Disaster Links Library

A comprehensive single-page reference for disaster research, management, climate risk, and open data. Curated by Tadashi Nakasu, Chulalongkorn University. Also visit Disaster Research Notes ↗

500+ Resources · 32 Categories
Last reviewed: March 2025 · English-language resources

Quick Access — Essential Resources

UNUNDRR DATAEM-DAT Database LIVEGDACS Alerts UNReliefWeb UNPreventionWeb GOVFEMA LIVEUSGS Earthquakes LIVENational Hurricane Center NGOIFRC Red Cross UNIPCC DATAHDX Humanitarian Data ORGADPC Asia DATASmithsonian Volcanism LIVEUS Drought Monitor UNWMO LIVECOVID-19 Tracker

Special Topic

Featured COVID-19
COVID-19 Worldometer Coronavirus Tracker · WHO COVID-19 Dashboard · Johns Hopkins COVID Resource

General Disaster Resources

General 50+ links

International Organizations

UNDRR (UN Disaster Risk Reduction) Oxfam International CRED — Catholic Univ. Louvain Pacific Disaster Center UNU-EHS (Env. & Human Security) Global Facility for Disaster Reduction (GFDRR) ReliefWeb (UN OCHA) IPCC EM-DAT International Disaster Database ADRC — Asian Disaster Reduction Center Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) International Disaster Charter UNDP Data (Risk & Resilience) German Committee for Disaster Reduction World Food Programme Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) PAHO Disasters Site International Federation of Red Cross PreventionWeb (UNDRR) UNESCAP Disaster Risk Reduction

Global Hazard & Risk Portals

RSOE EDIS — Emergency & Disaster Alert Map WMO Severe Weather Information CDC Traveler's Health OAS Natural Hazards Project NOAA PSL International Weather Links NOAA NCEI Weather & Climate Data International Research Committee on Disaster GRIP — Global Risk Identification INFORM Risk Index WorldRiskIndex ThinkHazard! (World Bank)

U.S. Organizations

Disaster Research Center (Univ. of Delaware) Natural Hazard Center — Univ. of Colorado DHS Dept. of Homeland Security DHS DisasterAssistance.gov USGS Natural Hazards Gateway USGS NGDC Natural Hazards Databases FEMA FEMA HAZUS Ready.Gov CIESIN (Columbia Univ.) DisasterCenter.com Earthweek EPA Environmental Emergencies NASA Terra Gallery

Other International

Public Safety Canada NZ Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Mgmt Bangladesh Ministry of Disaster Mgmt Risk Frontiers (Australia) Bushfire & Natural Hazards CRC (Australia) Latin America Disaster Info Center (CRID) Fire Research Institute (FRI), Japan International SABO Network Korea: National Inst. for Disaster Prevention India: National Disaster Management Authority

U.S. State Emergency Management

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York State New York City North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington D.C. Washington State West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Real-time Monitoring & Alerts NEW

Live live feeds

Global Disaster Alerts

GDACS — Global Disaster Alert & Coordination System RSOE EDIS Emergency Map ReliefWeb Active Disasters Pacific Disaster Center — ActiveHazards Google Alerts (disaster keywords) USGS Science Explorer (latest)

Earthquake & Seismic Live

USGS Earthquake Hazards — Live Map EMSC — European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre EarthquakeTrack (recent activity) IRIS Seismograph Network

Weather & Hazard Feeds

National Hurricane Center (live tracks) NOAA Storm Prediction Center (live) National Fire News (NIFC) NASA FIRMS — Active Fire Map FloodList — Global Flood News GDACS Flood Alerts Space Weather Live NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

Satellite & Remote Sensing

UNOSAT — UN Satellite Centre (crisis maps) Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EU) NASA EarthData NOAA NESDIS STAR — Satellite Imagery Maxar (DigitalGlobe) Crisis Response

Emergency Management

Operations 20+ links

International

UNCRD Disaster Management World Bank Hazard Risk Management Contingency Planning & Disaster Recovery First Aid Advice (UK St. John) India NDMA

U.S.

