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6 cruise ship disasters

While a cruise nowadays is a safe way to explore the world in consummate luxury, in the early days catching a cruise ship was by no means smooth sailing. Here are 6 cruise ship disaster stories. 1. The Titanic After colliding into an iceberg somewhere in the North Atlantic the “unsinkable” Titanic sank two miles to the bottom of the ocean. More than 1,500 lives were lost, with the disaster continuing to intrigue. 2. S.S. Eastland In 1915 Western Electric hosted an employee picnic aboard the S.S Eastland on the Chicago River which took an unfortunate turn when the ship tipped over (while still at the dock!). 3. The Norwegian Dawn In a journey between New York City and the Bahamas, The Norwegian Dawn was hit by a 70-foot wave that ended up flooding 62 cabins. Thankfully only two people suffered minor injuries. 4. The Splendor On a seven-day cruise to Mexico the engine room of the Splendor caught fire. The cruise was shortened to three days, and 3,299 passengers didn’t have access to toilets for 13 hours. 5. The Costa Concordia The Costa Concordia unfortunately sank in 2012, after the ship hit shallow seas off the coast of Italy. Navy divers reportedly used explosives to access the inside of the ship, and managed to refloat the vessel to dismantle the wreckage. 32 lives were lost. 6. Carnival Conquest Well, we’re just going to have to take their word for it, but apparently the Carnival Conquest ship is haunted by a tall man in a trench coat, who appears in the middle of the night. Image credits: Getty Images

Cruising

Disaster, opulence, and the merciless ocean: why the Titanic disaster continues to enthral

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kristie-patricia-flannery-1220337">Kristie Patricia Flannery</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-catholic-university-747">Australian Catholic University</a> The question on many minds this week is why did some of the world’s richest men risk death to venture to the bottom of the sea in a cold and cramped <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/20/us/oceangate-titanic-missing-submersible.html">“experimental” submersible</a> for a chance to glimpse the wreck of the Titanic? The “unsinkable” ship that sunk on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic in 1912 after colliding with an iceberg is arguably the world’s most well-known boat. The Titanic is recognisable to more of the world’s population than, say, the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria (Christopher Colombus’s fleet that launched the Spanish conquest of the Americas), or Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour (the tall ship that set in motion the British conquest of Australia). The Endeavour’s long-forgotten wreck was found scuttled off the coast of Rhode Island <a href="https://theconversation.com/has-captain-cooks-ship-endeavour-been-found-debate-rages-but-heres-whats-usually-involved-in-identifying-a-shipwreck-176363">just last year</a>. The Titanic’s maiden voyage and calamitous end was one of the biggest news stories of 1912, and has continued to fascinate us ever since. The disaster inspired songs and multiple films in the twentieth century, including James Cameron’s 1997 epic romance, which long reigned as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films#Timeline_of_highest-grossing_films">highest-grossing film of all time</a>. More recently, Titanic exhibitions that invite visitors to examine relics and <a href="https://titanicexhibition.com/nyc/#sec_instafeed">explore the ship’s recreated rooms have attracted huge crowds in New York, Seville and Hong Kong</a>. <h2>Opulence and immigrants</h2> There are two reasons why we are so drawn to the Titanic, and why the super-rich are apparently willing to part with their money and even risk their lives to catch a glimpse of its broken hull. The first is its opulence. The White Start Line that built the Titanic advertised the ship as the most luxurious ever to set sail. Wealthy passengers paid up to £870 for the privilege of occupying the Titanic’s most expensive and spacious first-class cabins. To put this 110-year-old money in perspective, when the first world war broke out in 1914, infantry soldiers in the British army were paid a basic salary of around £20 per year. Titanic movies and exhibitions are popular because audiences enjoy the voyeurism of gazing on the ship’s beautiful furnishings, the stunning clothes worn by its rich and beautiful passengers, and their elaborate meals in fancy restaurants. First-class passengers feasted on <a href="https://online.ucpress.edu/gastronomica/article-abstract/9/4/32/93511/The-Night-the-Good-Ship-Went-Down-Three-Fateful">multi-course dinners</a> with salmon, steak, and pâté de foie gras. Chefs in Australia and around the globe occasionally <a href="https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/things-to-do/titanic-dining-experience">recreate Titanic meals</a> for curious clients. Hundreds of poor immigrant passengers, represented by Jack (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) in Cameron’s movie, were also aboard the Titanic. They lived in crowded quarters and enjoyed less thrilling meals such as boiled beef and potatoes. If their ilk were the only people on board the Titanic, the ship would arguably have faded quickly from memory. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/erAQ9LkftwA?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>The power of the sea</h2> The fact the Titanic was touted as unsinkable also adds to its allure. The ship, whose name evoked its massive size, was engineered to cheat the ocean. When it departed England it symbolised man’s domination over nature. At the bottom of the Atlantic, it serves as a visceral reminder of the indomitable sea’s awesome power. The same two factors - the excess of the voyage, and its defeat by the sea – are now driving the current global interest in the Titan submersible disaster. Few world events garner so much attention, including statements from Downing Street and the White House, and live news blogs from The New York Times and the Guardian. The Titan, like the Titanic, commands our attention because of its obscenely rich passengers, who each reportedly paid US$250,000 (or between four and five times the average US salary) to visit the wreck of the famous ship that battled the sea and lost. And then there is the intriguing mystery and power of the sea. News outlets are publishing helpful graphics that try to teach our terrestrial brains to comprehend just how deep the ocean is, and how far below the sea’s surface the Titanic and possibly the Titan lie. <h2>The limits of human knowledge</h2> Last night I spied <a href="https://neal.fun/deep-sea/">Neal Argawal’s Deep Sea</a> website circulating on social media. The site allows viewers to scroll from the sea surface to the sea floor, diving down past images of various marine animals that inhabit different oceanic depths. At 114 metres is an orca, and 332m marks the the deepest depth a human has ever reached using SCUBA gear. It takes a lot of scrolling to descend to the Titanic almost 4,000m below the waves. Besides gross income inequality, reflecting on the Titan and the Titanic invite us to confront just how little we can “see” of the sea in this age of mass surveillance. Not even the powerful US navy, assisted by the Canadian, UK and French governments, can muster the resources and technology required to locate, let alone rescue, the missing submersible. As the sea seems to have swallowed yet another ship, we are reminded of limits of human knowledge and mastery over the ocean.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208200/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kristie-patricia-flannery-1220337">Kristie Patricia Flannery</a>, Research Fellow, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-catholic-university-747">Australian Catholic University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/disaster-opulence-and-the-merciless-ocean-why-the-titanic-disaster-continues-to-enthral-208200">original article</a>.

Travel Tips

Eerie link between OceanGate pilot and Titanic disaster

A chilling link has been discovered between pilot Stockton Rush, who was onboard the OceanGate submersible, and the Titanic disaster in 1912. Mr Rush, who was at the helm of the vehicle bound for the Titanic wreckage, has a personal connection to two of the victims who were onboard the Titanic when it sank over 100 years ago. His wife, Wendy Rush, is the great-great-granddaughter of Isador Straus, who co-founded Macy’s department store, and Ida Straus, who were among the wealthiest people aboard the Titanic’s ill-fated transatlantic voyage, according to archived records obtained by the New York Times. The Strauses have long been remembered for their display of love and affection when the ocean liner hit the iceberg before infamously sinking in the North Atlantic, claiming the lives of more than 1500 people. Survivors of the disaster reported seeing Ida refuse a place on the lifeboats, which were reserved largely for women and children, and decided to stay onboard the sinking vessel with her husband of more than 40 years. Their tragic love story was depicted in James Cameron’s fictionalised version of the tragedy, his 1997 blockbuster Titanic, which features a scene showing an elderly couple holding on to each other in bed as waters rise around them. Wendy Rush is descended from one of the couple’s daughters, Minnie Strauss, who married Dr. Richard Weil in 1905, and their son, Richard Weil Jr., served as president of Macy’s New York, His son, Dr. Richard Weil III, is Wendy Rush’s father, Joan Adler, the executive director of the Straus Historical Society. Isador’s body was found at sea weeks after the Titanic sank, but his wife’s body was never recovered. Wendy also worked for OceanGate as their communications director, with her LinkedIn indicating she had been on several trips to the wreckage of the Titanic herself. The OceanGate submersible <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/news/news/surprising-cause-of-death-revealed-for-missing-titan-sub-crew" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly imploded</a> hours after it went missing, with all five people on board believed to be dead. Image credits: OceanGate / Wikimedia

