Residents of homes that sustained F4 or F5 damage in the deadliest of the 3 May 1999 tornadoes were surveyed to determine their responses to the tornado warning, reasons for their responses, and relative injury rates. There were 190 people in 65 surveyed houses at the time that warnings were issued. Television was the most commonly cited source of the warning (89%), followed by a telephone call (37%), sirens (37%), and AM/FM radio (25%), and 55% received the warning from more than one source. Nearly one-half (47%) of the residents fled their homes before the tornado struck. Of those who fled, 65% went to a tornado shelter, of whom 70% ran to the shelter (median distance 30 m) and 30% drove to the shelter (median distance 4.8 km). About one-half (53%) of those who fled their homes left in a vehicle. None of those who fled their homes, by foot or by vehicle, were injured. Of those who stayed in the home, 39% sought shelter in a bathroom, 38% in a closet, 9% in a hallway, and 15% in other rooms. Rea... Abstract Residents of homes that sustained F4 or F5 damage in the deadliest of the 3 May 1999 tornadoes were surveyed to determine their responses to the tornado warning, reasons for their responses, and relative injury rates. There were 190 people in 65 surveyed houses at the time that warnings were issued. Television was the most commonly cited source of the warning (89%), followed by a telephone call (37%), sirens (37%), and AM/FM radio (25%), and 55% received the warning from more than one source. Nearly one-half (47%) of the residents fled their homes before the tornado struck. Of those who fled, 65% went to a tornado shelter, of whom 70% ran to the shelter (median distance 30 m) and 30% drove to the shelter (median distance 4.8 km). About one-half (53%) of those who fled their homes left in a vehicle. None of those who fled their homes, by foot or by vehicle, were injured. Of those who stayed in the home, 39% sought shelter in a bathroom, 38% in a closet, 9% in a hallway, and 15% in other rooms. Rea...

A blizzard is defined by the U.S. National Weather Service as winds over 16 m s−1 and falling or blowing snow causing visibility less than 400 m lasting for at least 3 h. Blizzard occurrence by county was tallied from Storm Data for the 41 winters from 1959/60 to 1999/2000. This revealed 438 blizzards for an annual average of 10.7, ranging from 1 blizzard in 1980/81 to 27 blizzards in 1996/97. The average area affected per blizzard was 150 492 km2 and the average number of people in affected counties was 2 462 949 per blizzard. There was a significant linear increase in the number of blizzards but no linear trend in the total area affected by blizzards or the population in affected counties during the period. Blizzards were most common in a “blizzard zone” of North Dakota, South Dakota, and western Minnesota where each county had 41 or more blizzards in these 41 winters and the annual probability of a blizzard in each county exceeded 50%. Monthly occurrence of blizzards peaked during January in m... Abstract A blizzard is defined by the U.S. National Weather Service as winds over 16 m s−1 and falling or blowing snow causing visibility less than 400 m lasting for at least 3 h. Blizzard occurrence by county was tallied from Storm Data for the 41 winters from 1959/60 to 1999/2000. This revealed 438 blizzards for an annual average of 10.7, ranging from 1 blizzard in 1980/81 to 27 blizzards in 1996/97. The average area affected per blizzard was 150 492 km2 and the average number of people in affected counties was 2 462 949 per blizzard. There was a significant linear increase in the number of blizzards but no linear trend in the total area affected by blizzards or the population in affected counties during the period. Blizzards were most common in a “blizzard zone” of North Dakota, South Dakota, and western Minnesota where each county had 41 or more blizzards in these 41 winters and the annual probability of a blizzard in each county exceeded 50%. Monthly occurrence of blizzards peaked during January in m...

On 4 August 2012, the southeastern part of Kutubdia Island, Bangladesh, experienced coastal erosion and flooding associated with tidal waves, storms, and continuous heavy rainfall for two days. This provided a unique opportunity to study the relationship between rapid-onset disasters and migration decisions of individual households perpetually living under environmental risk. Using Kutubdia Island as a case study, this article examines the migration decisions of respondents in the immediate aftermath of two extreme natural events. Relevant data were primarily collected from a questionnaire survey conducted nearly two months after the occurrence of the event. The study's findings support the view that both environmental and nonenvironmental factors lead to migration. The article outlines several areas for further research on the links between migration and environmental stress.

The goal of this research was to examine the relative safety and stability of stationary motor vehicles exposed to severe winds. The focus was on private passenger vehicles. 1) The behavior of two instrumented storm-chase vehicles that were exposed to severe winds, 2) the behavior of 291 vehicles exposed to a tornado, and 3) the wind speed required to upset a sedan and a minivan exposed to winds in a wind tunnel were studied. A wind as strong as 47 m s−1 (105 mph) has been measured by a storm-chase pickup truck and 44 m s−1 (98 mph) by a storm chase sedan. The vehicles were not adversely affected by the wind. Also studied were 291 vehicles parked outdoors at homes struck by tornadoes, and the behavior of the vehicles was compared to the F-scale damage to the house. At sites with F1 or F2 damage, 72% of the vehicles were not moved by the wind and 96% were not tipped over. At sites with F3 or F4 damage, 50% were not moved by the wind and 82% were not tipped over. Wind tunnel tests on a sedan and minivan sho... The goal of this research was to examine the relative safety and stability of stationary motor vehicles exposed to severe winds. The focus was on private passenger vehicles. 1) The behavior of two instrumented storm-chase vehicles that were exposed to severe winds, 2) the behavior of 291 vehicles exposed to a tornado, and 3) the wind speed required to upset a sedan and a minivan exposed to winds in a wind tunnel were studied. A wind as strong as 47 m s−1 (105 mph) has been measured by a storm-chase pickup truck and 44 m s−1 (98 mph) by a storm chase sedan. The vehicles were not adversely affected by the wind. Also studied were 291 vehicles parked outdoors at homes struck by tornadoes, and the behavior of the vehicles was compared to the F-scale damage to the house. At sites with F1 or F2 damage, 72% of the vehicles were not moved by the wind and 96% were not tipped over. At sites with F3 or F4 damage, 50% were not moved by the wind and 82% were not tipped over. Wind tunnel tests on a sedan and minivan sho...