Homeland Security — White House FEMA NOAA DisabilityInfo.gov UCLA Center for Public Health & Disaster OK-FIRST Emergency Manager Programme InSTEDD PERI — Public Entity Risk Institute American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Amateur Radio Disaster Service

Business Continuity

DRII — Disaster Recovery Institute BCI — Business Continuity Institute Contingency Planning Exchange

Disaster Education & Preparedness

Education 20+ links

International & U.S.

STOP! Disasters Online Game (UNDRR) FEMA: Kids American Red Cross Preparedness NOAA Natural Hazards Data Natural Hazards Center — Univ. of Colorado Texas Extension Disaster Education Network Disaster Research Center (Univ. of Delaware) CDC Emergency Preparedness & Response IBHS Disaster Safety NSSL Education PreventionWeb — Education Resources NOAA Environmental Visualization Lab

Climate Change & Adaptation NEW

Climate 15+ links

Science & Policy

IPCC — Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change NOAA Climate.gov Climate Adaptation (US Cities) EPA: Climate Change UNEP Climate Action WMO Climate UNFCCC (Paris Agreement) Climate Watch Data (WRI) Carbon Brief — Climate Science

Disaster-Climate Nexus

Sendai Framework for DRR (UNDRR) Sendai Framework Monitor CRED Publications on Climate-Disasters World Bank Climate Change DRR Terminology (PreventionWeb) OECD Climate Adaptation

Open Data, GIS & Mapping NEW

Data 12+ links

Humanitarian & Disaster Datasets

HDX — Humanitarian Data Exchange (OCHA) EM-DAT Disaster Database DesInventar — Disaster Loss Database NOAA Billion-Dollar Weather Disasters SEDAC Natural Hazards Data (Columbia Univ.) World Bank Open Data for Resilience

GIS & Mapping Tools

OpenStreetMap (humanitarian use) Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) UNOSAT — UN Satellite Crisis Mapping ArcGIS Disaster Dashboards Google Earth Engine FEMA Mapping Information Platform Hazard Map Portal (Japan, GSI)

Academic Resources & Journals NEW

Research 15+ links

Open-Access Journals

NHESS — Natural Hazards & Earth System Sciences (EGU) IJDRR — Int'l Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction Progress in Disaster Science (Elsevier OA) Natural Hazards (Springer) Disaster Prevention and Management (Emerald) International Journal of Mass Emergencies & Disasters

Research Networks & Institutes

PreventionWeb Knowledge Platform IRDR — Integrated Research on Disaster Risk IIASA — Risk & Resilience Program EERI — Earthquake Engineering Research Inst. Global Earthquake Model (GEM) FloodHub — UK Flood Research DRR Institute Disaster Prevention Research Inst. (DPRI, Kyoto Univ.) ICHARM — Water Hazard & Risk Management

DRR Frameworks & Key Documents

Sendai Framework 2015–2030 (UNDRR) Sendai Framework Monitor Dashboard Hyogo Framework for Action (2005–2015) Global Assessment Report on DRR (GAR) UNDRR DRR Terminology / Glossary

Disease & Epidemics

Health 15+ links

International / U.S.

CDC Natural Disasters HHS Disasters & Emergencies AIDS.org WHO Avian Flu CDC Avian Flu American Cancer Society National Cancer Institute CDC Flu WHO SARS Health Canada SARS WHO Polio WHO Disease Outbreak News

Drought

Hydro 7 links
USGS Water Use US Drought Monitor (UNL) National Drought Mitigation Center USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service NOAA Drought Information Drought for Kids WMO Drought Monitoring

Earthquakes

Seismic 15+ links

International / U.S.