Family & Pets

4 worst travel disasters and how to avoid them

After all the stress involved in preparing and booking an overseas trip, it can be quite disheartening for something to go wrong while you’re on holidays aboard. With a bit of planning however, you can be sure that even if you fall victim to one of these travel disasters you’ll be in a good position to continue your trip. Here are four of the worst travel disasters, and how to avoid them. These travel disasters can easily turn the trip of a lifetime into one that you’d rather forget. 1. Missed flight The prospect of running through a crowded terminal only to be greeted by a closed door at the gate is one that sinks the heart of even the most nonchalant traveller. And missing a flight can really throw a spanner in the works for your travel plans. If your plane has taken off without you, it’s recommended that you immediately go to your airline’s desk who can get you on the next flight. Whether or not you will have to pay for this is another matter entirely, and depends on who’s at fault for the missed flight. The best safeguard in this case, is having travel insurance that covers you for missed connections. 2. Lost luggage There’s few feelings in the world of travel that are worse than the one you get hours after disembarking from your flight, standing at a now-empty baggage carousel, and knowing that two weeks of holiday clothing is anywhere in the world but here. Make sure you hang onto your baggage ticket and if this ever happens head to counter or office at your airport and fill out a missing baggage form. If your bag has indeed been lost or damaged and the airline is at fault you may be compensated, but it’s another one of those circumstances where it is just best to have travel insurance to make sure you’re prepared. 3. Becoming sick From cold to migraines to something more serious, there is nothing in the world that ruins your dream trip like becoming sick. If you have fallen ill overseas it’s recommended you seek medical assistance as soon as possible. In some countries you may have to pay for your treatment upfront, and if this is the case then you may have to contact your travel insurance provider (they generally have 24 hour contact centres) to arrange payments. If you don’t have insurance and are in a situation where you have to pay for treatment upfront you must contact your financial institution or a family member. 4. Lost passport Opening your daypack only to find your passport missing is every traveller’s worst nightmare. If this has happened to you, it’s important to contact the local police and then the New Zealand embassy, who will be able to provide you with an emergency passport so you can return home. Carry an extra copy of your passport in a separate part of your luggage. Images: Getty

Travel Trouble

Bride’s online dress disaster

Bride-to-be Zuzanna was full of excitement ahead of her engagement party - she was free of stress, and she had an amazing dress … until she didn’t. Zuzanna had been under the impression that her Amazon find - a gorgeous white lace maxi dress with nearly 3000 promising reviews - was going to be everything she dreamed. But that dream was destined to become a nightmare, with the online retail supergiant sending her a much shorter version of the garment. Gone was any vision of a long skirt swirling around her ankles as she strode in to her upcoming engagement party, with the new hem barely grazing Zuzanna’s knees in a picture she posted to Facebook group What I Asked For VS What I Got. “It’s not a bad dress at all,” she wrote, “but it’s really not what I was going for.” Continuing from there, Zuzanna took the opportunity to warn others who might have had the same idea as her, pleading for them to “be careful what you order. I bought this dress for my engagement party on Saturday … I definitely will not be wearing it!” She then explained that it had taken her by surprise to open her package and made the unexpected discovery, as the reviews for the product had been so positive. Her misfortunes weren’t to end there, however, with Zuzanna noting that the dress’ “material is super cheap feeling, but I feel like I could have worn it once before it fell apart in the wash.” She hadn’t had any problems with her Amazon purchases before, and hadn’t even considered that poor outcome, though it now meant she’d have to go out in search of another dress for her party. “I don’t hate the dress,” she surmised, “it's just not right for the occasion and that's so sad.” And although Zuzanna seemed to have come to terms with her fate, and didn’t seem too upset about it, people in the comments still wanted to offer her their support, with a few suggestions on how she should proceed with Amazon. “They have a short dress on the site, they probably scanned the wrong item when they sent it to you,” one said. 'It's probably a mistake,” another wrote, before sharing that they actually “had several of these maxi dresses” and that Zuzanna should try contacting the company. Meanwhile, others seized the opportunity for some fun, with one asking “where's the other half of the dress?” “Wow,” said another, “you must be really tall!” Images: Facebook

Beauty & Style

‘Patently ridiculous’: State government failures have exacerbated Sydney’s flood disaster

For the fourth time in 18 months, floodwaters have inundated homes and businesses in Western Sydney’s Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley. Recent torrential rain is obviously the immediate cause. But poor decisions by successive New South Wales governments have exacerbated the damage. The town of Windsor, in the Hawkesbury region, has suffered a particularly high toll, with dramatic flood heights of 9.3 metres in February 2020, 12.9m in March 2021 and 13.7m in March this year. As I write, flood heights at Windsor have reached nearly 14m. This is still considerably lower than the monster flood of 1867, which reached almost 20m. It’s clear that standard flood risk reduction measures, such as raising building floor levels, are not safe enough in this valley. We’ve known about the risk of floods to the region for a long time. Yet successive state governments have failed to properly mitigate its impact. Indeed, recent urban development policies by the current NSW government will multiply the risk. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> BBC weather putting Sydney’s downpour into context. More rain there in 4 days than London gets in a year. <a href="https://t.co/FDkBCYGlK7">pic.twitter.com/FDkBCYGlK7</a> — Brett Mcleod (@Brett_McLeod) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brett_McLeod/status/1544071890431623169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2022</a></blockquote> We knew this was coming A 22,000 square kilometre catchment covering the Blue Mountains and Western Sydney drains into the Hawkesbury-Nepean river system. The system faces an <a href="https://theconversation.com/sydneys-disastrous-flood-wasnt-unprecedented-were-about-to-enter-a-50-year-period-of-frequent-major-floods-158427" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extreme flood risk</a> because gorges restrict the river’s seaward flow, often causing water to rapidly fill up the valley after heavy rain. Governments have known about the flood risks in the valley for more than two centuries. Traditional Owners have known about them for millennia. In 1817, Governor Macquarie lamented: <blockquote> it is impossible not to feel extremely displeased and Indignant at [colonists] Infatuated Obstinacy in persisting to Continue to reside with their Families, Flocks, Herds, and Grain on those Spots Subject to the Floods, and from whence they have often had their prosperity swept away. </blockquote> Macquarie’s was the first in a long line of governments to do nothing effective to reduce the risk. The latest in this undistinguished chain is the NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts. In March, Roberts <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-planning-minister-scraps-order-to-consider-flood-fire-risks-before-building-20220321-p5a6kc.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly revoked</a> his predecessor’s directive to better consider flood and other climate risks in planning decisions, to instead favour housing development. Roberts’ predecessor, Rob Stokes, had required that the Department of Planning, local governments and developers consult Traditional Owners, manage risks from climate change, and make information public on the risks of natural disasters. This could have helped limit development on floodplains. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Michael Greenway knows that as soon as he sees floodwater, it’s time to get the three boxes of family photos and move to higher ground. He’s lived in his Richards home for years and has experienced six floods - three of which have been this year <a href="https://t.co/t8Tgckc5lx">https://t.co/t8Tgckc5lx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NSWFloods?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NSWFloods</a> <a href="https://t.co/ErN6sf6hBn">pic.twitter.com/ErN6sf6hBn</a> — Laura Chung (@Laura_R_Chung) <a href="https://twitter.com/Laura_R_Chung/status/1543890156675276800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2022</a></blockquote> Why are we still building there? The Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley is currently home to 134,000 people, a population <a href="https://www.infrastructure.nsw.gov.au/expert-advice/hawkesbury-nepean-flood-risk-management-strategy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">projected to</a> double by 2050. The potential <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-stop-risky-developments-in-floodplains-we-have-to-tackle-the-profit-motive-and-our-false-sense-of-security-184062?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=bylinetwitterbutton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">economic returns</a> from property development are a key driver of the <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/26393302" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lack of effective action</a> to reduce flood risk. In the valley, for example, billionaire Kerry Stokes’ company Seven Group is <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-raising-the-warragamba-dam-wall-could-be-a-win-for-billionaire-kerry-stokes-20220222-p59yke.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly a part owner</a> of almost 2,000 hectares at Penrith Lakes by the Nepean River, where a 5,000-home development has been mooted. Planning in Australia often uses the 1-in-100-year flood return interval as a safety standard. <a href="https://nccarf.edu.au/living-floods-key-lessons-australia-and-abroad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This is not appropriate</a>. Flood risk in the valley is increasing with climate change, and development in the catchment increases the speed of runoff from paved surfaces. The historical 1-in-100 year safety standard is particularly inappropriate in the valley, because of the extreme risk of rising water cutting off low-lying roads and completely submerging residents cut-off in extreme floods. What’s more, a “medium” climate change scenario will see a <a href="https://www.infrastructure.nsw.gov.au/expert-advice/hawkesbury-nepean-flood-risk-management-strategy/resources/publications-and-resources/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">14.6% increase</a> in rainfall by 2090 west of Sydney. This is projected to increase the 1-in-100 year flood height at Windsor from 17.3m to 18.4m. The NSW government should impose a much higher standard of flood safety before approving new residential development. In my view, it would be prudent to only allow development that could withstand the 20m height of the 1867 flood. No dam can control the biggest floods The NSW government’s primary proposal to reduce flood risk is to <a href="https://www.infrastructure.nsw.gov.au/expert-advice/hawkesbury-nepean-flood-risk-management-strategy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raise Warragamba Dam</a> by 14m. There are many reasons this <a href="https://www.giveadam.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposal should be questioned</a>. They include the potential inundation not just of <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/traditional-owners-launch-federal-bid-to-stop-raising-of-warragamba-dam-wall-20210128-p56xkt.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cultural sites</a> of the Gundungarra nation, but threatened species populations, and part of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. The <a href="https://www.infrastructure.nsw.gov.au/media/2855/infrastructure-nsw-resilient-valley-resilient-communities-2017-jan.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cost-benefit analysis</a> used to justify the proposal <a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/inquiry-submission-details.aspx?pk=65507" target="_blank" rel="noopener">did not count</a> these costs, nor the benefits of alternative measures such as upgrading escape roads. Perversely, flood control dams and levee banks often result in higher flood risks. That’s because none of these structures stop the biggest floods, and they provide an illusion of safety that justifies more risky floodplain development. The current NSW transport minister <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/emergency-minister-says-raising-dam-wall-could-lead-to-more-development-on-floodplain-20210329-p57evo.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggested such development</a> in the valley last year. Similar development occurred with the construction of the Wivenhoe Dam in 1984, which hasn’t prevented extensive flooding in <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/26393302" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brisbane</a> in 2011 and 2022. These are among the reasons the NSW Parliament Select Committee on the Proposal to Raise the Warragamba Dam Wall <a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/listofcommittees/Pages/committee-details.aspx?pk=262#tab-reportsandgovernmentresponses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recommended</a> last October that the state government: <blockquote> not proceed with the Warragamba Dam wall raising project [and] pursue alternative floodplain management strategies instead. </blockquote> What the government should do instead The NSW government now has an opportunity to overcome two centuries of failed governance. It could take substantial measures to keep homes off the floodplain and out of harm’s way. We need major <a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/inquiry-submission-details.aspx?pk=65507" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new measures</a> including: <ul> <li>preventing new development</li> <li>relocating flood prone residents</li> <li>building better evacuation roads</li> <li>lowering the water storage level behind Warragamba Dam.</li> </ul> The NSW government should help residents to relocate from the most flood-prone places and restore floodplains. This has been undertaken for many Australian towns and cities, such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420914000028" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grantham</a>, Brisbane, and <a href="https://nccarf.edu.au/living-floods-key-lessons-australia-and-abroad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">along major rivers worldwide</a>. <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/5/4/1580/htm#B10-water-05-01580" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Relocating residents isn’t easy</a>, and any current Australian buyback and relocation programs are voluntary. I think it’s in the public interest to go further and, for example, compulsorily acquire or relocate those with destroyed homes, rather than allowing them to rebuild in harm’s way. This approach offers certainty for flood-hit people and lowers community impacts in the longer term. It is patently ridiculous to rebuild on sites that have been flooded multiple times in two years. In the case of the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley, there are at least <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/federal-government-insurers-stop-housing-in-floodrisk-zones/news-story/cba71269eff2b0ea00d93445ff0e9f73" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5,000 homes</a> below the 1-in-100-year flood return interval. This includes roughly <a href="https://www.hawkesburygazette.com.au/story/7657492/near-1000-flood-related-home-insurance-claims-already-in-hawkesbury/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1,000 homes flooded</a> in March. The NSW government says a buyback program would be <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/farcical-minister-shoots-down-flood-relocation-says-residents-know-the-risks-20220308-p5a2qg.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">too expensive</a>. Yet, the cost would be comparable to the roughly $2 billion needed to raise Warragamba Dam, or the government’s $5 billion WestInvest fund. An alternative measure to raising the dam is to lower the water storage level in Warragamba Dam by 12m. This would reduce the amount of drinking water stored to supply Sydney, and would provide some flood control space. The city’s water supply would then need to rely more on the existing desalination plant, a <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032116001817" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strategy assessed as cost effective</a> and with the added benefit of bolstering drought resilience. The flood damage seen in NSW this week was entirely predictable. Measures that could significantly lower flood risk are expensive and politically hard. But as flood risks worsen with climate change, they’re well worth it.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/186304/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jamie-pittock-7562" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jamie Pittock</a>, Professor, Fenner School of Environment & Society, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian National University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/patently-ridiculous-state-government-failures-have-exacerbated-sydneys-flood-disaster-186304" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.

