Recent Events
What is currently happening in the world? Selected news items are presented here to provide an overview of current and important events. The importance of disaster prevention at both national and international level is highlighted.
Recent Events
Severe flooding in southern Africa – hundreds of thousands affected
In recent weeks, exceptionally heavy and persistent rainfall has flooded large parts of southern Africa. Mozambique and north-eastern South Africa have been particularly hard hit, but Zimbabwe and other countries in the region are also reporting severe damage....
Series of winter storms causes severe flooding in North Africa and Southern Europe
A series of winter storms has caused severe flooding in Morocco, Spain and Portugal in recent days. People have lost their lives in several regions, hundreds of thousands have been forced to leave their homes, and the damage to infrastructure, agriculture and...
CEDIM report on landscape fires in south-central Chile published
The CEDIM – Center for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction Technology has published a new forensic disaster report on the landscape fires in south-central Chile in January 2026. The report analyzes the fires in the regions of Biobío, Ñuble, and La Araucanía, which...
Severe winter storm brings large parts of the United States to a standstill
A powerful winter storm swept across large parts of the United States over the weekend, placing more than 140 million people under winter storm warnings. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain led to hazardous road conditions, major travel disruptions, and widespread power...
Power outage in Berlin – results of quick response research
On Saturday, January 3, 2026, there was a significant interruption to the power supply in the Berlin district of Steglitz-Zehlendorf. The districts of Nikolassee, Whensee, Zehlendorf, and Lichterfelde were affected by the outage for a period of around 4.5 days. The...
Cop30 – German Climate Pavilion
COP30 in Belém is in full swing. On 19 November (19:00–21:00, Belém local time; Germany -4 hours), the "Science for Action Evening" will take place. Under the title “International cooperation in climate change research: building data, trust, and momentum for change”,...
Webinar: Localising Resilience – Rethinking Community-Led Disaster Management
Disasters are growing in frequency and complexity, yet too often, affected communities are placed at the end of the decision-making chain. This webinar explores how localisation and co-creation can transform humanitarian action — from something done to communities...
hurricane Melissa in Jamaica
In Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa reached wind speeds of almost 300 kilometers per hour. Melissa is a Category 5 hurricane, the highest category, which moved towards Jamaica. It was to be the strongest hurricane ever recorded over the Caribbean state. The UN Office for...
UBA Study Reveals a Gap Between Sustainable Travel Intentions and Behavior
A new study by the German Environment Agency (UBA) and the Research Association for Holidays and Travel (FUR) shows that while the desire for sustainable travel among Germans is growing, actual travel behavior is lagging behind. According to the latest Demand Monitor...