EM-DAT: the Emergency Events Database

EM-DAT: the Emergency Events Database | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Data Note EM-DAT: the Emergency Events Database Damien Delforge, Valentin Wathelet, Regina Below, Cinzia Lanfredi Sofia, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3807553/v2 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 14 Jun, 2025 Read the published version in International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction → Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Abstract The Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) compiles global disaster data resulting from technological and natural hazards. EM-DAT details the human and economic impacts from 1900 to present, with systematic recording since 1988. Serving the humanitarian, disaster risk reduction, and academic sectors, EM-DAT's transition to open access and climate change concerns have expanded its reach and visibility. The dataset, freely available for non-commercial use, is downloadable in a tabular format. It is categorized by hazard type and standardized by individual disaster events for each country. With over 26,000 unique entries, the database is populated through the monitoring of textual documents and their manual processing. The data collection and validation processes involve systematic daily checks from predefined sources, searches for additional sources, and periodic thematic updates. The evolution of EM-DAT's data content mirrors societal and technological advancements in disaster reporting. Besides these progresses, known inconsistencies and biases in data quality have been reported. The article acknowledges these issues, highlighting their potential implications for research and decision-making. Epidemiology Information Retrieval and Management Health Economics and Outcomes Research Climate Analysis and Modeling Seismology Hydrology Meteorology Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) Global Disaster Data Epidemiology of Disasters Natural Hazards Technological Hazards Disaster Health Impact Disaster Economic Impact Disaster Risk Reduction Disaster Risk Management Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 14 Jun, 2025 Read the published version in International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction → Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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