Legal

‘One of the most extreme disasters in colonial Australian history’

The deluge dumped on southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales this week has been catastrophic. Floodwaters peaked at around 14.4 metres high in Lismore – two metres higher than the city’s previous record. So how does this compare to Australia’s previous floods, such as in 2011? And can we expect more frequent floods at this scale under climate change? The answers to questions like these aren’t straightforward. Climate change doesn’t tell the whole story, as extreme rainfall can occur for a <a href="https://theconversation.com/like-rivers-in-the-sky-the-weather-system-bringing-floods-to-queensland-will-become-more-likely-under-climate-change-176711">variety of reasons</a>. What’s more, it’s too soon to officially state whether this event is directly linked to climate change, as this would require a formal event attribution study. This can take months or years to produce. In any case, we do know extreme events like this will occur more frequently in a warmer world. And the rising death toll, ongoing evacuations and destroyed homes make this one of the most extreme natural disasters in colonial Australian history. How this compares to floods in our past The east coast is a common place for heavy rainfall and flooding. The Yugara and Yugarabul people have <a href="https://www.oxleycreekcatchment.org.au/history/">traditional stories about great floods</a> in the Brisbane river region long before European colonisation, and sediments from floodplains indicate floods as severe as those in 2010–2011 have occurred <a href="https://theconversation.com/old-floods-show-brisbanes-next-big-wet-might-be-closer-than-we-think-70392">at least seven times in the past 1,000 years</a>. Instrumental records and <a href="https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/overview-brisbane-river-floods">documentary accounts</a> show severe floods have inundated southern Queensland’s cities and towns in the 1820s, early 1840s and 1890s, 1931, 1974 and, of course, in 2010–2011. Each of these events have been devastating, and record-breaking, depending on which records you’re interested in. The floods in 1841 and 1893 are considered highest in terms of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-16/brisbane-flood-history-should-not-take-people-by-surprise/13051826">water levels recorded in Brisbane city</a>, reaching over 8m. Australia’s wettest day on record was also recorded in 1893, when Crohamhurst in the Glasshouse Mountains measured 907 millimetres in one day. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449172/original/file-20220301-4202-1lwf5fm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449172/original/file-20220301-4202-1lwf5fm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449172/original/file-20220301-4202-1lwf5fm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449172/original/file-20220301-4202-1lwf5fm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449172/original/file-20220301-4202-1lwf5fm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449172/original/file-20220301-4202-1lwf5fm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449172/original/file-20220301-4202-1lwf5fm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Black and white image of men in a small boat in front of a tall brick building that is half submerged in flood water. The building had 'West End Brewery' written on it" /><figcaption>The West End Brewery in Brisbane in 1890. The Brewery building was damaged even further in the 1893 flood, when the Brisbane River rose 10 feet above the 1890 record. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland</figcaption></figure> The 1974 event was associated with extreme rainfall totals in many coastal areas, including 314mm in one day in Brisbane, and more than a metre of rainfall was recorded over three days in places such as Mount Tamborine and the northwest of Surfers Paradise. The 2010–11 flood, while not as severe in terms of extreme rainfall totals, <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/statements/scs24b.pdf">was notable for its inland extent</a>, and was the final act of Australia’s wettest July to December on record. The current flood has peaked at 3.85m in Brisbane, below the 2010–2011 levels of 4.46m. But it’s breaking records in other areas such as Lismore in northern NSW. The rainfall statistics associated with this event are also nearing the highest on record for many places, possibly due to the slow-moving nature of the associated weather system. Four of the top six highest rainfall totals in NSW were <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/second-heaviest-daily-rainfall-ever-observed-in-nsw/536322">recorded on 28 February</a>, and Brisbane has just experienced three days of over 200mm. These aren’t the highest daily totals ever recorded in the city, but the first time three days of such intense falls have been documented, in data that go back to 1841. Disentangling the role of climate change When it comes to understanding the role of human-induced climate change in extreme events, there is the temptation to ask the wrong question: “did climate change cause this event?” Since any extreme event is always a manifestation of climate variability, large weather systems, local-scale weather and climate change, it’s impossible to categorically answer this question with a simple “yes” or “no”. Instead, the question we should be asking is “did climate change contribute to this event?” Well, firstly, there has actually been a slight decrease in summer rainfall in southeast Queensland and northeast NSW since the mid-20th century. But, there’s very high variability in rainfall for this region, and La Niña – a natural climate phenonenon associated with wetter weather – often brings flooding to this area, as we saw in 2010/2011 and in the 1970s. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449171/original/file-20220301-15-1h65whn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449171/original/file-20220301-15-1h65whn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449171/original/file-20220301-15-1h65whn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449171/original/file-20220301-15-1h65whn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449171/original/file-20220301-15-1h65whn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449171/original/file-20220301-15-1h65whn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449171/original/file-20220301-15-1h65whn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449171/original/file-20220301-15-1h65whn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Trends in maximum 3-day rainfall in summer (December-February) from 1959/1960 to 2019/2020 show mixed trends in the flood-affected region. White areas are where station coverage is sparse or the dataset fails a quality control test. Author provided</figcaption></figure> Indeed, the effect of La Niña (and its counterpart El Niño, associated with drier weather) makes identifying a climate change-related trend more difficult. In other words, while a human-induced climate change signal may be present, the naturally high variability makes it hard to spot. The atmosphere can hold approximately 7% more moisture for every degree Celsius of global warming. However, we also need the right weather systems in place to trigger the release of moisture from the air and cause extreme rainfall. The climate change effect on these systems is uncertain. Climate change and weather systems The severity of the flooding in southeast Queensland is partly due to a weather system called an “<a href="https://theconversation.com/like-rivers-in-the-sky-the-weather-system-bringing-floods-to-queensland-will-become-more-likely-under-climate-change-176711">atmospheric river</a>” sitting over the region for days. To make matters worse, the rain fell on an already sodden ground due to both the higher-than-average rainfall from the current La Niña, and the La Niña in the 2020-2021 summer. This made a huge difference to the scale of the floods. We don’t fully understand how the persistence of these natural systems will change in future, but recent work shows climate change will cause long-lasting atmospheric rivers over Sydney to occur <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2021GL095335">almost twice as often</a> by the end of the 21st century. We don’t know yet if that’s also true further north of Sydney. To complicate things further, there’s <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/expect-twice-as-many-extreme-la-nina-events-under-climate-change-study-warns">evidence</a> to suggest climate change may be influencing the frequency, intensity and impacts of El Niño and La Niña events. <a href="https://interactive-atlas.ipcc.ch/regional-information#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">Climate change projections</a> also suggest we may see small increases in the number of extreme one-day rainfall events which typically lead to flash flooding, in eastern Australia. But there’s a lot of uncertainty. And worldwide, <a href="https://theconversation.com/mass-starvation-extinctions-disasters-the-new-ipcc-reports-grim-predictions-and-why-adaptation-efforts-are-falling-behind-176693">Monday’s report</a> from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projected that global warming of 2℃ this century will bring twice as much flood damage compared to 1.5℃ warming. This jumps to 3.9 times more flood damage at 3℃ warming. While the role of climate change is hard to pin down in Australia’s biggest floods, we know flooding often strikes our east coast. Building greater resilience to severe flooding would help lessen their impact. Taking steps like concentrating new housing and infrastructure projects in areas above flood plains would help make us less vulnerable to these events. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/178153/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-king-103126">Andrew King</a>, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linden-ashcroft-152419">Linden Ashcroft</a>, Lecturer in climate science and science communication, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-perkins-kirkpatrick-58472">Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick</a>, Chief Investigator on the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes; ARC Future Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/one-of-the-most-extreme-disasters-in-colonial-australian-history-climate-scientists-on-the-floods-and-our-future-risk-178153">original article</a>.

