Geotrek

What can one of El Salvador’s deadliest earthquakes teach us about earthquake safety, building codes, and disaster resilience?

On this episode of the GeoTrek Podcast, Hurricane Hal Needham speaks with earthquake specialist and building code expert Stanley Gonzalez to examine the devastating 1986 San Salvador earthquake and how communities can better prepare for future disasters.

On October 10, 1986, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck El Salvador’s capital, killing an estimated 1,500 people and causing widespread destruction. As the 40th anniversary approaches, this conversation explores why a moderate-magnitude earthquake can have catastrophic consequences when it strikes close to a densely populated city.

Drawing on his professional expertise and personal experience surviving the 2001 earthquakes in El Salvador, Stanley shares valuable insights into earthquake hazards, safer construction, and the importance of preparing before disaster strikes.

One of the episode’s most important takeaways: The magnitude of a hazard does not tell the whole story of a disaster. Where an earthquake strikes, how buildings are constructed, and how prepared a community is can make the difference between a manageable event and a catastrophe.

Whether you're interested in natural disasters, earthquake engineering, building safety, disaster preparedness, or community resilience, this episode offers important lessons for professionals and communities around the world.

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Hurricane Isaias showed us that hurricane preparedness is about much more than watching the forecast cone.

In this episode, Hurricane Hal breaks down 10 lessons learned from Isaias after being on the ground in the Florida Panhandle before, during, and after the storm. From hurricane forecasting and AI to storm surge, heavy rainfall, flooding, complacency, and changing forecast tracks, Hal shares what stood out most.

Topics covered include:

• Why hurricane season isn't over in October

• How to use web-based tools to understand potential flooding

• Why hurricane forecasts can shift—and why you shouldn't anchor to an early forecast

• Why hurricanes impact much larger areas than the forecast track suggests

• The difference between storm surge and rainfall-driven flooding

• How AI is changing hurricane forecasting

• What hurricane chasers and media can learn from working together

• Why communities that haven't been hit in decades can become complacent

GeoTrek documents extreme weather and the people, communities, and science behind it. Follow GeoTrek for more conversations, field reporting, storm footage, and lessons from extreme environments.

#HurricaneIsaias #HurricanePreparedness #HurricaneForecast #GeoTrek #HurricaneSeason #FloridaPanhandle #StormSurge #Flooding

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What happens when the natural disasters we once considered “secondary perils” become some of the biggest drivers of insurance losses?

On this episode, Hurricane Hal sits down with Kevin Sharp, Chief Risk Officer and Capital Strategy Leader at Victor Insurance and ICAT, for a wide-ranging conversation about catastrophe risk, natural disasters, insurance losses, reinsurance, and the changing global risk landscape.

Kevin brings a unique perspective shaped by a lifelong passion for extreme weather and years of experience in catastrophe insurance and risk modeling. Together, Kevin and Hal explore how insurers can better understand and prepare for an increasingly complex disaster landscape.

Kevin also shares his personal journey from being a weather-obsessed kid experiencing blizzards, floods, tornadoes, and monsoonal flooding to becoming a leader in the catastrophe insurance industry.

If you work in insurance, catastrophe modeling, underwriting, reinsurance, claims, risk management, extreme weather, or disaster preparedness, this episode offers a fascinating bird's-eye view of how today's natural disaster risks are reshaping the insurance landscape.

Subscribe to GeoTrek for more conversations about extreme weather, natural disasters, catastrophe risk, and the people working to better understand and prepare for them.

#GeoTrek #CatastropheRisk #Insurance #NaturalDisasters #ExtremeWeather #Reinsurance #RiskManagement

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What causes a glacial lake outburst flood, and why are these disasters becoming a growing concern in high mountain regions?

In this episode of GeoTrek, Hurricane Hal talks with Dr. Alton C. Byers, a mountain geographer, scientist, mountaineer, Senior Fellow at The Mountain Institute, and Senior Research Associate with the High Mountains Adaptation Partnership (HiMAP).

The conversation examines the catastrophic August 26, 2026 flood and debris flow near the Nepal-Tibet border and breaks down the chain of events that can turn glacier and permafrost instability into a devastating downstream flood.

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Coastal environments are changing, and preparing for the future means more than simply reacting to the next hurricane.

In this episode of GeoTrek, Hurricane Hal sits down with Nina Davis, Habitat Resilience Specialist with PLACE and Extension Associate at Mississippi State University, to explore the complex relationship between people, infrastructure, and the natural environments along our coastlines.

From living shorelines and storm surge to sea level rise and the often-overlooked threat of saltwater intrusion, Nina explains how communities can use science, local knowledge, and long-term planning to prepare for a changing future.

They also discuss why resilience isn't about predicting exactly what will happen; it's about making smarter decisions today that give communities and ecosystems more options tomorrow.

