Analyzing satellite data from 2016–2023, we found 1.8 mm/yr of differential settlement in dams contributed to their failure, and flooding damaged ~8570 buildings. We argue that the interplay of aging infrastructure, political instability, climate change, and human decisions drove this disaster, stressing the need for a holistic ‘healthcare’ management approach to prevent future catastrophes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e3a415dde00e4c31bcfbdcd69aa26a71 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2948-2100 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Natural Hazards |
| spelling | doaj-art-e3a415dde00e4c31bcfbdcd69aa26a712025-01-19T12:10:55ZengNature Portfolionpj Natural Hazards2948-21002025-01-01211810.1038/s44304-024-00056-1Aging dams, political instability, poor human decisions and climate change: recipe for human disasterManoochehr Shirzaei0Farshid Vahedifard1Nitheshnirmal Sadhasivam2Leonard Ohenhen3Oluwaseyi Dasho4Ashutosh Tiwari5Susanna Werth6Mohammed Azhar7Yunxia Zhao8Robert J. Nicholls9Amir AghaKouchak10Virginia Tech, Department of GeosciencesUnited Nations University, Institute for Water, Environment and HealthVirginia Tech, Department of GeosciencesVirginia Tech, Department of GeosciencesVirginia Tech, Department of GeosciencesVirginia Tech, Department of GeosciencesVirginia Tech, Department of GeosciencesTufts University, Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringUniversity of California, Department of Civil & Environmental EngineeringUniversity of East Anglia, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change ResearchUnited Nations University, Institute for Water, Environment and HealthIn Derna, Libya, a record-breaking storm and subsequent dam failures on September 10, 2023, caused over 11,000 deaths. Analyzing satellite data from 2016–2023, we found 1.8 mm/yr of differential settlement in dams contributed to their failure, and flooding damaged ~8570 buildings. We argue that the interplay of aging infrastructure, political instability, climate change, and human decisions drove this disaster, stressing the need for a holistic ‘healthcare’ management approach to prevent future catastrophes.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44304-024-00056-1 |
| spellingShingle | Manoochehr Shirzaei Farshid Vahedifard Nitheshnirmal Sadhasivam Leonard Ohenhen Oluwaseyi Dasho Ashutosh Tiwari Susanna Werth Mohammed Azhar Yunxia Zhao Robert J. Nicholls Amir AghaKouchak Aging dams, political instability, poor human decisions and climate change: recipe for human disaster npj Natural Hazards |
| title | Aging dams, political instability, poor human decisions and climate change: recipe for human disaster |
| title_full | Aging dams, political instability, poor human decisions and climate change: recipe for human disaster |
| title_fullStr | Aging dams, political instability, poor human decisions and climate change: recipe for human disaster |
| title_full_unstemmed | Aging dams, political instability, poor human decisions and climate change: recipe for human disaster |
| title_short | Aging dams, political instability, poor human decisions and climate change: recipe for human disaster |
| title_sort | aging dams political instability poor human decisions and climate change recipe for human disaster |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44304-024-00056-1 |
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