Domestic Travel

Four things tsunami-vulnerable countries must do to prepare for the next disaster

The eruption of an underwater volcano and subsequent tsunami that hit Tonga on January 16, was one of the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-60106981" target="_blank">most violent natural disasters</a> in decades. While this event had <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/tonga-struggles-with-ash-psychological-trauma-after-eruption-tsunami-2022-01-23/" target="_blank">catastrophic consequences</a>, such incidents are relatively common as volcanoes are naturally unstable, unpredictable and exist throughout the world. I have spent most of my career conducting post-disaster field research, improving coastal defences and supporting people to become more resilient to tsunamis and less anxious about the risk. The challenge facing countries in these naturally vulnerable parts of the world is to adapt and educate their citizens to take their own safety actions. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442734/original/file-20220126-13-1wfggn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442734/original/file-20220126-13-1wfggn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Map showing areas of the world at risk from tsunamis." /></a> Sketch of global tsunami hazard (as of May 2009). <a rel="noopener" href="https://reliefweb.int/map/world/world-sketch-global-tsunami-hazard-may-2009" target="_blank" class="source">UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction</a> Here I have outlined four things that vulnerable countries must urgently do to mitigate the consequences of tsunamis: 1. Educate people to be more resilient Education is one of the most effective defences. Regardless of the size of the wave or strength of seawalls, people are much more likely to survive a tsunami if they know exactly how to react once an alert is triggered. Vulnerable countries must therefore urgently create an educated, close-knit community that is aware that they are exposed to the risk and accept it as an aspect of their life and culture. I conducted focus group meetings with people, businesses and communities in Indonesia <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/krakatoa-is-still-active-and-we-are-not-ready-for-the-tsunamis-another-eruption-would-generate-147250" target="_blank">after the Anak Krakatoa tsunami in 2018</a>. In these groups, we established designated high ground areas and clear signage directing people to these safe zones. Evacuation events, such as mock tsunami drills, must be practised regularly so that people are familiar with safe areas and know where to go in the instance of a real tsunami. In Tonga specifically, where a third of the population is under the age of 15, tsunami safety must be taught at both primary and secondary school levels. Familiarising their young population with tsunamis, as well as other natural hazards such as <a rel="noopener" href="https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/disasterfacts.pdf" target="_blank">cyclones and earthquakes</a>, will create a more resilient and less anxious adult population. 2. Create effective early warning systems A decrease in ocean water surface levels is a clear sign that a tsunami is about to hit. Vulnerable countries must create early warning systems using satellites, drones and tide gauges to measure the vertical rise or fall of water to identify tsunamis before they happen. In light of the tsunami in Tonga, it would also help to place equipment such as <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.whoi.edu/what-we-do/explore/instruments/instruments-sensors-samplers/conductivity-temperature-depth-ctd-sensors/" target="_blank">conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD)</a> instruments, seismometers and thermal cameras near underwater volcanoes, while also observing the waters above with satellites. Buoys that measure the height and direction of waves can also be placed out at sea. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442939/original/file-20220127-28-ypjzpu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442939/original/file-20220127-28-ypjzpu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="A yellow buoy in the ocean" /></a> A tsunami detection buoy off the coast of Thailand. The Mariner 4291 / shutterstock When water levels are triggered, tsunami alert messages are sent out, giving people enough time to escape the impact zones. I experienced this myself while conducting fieldwork in a small town on the southern coast of Japan in 2018. There was <a rel="noopener" href="https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20181102/p2a/00m/0na/018000c" target="_blank">an earthquake</a> during my stay and before the ground had even stopped shaking my colleague received a text alert from the regional government with instructions. I grabbed my passport and prepared to go towards a nearby hill if he received a follow up “red alert” text – fortunately, that particular earthquake did not cause a tsunami, and we were able to stay where we were. 3. Establish a strong coastal defence scheme Tsunami-vulnerable countries must urgently create strong coastal defence schemes of offshore breakwaters, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2018/mar/09/after-the-tsunami-japan-sea-walls-in-pictures" target="_blank">tsunami walls</a> and flood levees. Tsunami waves hit hard, so ideally these foundations will be made of reinforced concrete to avoid erosion. Natural protections like <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.princeton.edu/news/2006/12/15/living-coral-reefs-provide-better-protection-tsunami-waves" target="_blank">coral reefs</a> could be strengthened with nature-based solutions such as rock armour or heavy sandbags, which will lower the cost for developing countries. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442947/original/file-20220127-4868-6qoq3p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442947/original/file-20220127-4868-6qoq3p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Man walks along concrete wall" /></a> A new coastal dyke in the city of Sendai, Japan, built after the 2011 tsunami. Ravindra Jayaratne, Author provided Critical infrastructure like power plants, densely populated communities and tourist hotspots must be built on higher ground, where possible. A good example of this comes from Miyagi and Iwate prefectures, Japan, which were badly hit by the 2011 Tohoku tsunami (the one which caused a nuclear disaster in neighbouring Fukushima). Some towns were <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/japan-tsunami-2011-fukushima-rebuilt-city-rikuzen-takata-residents-still-scared/" target="_blank">rebuilt on elevated ground</a> that had been filled in with compacted soil. If space is available, coastal forests with tall trees could be planted between communities and the beach to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.naturebasedsolutionsinitiative.org/publications/vegetation-bioshields-for-tsunami-mitigation-review-of-effectiveness-limitations-construction-and-sustainable-management/" target="_blank">act as a buffer zone</a>, limiting the impact of waves and reducing flooding, while also improving the local ecosystem. These defences may damage the tourist-friendly aesthetic of white sandy beaches, but they could save lives. 4. Form a regional approach to tsunamis The effects of the underwater volcano eruption and tsunami in Tonga were felt around the Pacific in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and America. These vulnerable countries must implement a regional approach to defending and responding to tsunamis. Aid must be given before tsunamis hit, not just after. This can be done through sharing data, expertise, research facilities and equipment. It is vitally important that this information is specifically given to developing countries to help strengthen their own defences. The underwater volcano near Tonga is active. And even if the recent eruption was a one in 1,000 year event, there is still a strong chance that it will erupt again since geological deposits show that major eruptions like this one tend to involve a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-the-tonga-eruption-was-so-violent-and-what-to-expect-next/" target="_blank">series of many individual explosive events</a>. Countries that are threatened by tsunamis can’t prevent these natural disasters from happening, but they can adapt to be better prepared for when they do. Foreign aid will be vital for Tonga to recover from this horrific incident. However, education and collaboration will be its most important defence in the longer term.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/175721/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ravindra-jayaratne-1147986" target="_blank">Ravindra Jayaratne</a>, Reader in Coastal Engineering, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-east-london-924" target="_blank">University of East London</a> This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/four-things-tsunami-vulnerable-countries-must-do-to-prepare-for-the-next-disaster-175721" target="_blank">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Domestic Travel

What a disaster: federal government slashes COVID payment when people need it most

