Collections: Learning from past disasters

Learn from past disasters on the PreventionWeb knowledge base. These collections explore the lessons learned from past disasters, what were the risk drivers, impacts and efforts towards building back better.

Disaster learnings

30 Aug 2023

Canada: Fort McMurray wildfire 2016

In May 2016, a wildfire swept through Fort McMurray, Alberta, ruining thousands of homes and buildings, and causing tens of thousands of people to evacuate.

Disaster learnings

04 Mar 2024

Hurricane Katrina 2005

Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast of the United States and is widely remembered as one of the country's most consequential disasters.

Disaster learnings

25 Aug 2023

South Africa drought 2015-2018

Between 2015 and 2018, South Africa experienced an ongoing drought, with fears that officials would declare Day Zero and completely shut off water in Cape Town.

Disaster learnings

04 Mar 2024

Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami 2011

The Japan earthquake and tsunami prompted extensive damage, including the nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Disaster learnings

04 Mar 2024

El Nino 2015 - 2016

The 2015-16 El Niño was one of the strongest El Niño events since 1950, with wide-ranging effects felt around the world.

Disaster learnings

15 Mar 2022

Cyclones Idai and Kenneth 2019

Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall near Beira City, Mozambique on 14 March 2019, bringing strong winds and severe flooding in Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar.

Disaster learnings

04 Mar 2024

Sierra Leone: Mudslide 2017

In August 2017, a massive mudslide in Freetown, Sierra Leone, resulted in many deaths while demolishing homes and communities.

Disaster learnings

30 Aug 2023

Australia: Black Saturday bushfires 2009

On Saturday, February 7, 2009, a series of bushfires blazed across the state of Victoria, killing several dozen people and amounting to billions of dollars in damages. Black Saturday is remembered as one of Australia's worst bushfires.