Is a global body needed to deal with natural disasters?

Earthquakes, floods, fires, storms and drought have ravaged many parts of the world on a scale not seen in decades.

Around the world, it seems natural disasters have become a frequent part of life.

From floods to droughts and fires, it is now quite common to hear about extreme weather destroying infrastructure and most importantly, people’s lives.

The Great Wall of Japan

101 East investigates the controversies surrounding the building of Japan's enormous tsunami wall.

After the 2011 Fukushima earthquake and tsunami killed about 18,000 people, the Japanese authorities embarked on a radical plan.

At a cost of $12bn, they are building a 15-metre-high anti-tsunami wall across 400 kilometres to divide the land from the ocean.

But it is also dividing local communities.

New Zealand: Trapped in the Volcano

We investigate how a luxury cruise turned into a deadly nightmare when a volcano erupted on New Zealand's White Island.

It was meant to be the cruise of a lifetime.

A trip on Ovation of the Seas promised the opportunity to get up close to New Zealand's renowned natural beauty.

But on the afternoon of December 9, 2019, tragedy struck.

Cruise ship passengers and other day-trippers became trapped in the middle of a volcanic eruption on White Island - 21 people died, 19 of them were from the Ovation of the Seas.

Philippines: Disaster Capitalism, Inc

101 East investigates the corporations that profit from the chaos and misery of disaster-prone Philippines.

Every year, millions of Filipinos face the devastation of superstorms, earthquakes, floods and volcanic eruptions.

When Typhoon Haiyan destroyed islands across the central Philippines in 2013, the government found a new way to rebuild shattered communities in a nation critics say is often plagued by slow bureaucracy.

Twenty of the country's biggest local corporations were given the task of leading the reconstruction efforts.
By investing in emergency response centres, education programmes and relief delivery, the private sector is now on the front line of recovery operations in one of the world's most disaster-prone nations.

Nepal: After the Earthquake

We return to Nepal to find out how people have endured the aftermath of one of the nation's deadliest natural disasters.

The trembling began just before noon. Suddenly, violent jolts reduced buildings to smithereens, burying residents under the rubble.

The devastation caused by the worst earthquake to hit Nepal in 80 years was catastrophic - more than 8,000 people were killed and hundreds of thousands left homeless.

One year on, many of those who survived still live in makeshift shelters. Some have gone into debt to pay for medical care. Many are demanding to know why the government is not doing more to help.

Off the Rails: A Journey Through Japan

A personal look at how the country's railways reveal so much about Japanese culture and the changes in society.



Al Jazeera's Ramsey Zarifeh first travelled to Japan soon after graduation to teach English. Fascinated by the futuristic bullet trains and the country’s unique train network, he got to know Japan through its railways. He travelled on nearly every rail line and ended up writing a guide book based on these experiences.

Japan’s railway, stretching across big cities and connecting rural communities, is a window into Japanese society and culture. Nowhere else on the planet do trains run not just to the minute, but to the second. The need for speed, focus on accuracy and technological innovation are all facets of Japanese society manifest in the railway system.