With Australia’s official COVID-19 infection numbers topping <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/australia-covid-cases.html">100,000 a day</a>, the federal government has slashed its last remaining pandemic support payment. The decision is ill-timed, irresponsible and heartless. It is stripping away support for those most affected by the pandemic at the time they need it most. It will place those in low paid and precarious work in further financial stress as they lose income to isolate when infected or in close contact with someone else with COVID-19. The Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment was introduced in August 2020 in response to concerns casual workers and others without sick or pandemic leave entitlements could not take time off work when infected or in contact with someone with COVID-19. The leave payment was initially available to those not qualifying for JobKeeper – or, after JobKeeper ended in March 2021, the “disaster payment” introduced in response to <a href="https://theconversation.com/support-package-for-sydney-better-and-more-fit-for-purpose-than-jobkeeper-164394">the Sydney lockdown</a> in July 2021. Since that payment ended the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment is the only individual financial support the federal government provides. Available to people who had contracted COVID, were a close contact or needed to care for someone who had COVID, until this week it paid A$750 a week for two weeks. You could claim the payment regardless of the number of hours of paid work you lost. On January 18 the rules tightened – a move announced via a <a href="https://ministers.pmc.gov.au/mckenzie/2022/changes-pandemic-leave-disaster-payment">press release </a> on January 8 (a Saturday). Now it only pays $750 if you lose 20 hours or more of paid work a week. If you lose 8-19 hours you get just $450 a week. If you lose less than eight hours you get nothing. Getting the payment has also been made more difficult by imposing a 14-day time limit to apply, from the start of the isolation period. To qualify, you must show evidence of a positive PCR or rapid antigen test. Considering the difficulty of obtaining RATs, and delays in PCR test results <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/test-samples-no-longer-suitable-after-seven-day-wait-20220108-p59ms1.html">of a week or more</a>, this is a unreasonable and unnecessary constraint. <h2>Flawed eligibility rules</h2> A major flaw in the eligibility rules for the leave payment it is not available to people receiving social security payments. This excludes all JobSeeker recipients, despite about <a href="https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/dss-payment-demographic-data/resource/80cc89a3-3208-4e0d-9745-598f7a882e28">one in four</a> being in some form of paid work – generally low-paid casual jobs. The leave payment has been a vital part of the economic supports to help people stay safe and protect their loved ones and the community. The peak body for the community services sector, the Australian Council of Social Service, has <a href="https://www.acoss.org.au/media-releases/?media_release=another-income-hit-for-casual-workers-massive-cut-to-pandemic-leave-disaster-payment">condemned this decision</a>. It says cutting the payment will leave people without enough to cover basic costs, let alone the extra costs of isolation such as delivery fees, rapid tests (if you can get them) and personal protective equipment. <h2>Worst time possible</h2> There could scarcely be a worse time to cut this payment, with Australia now in the worst stage of the pandemic. Between August 5 2020 and July 8 2021 the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment provided <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp2122/Quick_Guides/COVID-19DisasterPayments">almost 15,000 grants</a> to support those in need. During this period the peak COVID case rate was just over 500 day, in August 2020. Consider, therefore, the likely need now we’re at more than <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/australia-covid-cases.html">100,000 a day</a>. With no other form of federal income support available you may apply for an unemployment or sickness payment like JobSeeker. But Services Australia advises this will be paid about <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/when-youll-get-your-first-jobseeker-payment?context=51411">two weeks after</a> a claim is granted. That is of little help to cover rent while you’re isolating with COVID. JobSeeker is also a maximum of $315 a week – inadequate to cover basic costs. This cut will affect many of the same people <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/pm-announces-national-day-of-thanks-for-pandemic-heroes/news-story/174c8ccb94814aaa554d79eea0193e4f">lauded as the heroes of pandemic</a> – essential workers employed casually in health and aged care, supermarkets, hospitality venues and warehouses. It will also hurt temporary visa holders, who are entitled to the leave payment and do not qualify for any other federal income support. Last week <a href="https://www.acoss.org.au/media-releases/?media_release=community-sector-calls-for-collaboration-and-decisive-leadership-from-national-cabinet-to-deal-with-covid-debacle">ACOSS called for</a> the establishment of a civil society COVID Rapid Response Group to work alongside National Cabinet. We need the interests of people most at risk in the room at the highest levels when decisions like the future of the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment are made. Cutting this payment now is effectively telling low-paid workers at the worst stage of the pandemic in Australia that they’re on their own.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/175146/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cassandra-goldie-94635">Cassandra Goldie</a>, Adjunct Professor and UNSW Law Advisory Council Member, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414">UNSW</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-a-disaster-federal-government-slashes-covid-payment-when-people-need-it-most-175146">original article</a>. Image: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Retirement Income

Man’s skin ruined after tanning injection disaster

Before a much anticipated holiday to Spain, 28-year-old Dylan Wright wanted to boost his golden tan. To get the glow he was searching for, he purchased $18 tanning injections, and administered two of them before leaving for the airport. However, at the end of his six-day trip, his complexion was a lot darker than he expected. Dylan says that looking back, he probably should’ve used only one syringe, but didn’t want to run the risk of bringing the injections through airport security. “I bought them before to make the most of the sun. I went on the sunbeds a bit before the holiday but didn’t take the injections until just before I left,” he told <a href="https://swns.com/">SWNS</a>. Sharing his story to TikTok, Dylan said he has been left with permanent physical reminders of the injections, and even experienced a cancer scare as a result. “The doctors called me an idiot and told me it’s a side effect from the drug, but now I’m stuck with [freckles],” he said. “I’ve got freckles like I’m in my 50s or 60s. It feels like my skin’s aged.” The injections contain a lab-made hormone called melanotan II to increase melanin production, but at the cost of lasting skin damage. Now that Dylan’s excessive tan has faded, he is trying to spread awareness of the dangers of tanning injections, and urging people to do their own research. “It’s really not worth it. There’s safer ways to tan, like fake tanning,” he said. “It gave me a wake-up call … It’s a classic case of being 20 and thinking you’re invincible.” Image credits: TikTok

Beauty & Style

Apocalyptic films have lulled us into a false sense of security about climate change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)‘s sobering <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58130705" target="_blank">“code red for humanity”</a> report comes on the heels of months of devastating weather events around the world. Our front pages have been dominated by photos that look as if they’ve come from a film – images of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-58147674" target="_blank">heroic teams tackling forest fires</a> against a bright orange sky, of planes dropping water and fire retardant, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.voanews.com/europe/german-floods-kill-least-133-search-survivors-continues" target="_blank">cars sinking into flooded streets</a> and destroyed buildings. One image – that of a ferry, carrying evacuees from the Greek Island of Evia, surrounded by fire, helpless and in the middle of crisis – drew comparisons to the ferry scenes in the 2005 remake of War of the Worlds. In the film, people poured onto a vehicle ferry in a desperate attempt to escape the extraterrestrial invasion. In Greece, the ferry made safe landing, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58141336" target="_blank">all passengers were accounted for</a>. But in the film, few, bar the protagonists, survived that moment. While War of the Worlds ends happily – with the alien lifeforms that had ravaged the world succumbing to their vulnerability to microbes on Earth – the footage from Greece is just one scene in a story for which the ending is not yet fully written. It might seem frivolous to compare such moments to films, but these comparisons play an important role in helping us to comprehend and make sense of particular moments in history. Like all works of art, films reveal much about the social and political zeitgeist in which they are conceived and produced, often acting as magnifying lenses for humankind’s hopes and anxieties. Psychoanalysis researcher Vicky Lebeau <a rel="noopener" href="https://cup.columbia.edu/book/psychoanalysis-and-cinema/9781903364192" target="_blank">has noted</a> that films can reveal the desires and fears of the societies that watch them. We have seen this in science fiction films, such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Day the Earth Stood Still, which flourished <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.humanities.org/blog/movie-critic-robert-horton-discusses-sci-fi-films-the-cold-war-and-today" target="_blank">during the cold war</a>, inspired by the space race and the arms race. The proliferation of blockbuster disaster films just before the turn of the millennium (Twister, Dante’s Peak, Armageddon, Deep Impact, to name a few), fed off theories that <a rel="noopener" href="https://davefox990.medium.com/what-disaster-movies-say-about-us-536a5dabbad1" target="_blank">the world would end</a> as we entered the year 2000. And it is also no accident that during the early months of the COVID pandemic the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/contagion-coronavirus-download-watch-online-otorrent-warner-bros-cast-twitter-a9403256.html" target="_blank">most watched films online</a> were Contagion, Outbreak and 28 Days Later –- all of which depict degrees of pandemic apocalypse. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415428/original/file-20210810-15-7k1ul5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> A video of people being evacuated from the Greek island of Evia drew comparisons with the 2005 remake of War of the Worlds. Apocalypse now? Through these stories, directors have offered us an enthralling yet terrifying glimpse of what the end of the world might look like. It could be caused by zombies (Walking Dead, I Am Legend, Shaun of the Dead), biological demise (Children of Men, Logan’s Run), climate change (The Day After Tomorrow, Snowpiercer, Flood), nuclear accident or war (Dr. Strangelove), or ancient prophecy (2012). However, none of these are truly end-of-world narratives. Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic films start with the risk of total destruction, but more often than not, after the cataclysmic event of the story, a form of normality returns –- balance is restored to the world and life can once again move forward. This way of storytelling brings these films closer to the true meaning of apocalypse. The root of the word “apocalypse” comes from the ancient Greek term αποκαλύπτειν (apokalýptein), which <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/apocalypse" target="_blank">translates roughly</a> as “unveiling” or “revealing”. The implication being that the near destruction of the city or planet allows for a new understanding, a shift in priorities and a new way of seeing the world – or a renewed and better existence. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This is some horrifying War of the Worlds shit right here. We have got to start electing governments that actually fight climate change, above all, and start demanding more of ourselves and of companies that can change things. <a href="https://t.co/9JDGI2fWgH">https://t.co/9JDGI2fWgH</a> — Helen O'Hara (@HelenLOHara) <a href="https://twitter.com/HelenLOHara/status/1423980516181741570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a></blockquote> The scenes of flooding and fires that fill our news programmes echo those we see in movies. But for them to be truly apocalyptic, rather than merely world ending, they must reveal something to us. As we watch the real-world events unfold, the IPCC report makes clear what they reveal – that humans have changed the climate and we are on a trajectory to make much of our environment unlivable. But unlike the films, not everyone is going to be saved in 90 thrilling minutes. By comparing reality to films, we are seeking the hope for renewal that these apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic narratives give us. Nevertheless, they are ultimately fiction. While rehearsing the end of the world through film can exorcise fears, at the same time they may have desensitised us, lulling us into a false sense of security that all will be well in the end – and <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20130731-the-lure-of-the-disaster-movie" target="_blank">that we are immortal</a>. If our own apocalypse is a three-act film, then the last 200 years of environmental harms have been the setup, the exposition. We are now at the moment of confrontation. We all, as the lead characters, must confront the reality of what is around us. If not, the third act, the resolution, may not be the ending we hope for. As French philosopher Jacques Derrida warned: “the end approaches, but the apocalypse is long lived”.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/165837/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-specht-530827" target="_blank">Doug Specht</a>, Senior Lecturer in Media and Communications, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-westminster-916" target="_blank">University of Westminster</a> and <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/silvia-angeli-1258983" target="_blank">Silvia Angeli</a>, Visiting Lecturer in Media and Communication, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-westminster-916" target="_blank">University of Westminster</a> This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/apocalyptic-films-have-lulled-us-into-a-false-sense-of-security-about-climate-change-165837" target="_blank">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Movies