USGS Earthquake Hazards USGS Real-time Earthquake Map IRIS — Seismology Research Global Earthquake Model (GEM) EarthquakeTrack GEOFON (GFZ Potsdam) EMSC — European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre PreventionWeb — Earthquake Resources Earthquake Engineering Research Inst. (EERI) Japan Seismic Research Promotion Board K-NET Strong-Motion Network (NIED Japan) Hi-net Seismograph Network (NIED Japan)

Severe Weather

Meteorology 10+ links
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) WMO Severe Weather Information Centre NWS — National Weather Service AccuWeather The Weather Channel Weather Underground American Meteorological Society UK Weather World WeatherSpark

Landslides & Sediment Disasters

Geohazard 8 links
USGS Landslide Hazards Program USGS Landslide Research International SABO Network GDACS Landslide Alerts Japan Ministry — Sediment Disaster Control (MLIT) DPRI Kyoto Univ. — Landslide Research

Lightning

Electric 5 links
NSSL Lightning Research Vaisala Thunderstorm Portal FloridaLightning.com Blitzortung — Live Lightning Maps Japan Lightning Risk Reduction Consortium

Oceans & Marine Weather

Marine 10+ links
NOAA National Data Buoy Center NOAA CoastWatch NOAA Ocean NOAA Ocean Explorer Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution US Coast Guard NASA SeaWiFS JAMSTEC — Japan Marine-Earth Science (EN) JAMSTEC GODAC Data Archive

Oil Spills

Environment 8 links
EPA Oil Spills NOAA Incident News NOAA Oil Spill Response & Restoration NOAA DARRP (Restoring Resources) US Coast Guard US Chemical Safety Investigation Board EPA Emergency Response ITOPF — Int'l Tanker Owners Pollution Federation

Relief Efforts & Humanitarian

Humanitarian 20+ links
American Red Cross Feeding America Catholic Relief Services Church World Service (CWS) Habitat for Humanity International Red Cross & Red Crescent Mennonite Disaster Service NVOAD Salvation Army Action Against Hunger American Jewish World Service CARE International Direct Relief International Oxfam International Save the Children UNICEF World Food Programme InterAction.org Japanese Red Cross Society (EN) World Society of Victimology

Snow Disasters & Avalanche

Cold Hazard 8 links
Avalanche.org (US) Avalanche Center American Avalanche Association Canadian Avalanche Association NSIDC Antarctic Ice Shelves NOAA National Ice Center FEMA Winter Storms Snow & Ice Disaster Research Center (NIED Japan, EN)

Hurricanes & Tropical Cyclones

Tropical 18+ links

NOAA Resources

National Hurricane Center (NHC) NOAA Hurricanes Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale NHC Archive of Hurricane Seasons Hurricane FAQ (NOAA) NOAA Hurricane Research Division GOES Satellites NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic Lab

Other Resources

LSU Hurricane Center HurricaneTrack FEMA Hurricanes CIMSS Tropical Cyclones 53rd Weather Recon Squadron Hong Kong Tropical Cyclone Observations Online Meteorology Guide: Hurricanes

Biological, Chemical & CBRN

CBRN 25+ links

International Preparedness

Ready.Gov: Biological Threat Ready.Gov: Chemical Threat CDC Bioterrorism Agents List CDC Emergency Preparedness World Health Organization NIH Toxnet: Toxicology Database EPA Emergency Response Managing Hazardous Material Incidents PBS Frontline: Plague War Sandia National Labs UPMC Center for Biosecurity (Hopkins)

CDC Specific Agents

Anthrax Botulism Brucellosis Ebola Ricin Smallpox Plague Tularemia Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Lewisite Mustard Gas Sarin VX

Radiological & Nuclear

Ready.Gov: Nuclear Threat Ready.Gov: Radiation Threat CDC Radiological Weapons EPA Radiation Protection Oak Ridge REACTS State Dept — Bureau of Int'l Security (ISN) FAS: Nuclear Issues

Refugees

Amnesty International International Rescue Committee Refugees International UNHCR — UN Refugee Agency

