Read all posts for ‘earthquakes’

On Wednesday, November 7th, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake shook the San Marcos Department along the Guatemalan Pacific Coast. The largest such quake in Guatemala since 1976, the tremors were felt from Mexico D.F.  down to San Salvador. International news sources report the death toll at nearly fifty, while hundreds have been […]

In the turmoil that follows a natural disaster, extreme forms of governance can flourish. But, says Muhammad Farhan, effective democracy is the best route back to stability.

Does the occurrence of a natural disaster such as an earthquake, volcanic eruption, tsunami, flood, hurricane, epidemic, heat wave, and ⁄ or plague increase the risk of violent civil conflict in a society? This study uses available data for 187 political units for the period 1950–2000 to systematically explore this question […]

Democracies handle natural disasters much better than nondemocracies, but still democratic disaster policy is negatively affected by widespread political ignorance. Read more