Woman's spray tan disaster goes viral

Image: News.com.au UK woman has gone viral after she shares photos of her pre-wedding fake tan disaster. Derrie Matthews, aged 36 from the UK, had asked a beautician to spray her twice in the darkest tan shade, admitting this “seemed like a good idea at the time”. However, when she got home following her appointment, her partner and daughter couldn’t stop laughing. “Dolly was nearly crying in case any of her friends saw me. I thought they were overacting,” Derrie wrote on Facebook, alongside a series of snaps showing off her new tan. “I woke up this morning and absolutely shat my pants. Thank the Lord a shower sorted me but RIP bed sheets.” Derrie says she was going to a wedding and wanted to add some colour to her “super pale” complexion. “So, I just asked the girl if she would do it twice, so much darker,” she said. The beautician told her to leave it on for eight hours and then wash it off but Derrie didn’t want to, out of fear it would stop developing. Derrie’s post has since attracted more than 3000 comments and 18,000 likes since sharing snaps of her fake tan disaster over the weekend.

Body

“Somebody getting fired”: Angelina Jolie’s red carpet disaster

Angelina Jolie, or more specifically her hair, has gone viral after an unfortunate disaster on the red carpet. The Hollywood actress walked the carpet for the premiere of Marvel’s The Eternals at the Rome Film Festival on Sunday, and became the biggest talking point of the night. Despite wearing a show-stopping silver Atelier Versace gown, her dodgy hair extensions became the hot topic. Eagle-eyed fans were quick to point out the Angelina's hair extensions, which flowed all the way down her back, were uneven and didn't blend into her natural hair, which stops just past her shoulders. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845111/angelina-hair.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/cd71f29286b04a70b4322d92c6042dd0" /> Image credit: Getty Images “How do you let Angelina Jolie walk a red carpet with her hair extensions looking like this,” one person wrote on Twitter. “Somebody getting fired. Angelina Jolie’s hair stylist needs sacking asap,” a second person said. Another outraged fan said, “How did you mess up her hair when it was gloriously bouncy and sexy that morning before?” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I have been trying to cope with Angelina Jolie’s hair extensions for the past 24 hours — Bernie Zilio (@berniezilio) <a href="https://twitter.com/berniezilio/status/1452848533636190209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Whomever handled Angelina Jolie's extensions in Rome needs to be put on warning - STAT. The queen was wronged — Chocolate is a vegetable (@alnaazenathoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/alnaazenathoo/status/1453031422642511873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Who cares abt Angelina Jolie’s hair extensions she’s still hot either way — Annie (@anniexakbar) <a href="https://twitter.com/anniexakbar/status/1452807067304136708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Who ever did Angelina Jolie’s hair/extensions will have a special place in hell. 😇 — liezelle (@liezzellee) <a href="https://twitter.com/liezzellee/status/1452922258935074818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2021</a></blockquote> Jolie's daughters Zahara and Shiloh joined her on the red carpet for her latest movie, in which she plays a member of the race of super-humans in the Marvel universe called The Eternals. The film will be released on November 5th, but is already creating an international buzz own social media. Image credits: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

Millions of people were evacuated during disasters last year – another rising cost of climate change

As world leaders prepare for the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-cop26-and-why-does-the-fate-of-earth-and-australias-prosperity-depend-on-it-169648">COP26 climate talks</a> next month, it’s worth recalling a sobering <a href="https://naturaldisaster.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/html-report/foreword">line</a> from the royal commission’s report into the 2019-20 Australian bushfires: “what was unprecedented is now our future”. The bushfires saw the largest peacetime evacuation of Australians from their homes, with at least <a href="https://www.internal-displacement.org/publications/the-2019-2020-australian-bushfires-from-temporary-evacuation-to-longer-term">65,000 people</a> displaced. As climate change amplifies the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, evacuations are likely to become increasingly common – and costly – in human and economic terms. <h2>Numbers of displaced people on the rise</h2> Globally, the displacement of people due to the impacts of disasters and climate change is now at a <a href="https://www.internal-displacement.org/sites/default/files/publications/documents/grid2021_idmc.pdf">record high</a>. In 2020, nearly <a href="https://www.internal-displacement.org/sites/default/files/publications/documents/grid2021_idmc.pdf">31 million</a> people were displaced within their own countries because of disasters, at least a <a href="https://www.internal-displacement.org/global-report/grid2020/downloads/2020-IDMC-GRID-methodology.pdf">third</a> of which resulted from government-led evacuations. And people in poorer countries are six times more likely to be evacuated than those in wealthier countries, according to some <a href="https://www.preventionweb.net/files/61119_credeconomiclosses.pdf">estimates</a>. Already, <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/04/1090432">close to 90%</a> of the world’s refugees come from countries that are the most affected by climate change – and the least able to adapt. Evacuations are an important life-saving emergency response – a temporary measure to move people to safety in the face of imminent harm. Under human rights law, states are obligated to protect people from threats to life, including the adverse effects of disasters and climate change. At times, this <a href="http://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/fapi/datastream/unsworks:55519/bin6be6615d-56d9-409d-9998-d2a06b803ab2?view=true&xy=01">may include</a> an obligation to evacuate people at risk. However, without careful planning and oversight, evacuations can also constitute arbitrary displacement. They can uproot “<a href="https://www.internal-displacement.org/sites/default/files/publications/documents/grid2021_idmc.pdf">significant numbers</a>” of people for prolonged periods of time. And they can expose people to other types of risks and vulnerabilities, and erode human rights. For example, in 2020, wildfires and flooding exacerbated the existing humanitarian crisis in Syria, <a href="https://www.internal-displacement.org/sites/default/files/publications/documents/grid2021_idmc.pdf">prompting</a> the evacuation of thousands of already internally displaced persons who were forced to move yet again. <h2>Too little support after disasters</h2> Unfortunately, the “rescue” paradigm that characterises the way we typically think about evacuations means such risks are too often overlooked. As a result, national responses may fail to appreciate the scale of internal displacement triggered by evacuations, or to identify it at all. In practice, this may mean there is insufficient support for those who are displaced, and little accountability by the relevant government authorities. Moving people out of harm’s way during a disaster may be one element of an effective government response. Ensuring people can return, safely and with dignity, however, is crucial to economic and social recovery. This is particularly prescient given that evacuations can create significant economic and social disruption. For instance, the cost of a year’s temporary housing for Australia’s 2019–20 bushfire evacuees <a href="https://www.internal-displacement.org/publications/the-2019-2020-australian-bushfires-from-temporary-evacuation-to-longer-term">amounted to</a> A$60–72 million. Each day of lost work cost A$705 per person. Such costs are amplified in the Asia-Pacific region, which accounted for <a href="https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/disaster-displacement-global-review-2008-2018">80% of global disaster-related displacement</a> from 2008–18. Small island states are particularly affected by disasters and the impacts of climate change. For instance, large proportions of Vanuatu’s population were displaced by <a href="https://devpolicy.org/vanuatu-after-cyclone-pam-the-economic-impact-20150410/">Cyclone Pam</a> in 2015 and by <a href="https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/tc_harold_and_covid-19_vanuatu_recovery_strategy_v3_130820.pdf">Cyclone Harold</a> just five years later. According to a UN <a href="https://repository.unescap.org/handle/20.500.12870/1553">forecast</a>, such countries could face average annual disaster-related losses equivalent to nearly 4% of their GDPs. The impact on the long-term prosperity, stability and security of individuals and communities cannot be overstated. The point is that with greater investment in disaster risk reduction and planning, many of these outcomes could be avoided. Currently, the amount of money allocated in development assistance to prepare for disaster risks is “<a href="https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/full_gar_report.pdf">miniscule</a>” compared to aid funding for post-disaster responses. This is clearly is the wrong way around – especially when the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction <a href="https://www.preventionweb.net/english/hyogo/gar/2015/en/gar-pdf/GAR2015_EN.pdf">estimates</a> each dollar spent on preparation could have a 60-fold return. <h2>What leaders at COP26 need to do</h2> The ABC television’s miniseries <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/fires">Fires</a> shows that people’s decisions about whether to stay or go in an emergency are not simple. People are influenced not only by their perceptions of the risk of harm, but also by the desire to protect relatives, property and animals, or a belief that they can withstand the disaster. Well-planned, evidence-based strategies are important when an emergency requires rapid decision-making, often in changing conditions and with limited resources to hand. If lines of authority are unclear, or there is insufficient attention to detail during the planning process, evacuation efforts may be hampered further, putting lives and property at greater risk. It is essential for policymakers to recognise that a government’s “life-saving” response to a disaster, such as an evacuation, can itself generate significant human and financial costs. Governments need to incorporate principles from human rights law into their response plans to help protect people from foreseeable risks and to enhance their rights, well-being and recovery. Climate change is only going to exacerbate increasingly extreme weather events that force people from their homes. At next month’s climate talks, leaders must agree on climate change mitigation targets and adaptation policies that avert the need to evacuate people in the first place. However, achieving change on the ground will require a far more linked-up and integrated approach to climate change, disaster risk reduction, sustainable development and mobility. This includes systematically implementing the recommendations not only of the Paris Agreement, but other <a href="https://unece.org/sendai-framework#:%7E:text=The%20Sendai%20Framework%20on%20Disaster,of%20persons%2C%20businesses%2C%20communities%20and">international agreements</a> <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda">focused</a> on <a href="https://www.iom.int/global-compact-migration">these goals</a>. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jane-mcadam-ao-2448">Jane McAdam AO</a>, Scientia Professor and Director of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414">UNSW</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/millions-of-people-were-evacuated-during-disasters-last-year-another-rising-cost-of-climate-change-170105">original article</a>. Image: Nick Perry/AP