In this episode:

• What coastal resilience really means
• How living shorelines can serve as a first line of defense
• The hidden risks of saltwater intrusion
• Why storm surge and sea level rise require long-term planning
• How communities can prepare for uncertain futures
• Why working with nature may be key to protecting our coastlines

A fascinating conversation about the future of the Gulf Coast and what resilience looks like when nature, infrastructure, and people all intersect.

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When disasters strike, homes and families often receive immediate attention—but how do businesses recover? Gina Spagnola, President and CEO of the Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce, shares how chambers of commerce help businesses rebuild, recover, and get back on their feet after hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and other disasters.

From Hurricane Ike in Galveston to disaster recovery efforts across the United States and internationally, Gina explains the lessons she has learned about business recovery, community resilience, disaster preparedness, and the importance of knowing when—and how—to rebuild.

Learn how chambers of commerce can support local businesses after disasters, connect communities with critical resources, and help economies recover when disaster strikes.

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When disaster strikes, why do some people prepare while others delay, deny, or freeze?

In this episode, Hurricane Hal sits down with Erica Peng, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business lecturer and neuroscience educator, to explore the hidden role that our fight, flight, freeze response plays in disaster preparedness, leadership, and decision-making.

Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and her own experience leading wildfire mitigation efforts in a high-risk California community, Erica explains why people often resist taking action—even when they understand the risks—and how communities can overcome those barriers together.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why the brain naturally resists change and uncertainty
• How fight, flight, freeze affects disaster preparedness
• Why education alone often doesn't change behavior
• How Firewise Communities help neighborhoods become more resilient
• Practical ways to communicate about wildfire risk without triggering defensiveness
• What leaders, emergency managers, insurers, and homeowners can do to build stronger, more prepared communities

Whether you live in a wildfire zone, hurricane-prone region, floodplain, or simply want to better understand human behavior under stress, this conversation offers practical insights that can improve preparedness and resilience.

Guest: Erica Peng

• Lecturer, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business
• Specializing in neuroscience, leadership, crisis communication, and the fight-flight-freeze response

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On this episode of GeoTrek, host Hurricane Hal welcomes Laura Myers and Nick Stanley to discuss how we can better protect summer camps and outdoor recreation areas from the growing threat of flash floods.

Using the devastating Texas Hill Country tragedy as a case study, they explore the unique risks facing camps located near rivers, canyons, and steep terrain, the role of land-use planning and regulations, and how advanced GIS technology can help identify safer locations and improve emergency planning. The conversation also examines communication between meteorologists, emergency managers, law enforcement, and camp staff, why so many flood fatalities occur in vehicles, and what practical steps can be taken to prevent future tragedies.

Whether you're involved in emergency management, weather, outdoor recreation, or disaster resilience, this episode offers valuable insights into protecting lives before, during, and after extreme weather events.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hurricane season brings more than just strong winds—it brings critical decisions that can impact your safety, your family, and your recovery.

In this episode of GeoTrek, Hurricane Hal Needham sits down with hurricane preparedness expert Haskell Moore, President of Hurricane Preparedness Training and Consulting, LLC. With more than two decades of experience in disaster preparedness education and training delivered to audiences across 54 countries, Haskell shares practical strategies that families, businesses, and communities can use to prepare before the next storm strikes.

Drawing from his extensive experience in hurricane preparedness, crisis management, and emergency planning, Haskell discusses family preparedness plans, evacuation decisions, emergency communications, backup power solutions, and the importance of building resilience long before a storm appears on the forecast.

Whether you're new to hurricane-prone areas or a seasoned resident looking to improve your readiness, this episode offers actionable guidance to help you prepare, protect, and recover with confidence.

Be sure to check out Haskell's book: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=9780578531366

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When the power goes out after a hurricane, flood, or severe storm, one of the first challenges families face is figuring out how to safely prepare meals without electricity.

In this episode of GeoTrek, Hurricane Hal Needham sits down with Hidalgo County, Texas Judge Richard Cortez, Assistant Chief of Staff Hilda Salinas, and Director of Administrative Operations Lizbeth Gonzalez to discuss the Power Out Cooking Recipe Book—an innovative community preparedness initiative designed to help residents cook and eat safely during extended power outages.

The cookbook teaches practical food preparation techniques using multiple off-grid cooking methods, empowering families to be more self-sufficient when traditional utilities are unavailable. It's a simple but impactful resilience program that could be adopted by communities across the country.

Tune in to learn how Hidalgo County is helping residents prepare before disaster strikes and why food preparedness is an often-overlooked component of community resilience.

View or download the Power Out Cooking Recipe Book for free: https://www.hidalgocounty.us/3285/Power-Out-Cooking-Recipe-Book

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