NBC - Nuclear, Biological, Chemical

Chemical hazards are the unintended or deliberate release of a substance that is potentially harmful to humans or the environment (e.g. nerve and blistering agents, toxic industrial chemicals).

Biological hazards, according to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (1972), include germs, toxins and viruses that can sicken or kill people, livestock, or crops (UNODA, 1972).

Nuclear hazards involve the accidental or intentional release of potentially harmful radioactive materials from nuclear fission or fusion, such as those associated with power plants, research reactors or nuclear weapons (HIP; IFRC).

Latest NBC additions in the Knowledge Base

Documents and publications

17 March 2011

Radiation in daily-life

This chart presents: (i) the scale of the natural radiation dose per year as well as the limit of radiation dose permitted for radiation workers, police, and fire fighters who engage in disaster prevention among other specialised workers; (ii) a map of

Documents and publications

16 March 2011

Preliminary observations on the Japanese 3/11 earthquake and tsunami

This article, from a Professor of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, assesses the impacts of the recent earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan, highlighting the success of the seismic damage mitigation efforts through strong

Documents and publications

16 March 2011

Nuclear accident ABCs

This fact sheet explains the nuclear situation in Japan and the related terms describing the possible state of the reactors that have been used by Japanese officials and international experts. It describes: (i) the reactor building; (ii) the way fuel

Documents and publications

15 March 2011

Japan's unfolding disaster

This special report analyses the situation in Japan following the 8.9 earthquake which spawned one of the most powerful tsunamis on record. It states that Japan is among the best prepared countries in the world regarding earthquakes with quake-resistant buildings, drills for school children and households equipped with survival kits. It specifically addresses the attempt to avert a meltdown at a stricken nuclear reactor and the expected colossal economic damage.

Update

15 March 2011

WMO monitoring meteorological conditions in quake-hit area

Three lead regional specialized meteorological centres have provided atmospheric trajectories and dispersions charts that corresponded to the times of the two explosions at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, during which time the winds were blowing to the northeast and east. No measurement data has been available to verify the trajectories, reports the World Meteorological Organization...

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Photo copyright by Flickr user, Official US navy Imagery, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Update

14 March 2011

Philippines: Revisiting quake contingency in Japan’s wake - IRIN

The Philippines has ordered all local government units to check the integrity of structures in the wake of initial devastation wrought by a powerful quake in Japan, which triggered a deadly tsunami...

The New Humanitarian

by Flickr user joerodz / jose rodriguez, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic, http://www.flickr.com/photos/jose_el_paparazzi/1354365109/

Update

22 December 2010

Norway exposed to radioactive disaster

Following a recent incident involving the Danish cargo ship 'Puma' exposing how little protection Norway has in the event of a radioactive catastrophe, Norwegian authorities called for the development of improved radioactive cargo transport policies...

Foreigner, the

Update

17 December 2010

US: EOC manager wants Independence to be 'most disaster resilient' city

The city's emergency preparedness manager called for individual responsibility at the opening of a new emergency operations center to make Independence the most disaster-resilient community in the country...

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