International Travel

“An absolute disaster”: Prince William calls out billionaires’ space race

Prince William has called out the billionaires currently competing in a space tourism race instead of focusing their efforts on the environmental problems on Earth. The Duke of Cambridge directed thinly-veiled criticism at Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson during a BBC interview at Kensington Palace. The three billionaires have been embroiled in a recent race to provide private commercial space travel. “We need some of the world’s greatest brains and minds fixed on trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-15/prince-william-urges-billionaires-put-planet-before-space-race/100541038" target="_blank">William said</a>. The interview comes after Mr Musk announced his focus on reaching Mars, and after Mr Bezos said that his inaugural space flight was part of building a road to space “so that our kids and their kids can build a future”. “We need to do that to solve the problems here on Earth,” Mr Bezos said. The Amazon founder recently celebrated his second suborbital space flight, which included Star Trek actor William Shatner among its passengers. The British royal family has made a trend of speaking out on environmental issues, with William following in the steps of his father Prince Charles and late grandfather Prince Philip. Prince Charles has been calling for action to stop climate change for decades, often facing ridicule for his stance. The 72-year-old heir to the throne <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/prince-charles-shocked-that-morrison-not-confirmed-for-glasgow-climate-conference?fbclid=IwAR0yBM3BrGS_5kZp0-E8kfD0lmaoVumFZDUhBcq0LmueyAmeR1gHv8fOk8I" target="_blank">recently described</a> the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow as a “last chance saloon” for combating climate change, sharing how he tries so hard to encourage world leaders to attend and take action. “It’s been a hard road for him. He’s had a really rough ride on that, and I think he’s been proven to being well ahead of the curve,” William said. “But it shouldn’t be that there’s a third generation now coming along having to ramp it up even more.” William also warned that not taking action now could be “robbing from our children’s future”. “For me, it would be an absolute disaster if [my son] George is sat here in 30 years’ time, still saying the same thing, because by then we will be too late. “Now I’ve got children as well and speaking to other parents, it’s a bit of a cliche, but you do start to see the world differently. “I want the things that I’ve enjoyed - the outdoor life, the nature, the environment - I want that to be there for my children, and not just my children but everyone else’s children.” The prince said the key to tackling the issue was to “bring people with us”. “People have got to feel like there’s hope, there’s a chance we can fix this.” He also echoed his father’s message, saying the upcoming COP26 conference had to result in action. “We can’t have more clever speak, clever words but not enough action,” William said. In response to the issue of climate change, William created the Earthshot Prize, with the aim of using new technologies or policies to solve Earth’s biggest environmental problems. Image: @KensingtonRoyal / Twitter

Travel Trouble

Wedding dress disaster turns to miraculous save

An initially furious bride-to-be has revealed the hilarious chain of events after she complained about her wedding dress. She ordered the dress online and fired off an "angry letter" to online store Milly Bridal after her tulle and diamante fishtail bridal gown looked "nothing like what I had ordered". She also attached two pictures for reference of the dress to show the online store. After the online store received her email, the company informed the bride-to-be that she'd put the dress on inside out. “Please put it on the right way,” the letter stated. After finding humour in the incident, the bride-to-be posted it online. “Two weeks ago my wedding dress came in,” she wrote. “I was really upset about the look of it and sent an angry email to the company wanting to return it. “I took pictures of me in the dress telling them it looked nothing like what I had ordered. “Well, today I received this response from the company: ‘You put the dress on inside out, please put it on the right way.’ <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838708/wedding-dress-body-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/eb25f9711c4c41cd97ce60c748b410e4" /> “Who knew that they shipped wedding dresses inside out?! The dress actually turned out beautiful.” The bride-to-be was embarrassed about lashing out at the online bridal store and went public to make up for the angry email. “Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much school we put behind us, we’re still going to lack common sense, like how to put clothes on properly,” she laughed. The dress ended up looking beautiful once it was on the right way. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838709/wedding-dress-body.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7c4a09c9f91c4a1cb84a7a84529caf8c" /> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> The bride-to-be explained her reasons for sharing the incident online. “They probably didn’t appreciate my angry email, this post is the least I could do to thank them for ‘fixing’ the problem (me, the problem was me). “But I hope they appreciated a good laugh. And you all too - during this tense time of the election results, I hope you take comfort in the fact I was not on your presidential ballot nor will I ever be running for any office. “I’ll help save your life but seriously - please don’t call me to dress you, apparently I have trouble doing that for myself!” </div>

Beauty & Style

6 countries with 6 curves: How nations that moved fast against COVID-19 avoided disaster

To understand the spread of COVID-19, the pandemic is more usefully viewed as a series of distinct local epidemics. The way the virus has spread in different countries, and even in particular states or regions within them, has been quite varied. A New Zealand <a href="https://www.tepunahamatatini.ac.nz/2020/04/22/effect-of-alert-level-4-measures-on-covid-19-transmission/">study</a> has mapped the coronavirus epidemic curve for 25 countries and modelled how the spread of the virus has changed in response to the various lockdown measures. The research, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, classifies each country’s public health response using New Zealand’s <a href="https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-system/covid-19-alert-system/">four-level alert system</a>. Levels 1 and 2 represent relatively relaxed controls, whereas levels 3 and 4 are stricter. By mapping the change in the effective reproduction number (Reff, an indicator of the actual spread of the virus in the community) against response measures, the research shows countries that implemented level 3 and 4 restrictions sooner had greater success in pushing Reff to below 1. An Reff of less than 1 means each infected person spreads the virus to less than one other person, on average. By keeping Reff below 1, the number of new infections will fall and the virus will ultimately disappear from the community. Italy Italy was relatively slow to respond to the epidemic, and experienced a high Reff for many weeks. This led to an explosion of cases which overwhelmed the health system, particularly in the country’s north. This was followed by some of the strictest public health control measures in Europe, which has finally seen the Reff fall to below 1. Unfortunately, the time lag has cost many lives. Italy’s death toll of over 27,000 serves as a warning of what can happen if the virus is allowed to spread unchecked, even if strict measures are brought in later. United Kingdom The UK’s initial response to COVID-19 was characterised by a series of missteps. The government prevaricated while it considered pursuing a controversial “herd immunity” strategy, before finally ordering an Italy-style lockdown to regain control over the virus’s transmission. As in Italy, the result was an initial surge in case numbers, a belatedly successful effort to bring Reff below 1, and a huge death toll of over 20,000 to date. New York, USA New York City, with its field hospital in Central Park resembling a scene from a disaster movie, is another testament to the power of uncontrolled virus spread to overwhelm the health system. Its Reff peaked at a staggeringly high value of 8, before the city slammed on the brakes and went into complete lockdown. It took a protracted battle to finally bring the Reff below 1. Perhaps more than any other city, New York will feel the economic shock of this epidemic for many years to come. Sweden Sweden has taken a markedly relaxed approach to its public health response. Barring a few minor restrictions, the country remains more or less open as usual, and the focus has been on individuals to take personal responsibility for controlling the virus through social distancing. This is understandably contentious, and the number of cases and deaths in Sweden are far higher than its neighbouring countries. But Reff indicates that the curve is flattening. Singapore Singapore is a lesson on why you can’t ever relax when it comes to coronavirus. It was hailed as an early success story in bringing the virus to heel, through extensive testing, effective contact tracing and strict quarantining, with no need for a full lockdown. But the virus has bounced back. Infection clusters originating among migrant workers has prompted tighter restrictions. The Reff currently sits at around 2, and Singapore still has a lot of work to do to bring it down. Individually, these graphs each tell their own story. Together, they have one clear message: places that moved quickly to implement strict interventions brought the coronavirus under control much more effectively, with less death and disease. And our final example, Singapore, adds an important coda: the situation can change rapidly, and there is no room for complacency. Written by Hassan Vally. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/6-countries-6-curves-how-nations-that-moved-fast-against-covid-19-avoided-disaster-137333">The Conversation.</a>

