EM-DAT: the Emergency Events Database

Abstract

Abstract The Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) compiles global disaster data resulting from both technological and natural hazards. It 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 increasing climate change concerns have expanded its reach and visibility. The dataset, freely available for non-commercial use, is downloadable as an Excel file. 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 the data quality have been reported. The article acknowledges these issues, highlighting their potential implications for research and decision-making.