Wildfires

Fire 15+ links

NOAA / U.S. Government

National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) Active Fire Mapping Program USGS Wildfire Hazards US Fish & Wildlife Fire Management NOAA SPC Fire Weather USDA Forest Service: Fire California Dept. of Forestry & Fire NASA FIRMS — Active Fire Map (live)

Other Wildfire Resources

Firewise USA Firehouse.com Wildfire News Fireglobe (Univ. Freiburg) Greenpeace Japan (Forests, EN) Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED)

Floods

Hydro 12+ links
Dartmouth Flood Observatory USGS Water & Floods FEMA Floods NOAA AHPS — Advanced Hydrologic Prediction FloodList — Global Flood News GDACS Flood Alerts ICHARM (Int'l Centre for Water Hazard) Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS) FloodHub (UK) Basin Disaster Research Centre (Kyoto Univ.) Japan Ministry of Land — Rivers (EN)

Heat Disasters

Climate 7 links
CDC: Extreme Heat Ready.Gov: Extreme Heat WHO Heat & Health NOAA Heat Waves FEMA Extreme Heat WMO Heat Waves NOAA Climate.gov Heat Events

El Niño / La Niña (ENSO)

Climate 6 links
NOAA ENSO Advisories NOAA PMEL El Niño NOAA Climate.gov ENSO Bureau of Meteorology (AU) ENSO WMO ENSO IRI (Columbia Univ.) ENSO Resources

Space Weather

Space 10 links
UN-SPIDER Platform for Space-based Info SpaceWeather.com NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center SOHO Solar Observatory Univ. of Arizona Spacewatch NASA Heliophysics Michigan Tech: Auroras CRISP (Singapore) EPA Climate Change Hong Kong Observatory

Terrorism & Security

Security 15+ links

International / U.S.

DHS Homeland Security EPA: Protecting Water Supply FBI FEMA FEMA NIMS Training Monterey: Center for Non-Proliferation Studies CFR: Terrorism Q&A Terrorism.com START — National Consortium for Study of Terrorism

Disaster Trauma & Psychology

NIMH: Helping Children Cope APA Disasters Response & Resilience Child Trauma NASP Trauma Information Pages AACAP: Helping Children After a Disaster

Tornadoes

Wind 12+ links

NOAA Resources

National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) NSSL Tornado Information NOAA Tornadoes FAQs Storm Prediction Center (live) SPC Climatological Data NWS Warnings & Forecasts JMA Tornado Database (Japan)

Other Resources

TornadoProject.com VORTEX Case Studies FEMA Tornado Facts Fujita Scale Reference

Tsunamis

Coastal 15+ links

Warning Centers & Live Monitoring

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning NOAA DART System Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) NGDC Tsunami Database ITIC — Int'l Tsunami Information Center

Research & Education

USGS Tsunamis Pacific Tsunami Museum Univ. of Hawaii SOEST Pacific Northwest Seismic Network ADPC Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Russia Tsunami Laboratory (SSCC) Wikipedia: Tsunami NZ Natural Hazards Center NOAA Tides and Currents Inamura no Hi (Tsunami Awareness, Japan)

Typhoons

Tropical 8 links
Digital Typhoon — NII Japan (image archive) JAXA/EORC Typhoon Database Tenki.jp Typhoon Info WeatherNews Typhoon Info Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) Hong Kong Tropical Cyclone Observations Hurricane/Typhoon FAQ (NOAA) Isewan Typhoon 50th Anniversary (NIED)

Volcanoes

Volcanic 15+ links
Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program Smithsonian Volcanic Activity Reports USGS Volcano Hazards USGS Volcano Observatories AU Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory VolcanoDiscovery Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) NOAA VENTS Program NOAA Volcano Database IAVCEI — Int'l Assoc. Volcanology & Chemistry UCSB Volcano Information Center GDACS Volcano Alerts Wikipedia: Volcano

Others — Asbestos & Miscellaneous

Misc
Asbestos and Natural Disasters Guide Emergency Plan for a Natural Disaster NIH: Asbestos & Health