Travel Tips

Holidaying in a disaster zone isn't as crazy as it seems

Holidaying in a disaster zone might seem crazy, but “volunteer tourism” can actually help communities recover from natural disasters. And if can offer a unique and rewarding experience for volunteers, if done carefully. When disaster hits a tourist destination – whether fire, flood, cyclone or earthquake – tourists usually stay away, leaving communities to deal with a loss of income on top of the costs of repair and recovery. On the other hand, people who feel a natural curiosity, as well as a natural desire to help, are keen for experiences where they can interact with locals and make a difference. This “volunteer tourism” should not be confused with “disaster tourism” in which tourists immediately travel to a scene not to help but to look. Nepal shows what can be done We examined volunteer tourism in Nepal in the wake of the April 2015 earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people and injured nearly 22,000. We found that when it was done in an ethical manner that considered local conditions and the community, it could aid recovery and resilience. It is important that the process be controlled locally and that the invitation from locals be genuine. It is also important that volunteer tourists be prepared to engage in work that mainstream tourists would not. Our study, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738319301598">Engaging volunteer tourism in post-disaster recovery in Nepal</a>, has just been published in the Annals of Tourism Research. In the four months that followed the Nepal earthquake, international tourism more than halved. Initially most relief organisations asked international volunteers not to come unless they had specific expertise, such as medical skills, building skills, or experience responding to emergencies. Then the Pacific Asia Travel Association and Nepalese tourism industry leaders worked together to produce the report of the <a href="http://pata.org.np/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/A-Report-on-PATA-Nepal-Tourism-Rapid-Recovery-Taskforce.pdf">Nepal Rapid Recovery Task Force</a>, running workshops with more than 200 tourism industry leaders and professionals. Volunteer tourism led the way back The strategy they came up with prioritised potential tourism regrowth markets, including volunteer tourism. Nepal relaxed conditions to allow international tourists to volunteer on a wide range of projects including rebuilding homes and schools, interning in hospitals, supporting non-government organisations and reestablishing sustainable agriculture. It helped that Nepal was set up for it. It had already hosted organisations offering short-term travellers the opportunity to teach English and to work on health projects. In 2015 and 2016 it hosted three global celebrities whose widely-publicised visits raised the profile and popular appeal of Nepal, especially to volunteer tourists. In May 2015, Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon visited Nepal and actively promoted volunteer tourism to the North American market. In mid-2015 Hong Kong based actor Jackie Chan visited and encouraged Chinese tourists and volunteers to come to Nepal. In March 2016, Prince Harry (the younger son of Prince Charles) spent two weeks in Nepal engaged in volunteer programs. Nepal’s tourism recovery since then has been remarkable. In 2015, the year of the earthquake, just under 600,000 international tourists visited. By 2018 the number had reached an all time record of almost 1.2 million. In 2019 it grew further. Volunteer tourism drove the recovery. The Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents says almost one third of the tours booked to Nepal in the two years after the earthquake comprised groups who combined tourism experiences with volunteering or philanthropy. It needs to meet local needs In times of national crisis, the priority of a government has to be restoring the welfare of its people. However, the process by which that happens is multifaceted. In destinations that rely on tourism as a primary source of foreign investment, it can make sense to build tourism into the recovery process. A focus on tourism need not detract from other critical processes such as providing health care and emergency services, clearing debris and construction. But that’s easier said than done. Natural disasters by their very nature sow confusion, severely damage infrastructure and impose great strains on emergency management and administration. Volunteer tourism won’t work everywhere, but where conditions are right, international visitors can speed rather than slow recovery.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128841/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-beirman-4852">David Beirman</a>, Senior Lecturer, Tourism, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simone-faulkner-911263">Simone Faulkner</a>, , <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-wearing-7081">Stephen Wearing</a>, Associate Professor, Management, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/holidaying-in-a-disaster-zone-isnt-as-crazy-as-it-might-seem-128841">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

“Someone needs to be held accountable”: Ovation of the Seas cruise passengers slam company for White Island disaster handling

Passengers from the cruise ship at the centre of the White Island volcano eruption have disembarked at Sydney Harbour, with some criticising the way the company handled the incident. The Royal Caribbean International cruise ship Ovation of the Seas arrived in Sydney on Monday morning, a week after the disaster at the New Zealand island. Most of the people killed or injured in the eruption were part of organised day trips from the ship. Passenger Max Sum told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-16/new-zealand-white-island-volcano-ovation-of-seas-docks-sydney/11802014">ABC</a> said “the whole boat” stopped when the news of the eruption was announced. Sum’s 11-year-old Russell said upon hearing the news, “I thought it was fake news. I was like that can’t be true.” Kim Lee Eng, who was travelling with his wife and mother, said he was “very disappointed” with “a lot of communication from management” after the incident. “This is a big company, 50 years old, so they should have had a contingency teams to deal with this,” Kim told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/ovation-of-the-seas-arrives-back-in-sydney-after-white-island-volcano-disaster/live-coverage/c4670803c3686244f8d0605b998b2c00">news.com.au</a>. “They were holding us on board – taking advantage of us.” Karen Kociszewski said the company needs to be held responsible. “Someone needs to be held accountable, definitely the cruise company, because it’s sad people aren’t going home,” she said. “You sign a waiver to say that, you know, you go there and if you break your ankle you’re not going to sue them, but you don't go there thinking this is going to happen.” Jo-Anne Henderson said the atmosphere on board was “very somber” for the past week. “It was terrible, we were all so sorry that we were enjoying ourselves while people were getting blown away,” she said. “It was very somber on board. A lot of crying. A lot of people crying for many, many days, even up to yesterday there were still tears. It was so painful, it broke my heart.” Henderson commended the ship crew for keeping the passengers up to date. “Our captain was wonderful. He kept popping up and making announcements to let us know. Royal Caribbean did a brilliant job,” she said. US tourist Jennifer Highfield said while the employees on board were helpful, more facilities could have been made available. “The ship constantly gave us information and counselling. But it would have been helpful to have free Wi-Fi to keep in touch with family and friends who were concerned. I had a package covering internet, but I know there was a lot of people on board who did not,” Highfield told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-16/new-zealand-white-island-volcano-ovation-of-seas-docks-sydney/11802014">ABC</a>. “The captain was wonderful, we could tell it was heartbreaking for him personally. Even coming in today I felt a bit emotional.”

News

How the new Google Maps update could save lives during natural disasters

Google Maps is useful for providing directions to places you’ve never been before, whether it’s the petrol station around the corner or a new and exciting adventure to a city. The app has since announced big changes, which include the ability to potentially save your life during a natural disaster. Google Maps has recently announced its SOS alerts were being updated to include real-time visual information as well as a navigation warning system in times of crisis. This is to help users better understand what they need to do to stay safe. The SOS alerts were introduced two years ago, but these changes are sure to be helpful, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2019/06/07/google-maps-update-could-save-your-life-during-a-natural-disaster/">New York Post</a> reports. The latest updates include “detailed visualisations about hurricanes, earthquakes and floods”. “In the days leading up to a hurricane, you’ll see a crisis notification card on Google Maps that automatically appears if you’re near the impacted area,” Hannah Stulberg, product manager of Google Maps, explains. “This card will direct you to a hurricane forecast cone, which shows the prediction of the storm’s trajectory along with information about what time it’s likely to hit certain areas, so you can use this information to plan how to react.” Google Maps also follows a similar process for earthquakes, where it will show earthquake shakemaps following the strike. Users are also able to see where the epicentre of the earthquake was, the quakes magnitude and how much it impacted the surrounding areas. The flood forecasts will be able to show you where flooding is likely to occur as well as how severe the flooding will be. Hurricane forecast cones and earthquake shakemaps will be rolled out on iOS, Android, desktop and the mobile web worldwide in coming weeks. Navigation warnings are set to hit iOS and Android soon as well.

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