A Perfect Storm: How the deadly 2022 Durban floods hold crucial lessons for the future of the city and others like it

An early warning system in Bangladesh that uses a mix of technology and community connections is saving lives during storms and natural disasters. The mixture includes increased storm tracking, climate change mitigation solutions, and information-sharing systems that reach even the most remote areas. An essential part of the solution comes in the form of human capital - a human chain of communication that spreads the warnings across villages by word of mouth.

In 1970 Cyclone Bhola hit Bangladesh. It killed up to 500,000 people. Since then, the country has revamped its emergency disaster preparedness through a multipronged process, reducing its cyclone-related deaths by 100 fold. Now, the country collects weather data from more than 50 weather stations. The data is sent to mitigation committees which dispense the info to people through various methods: radio, text messages, and even doorknocking. The country also has a volunteer program with 76,000 volunteers and increased the number of multi-purpose shelters from 44 in 1970 to 512 in 1991.

South Asia is prone to flooding during monsoon season, this can lead to deaths and building damage. SMS warning systems have recently been implemented in order to warn residents when they are in danger, the system has a lot of room to grow but it has proven to be helpful in reducing deaths.

After a huge cyclone devastated a remote Fijian village, Eta Tuvuki worked to open communication channels between women and public officials. Her efforts are not only making women's voices heard, but they allow for the dispersal of critical information during disasters.

The Iowa Flood Center developed a low-cost flood monitoring system, which includes a $7,500 water gauge and predictive mapping tools backed by human experts, that's helped local officials in make better-informed decisions during flood emergencies. In 2024, the center helped rescue coordinators safely navigate boats to 300 stranded residents during a flood.

The Alliance Center for Independence (ACI) started working with people who have disabilities to create better disaster preparedness measures that consider disabilities, ensuring support and shelter are accessible to anyone and everyone. ACI held an overnight shelter simulation exercise that allowed them to practice each step of an emergency shelter response with people who have disabilities to identify any areas that could be improved. These simulations have become a model for other counties across the state, inspiring more shelters to make improvements to their accessibility.

Communities across the United States combat and adapt to extreme weather with local solutions. In California, drought-striken Orange County recycles wastewater into safe drinking water, and the Karuk Tribe prevents forest fires with controlled, cultural burns. A farmer in Iowa practices no-till farming to prevent soil erosion from heavy rain. Indigenous tribes on the Louisiana coast gather empty oyster shells and use them to create artificial breakwater reefs that slow down erosion from rising ocean waters.

When severe flooding hit Kentucky, the bakery at the Hemphill Community Center continued to pay its workers to do community support and flood recovery work instead of their typical jobs. The bakery is a recovery-to-work program for people facing addiction, so keeping their jobs and a sense of community helps them continue recovering despite stressful circumstances.

The ShakeAlert system uses buried sensors to detect initial earthquake waves and warn residents of the West Coast of the United States to seek cover through cellphone apps.

With wildfires becoming more and more common, Californians have become improved their evacuation procedures. Alerting residents earlier via cellphone and then ongoing door-to-door notices have made a difference, along with residents trusting the evacuation calls more than before. Notable improvements have been made in hospitals, with staff making arrangements with other hospitals as soon as they receive the evacuation notice.