# Natural Disasters in Israel & the Middle East (NDS-data) ### Kaggle-Ready Curated Catalogs, Dual-Dataset Architecture & Spatial Risk Analytics [![License: CC BY 4.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-CC_BY_4.0-lightgrey.svg)](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) [![Dataset Format: JSON & CSV](https://img.shields.io/badge/Format-JSON%20%7C%20CSV-blue.svg)](#dataset-schema--catalog-structure) [![Kaggle Usability Score: 10.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/Kaggle_Usability-10.0-success.svg)](#kaggle-compatibility) [![Validation: Passing](https://img.shields.io/badge/Validation-100%25_Passing-brightgreen.svg)](#validation--data-quality) [![Dual-Catalog Scope](https://img.shields.io/badge/Catalogs-Israel_(105)_%7C_Middle_East_(182)-indigo.svg)](#dataset-schema--catalog-structure) --- ## 1. Project Overview & Research Waves The **Natural Disasters in Israel & the Middle East (NDS-data)** repository is an authoritative, multi-hazard geophysical and meteorological data platform. It contains two unified, machine-learning-ready catalogs developed across two intensive data gathering waves: 1. **Wave 1 — Israel & Jerusalem Deep Spatial Catalog (`data/israel_jerusalem_natural_disasters.*`)**: - Curated empirical catalog expanded from 75 to **105 verified natural disaster events** spanning from antiquity (**759 BCE**) through the modern instrumental era (**1920–2026**). - High-granularity geospatial coverage of the **Jerusalem Mountain Corridor**, Judean Desert, Dead Sea Transform fault system, Coastal Plain, and Galilee. - Triangulated across the University of Haifa Database of Natural Disasters in Israel (NDI), the National Knowledge & Research Center for Emergency Readiness (NKRER / רח"ל), the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research (JIPR), the Israel Meteorological Service (IMS), and the Geological Survey of Israel (GSI). 2. **Wave 2 — Pan-Middle East Secondary Catalog (`data/middle_east_natural_disasters.*`)**: - Secondary catalog encompassing **182 verified catastrophic natural disasters** across all **17 nations of the Middle East**: Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, State of Palestine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Cyprus. - Comprehensive temporal span from the **526 CE Antioch Earthquake** through the **2026 Middle East Extreme Heat Dome**. - Captures regional cross-border tectonic drivers (East Anatolian Fault, North Anatolian Fault, Zagros Fold-and-Thrust Belt, Dead Sea Transform, Makran Subduction Zone) and synoptic climate drivers (Persian Gulf convective storms, Arabian Sea tropical cyclones, Red Sea Troughs, and Subtropical Jet heat domes). - Synthesizes international and national records: CRED EM-DAT, NOAA NCEI, USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, ThinkHazard! (World Bank / GFDRR), AFAD (Turkey), and IIEES (Iran). --- ## 2. Authoritative Data Sources The catalogs synthesize peer-reviewed academic literature, national civil defense databases, macroseismic chronicles, and instrumental sensor networks: | Organization | Scope & Coverage | Key Parameters Provided | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Haifa NDI (University of Haifa)**
*(Prof. Moshe Inbar)* | Foundational academic Levantine disaster database across 3,000 years. | Macroseismic intensity, historical flood hydrographs, Neot HaKikar 1970 cliff failure, Safed 1837 chronicles. | | **NKRER & NEMA (רח"ל)**
*(Haifa, Technion, HUJI, NEMA)* | National disaster management think-tank and national reference scenarios (*תרחישי ייחוס*). | National earthquake scenario models ($M_w 7.0$), critical lifeline dependencies, multi-hazard evacuation planning. | | **Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research (JIPR)** | Premier urban policy and climate vulnerability institute for Jerusalem. | Snowstorm benchmarks (1920, 1950, Dec 2013 Alexa), urban arterial cutoffs (Highways 1 & 443), winter resilience indices. | | **ThinkHazard! (World Bank / GFDRR)** | Multi-hazard risk assessment profiling national and sub-national administrative units. | Standardized 4-tier risk ratings (High, Medium, Low, Very Low) for Israel and all 17 Middle Eastern nations. | | **EM-DAT (CRED, UCLouvain)** | Global disaster database tracking catastrophic criteria ($10+$ killed, $100+$ affected, emergency declaration). | Standardized disaster taxonomy, international economic loss validations in USD, mortality tracking. | | **NOAA NCEI & USGS Earthquakes** | Global seismic, tsunami, and significant volcanic catalogs. | Instrument epicenter coordinates, focal depth ($h$), moment magnitude ($M_w$), and modified Mercalli intensities ($I_{MM}$). | | **Israel Meteorological Service (IMS)** | National weather observation network, station archives, and synoptic maps. | Jerusalem snow depth records (1920: 97.5 cm, 1950: 70 cm, 2013: 40–80 cm), all-time heat records (44.4°C, 42.7°C), radar rainfall. | | **Geological Survey of Israel (GSI)** | National geological, seismological, and geotechnical authority. | Dead Sea Transform active fault traces, sinkhole progression rate ($\sim 1.1\text{ m/yr}$ sea drop), paleoseismic trench data. | | **AFAD & Boğaziçi KOERI (Turkey)** | Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Turkey. | 2023 Kahramanmaraş ($M_w 7.8, 7.5$), 1999 Marmara/İzmit ($M_w 7.6$), 1939 Erzincan ($M_w 7.8$), and Aegean tsunamis. | | **IIEES (Iran)** | International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology. | 2003 Bam ($M_w 6.6$), 1990 Manjil-Rudbar ($M_w 7.4$), 1978 Tabas ($M_w 7.8$), Zagros seismic belt events. | --- ## 3. Dataset Schema & Catalog Structure All data files reside in the [`data/`](file:///workspace/.worktrees/tawfiqkhalilieh__NDS-data/antigravity_task_1792005201936/data) directory: ``` data/ ├── israel_jerusalem_natural_disasters.json # Primary Wave 1 catalog (105 events, full schema) ├── israel_jerusalem_natural_disasters.csv # Flat tabular CSV export (Israel & Area) ├── middle_east_natural_disasters.json # Secondary Wave 2 catalog (182 events, 17 nations) ├── middle_east_natural_disasters.csv # Flat tabular CSV export (Pan-Middle East) ├── data_dictionary.json # 30-field schema specification for Israel catalog ├── middle_east_data_dictionary.json # 30-field schema specification for Middle East catalog ├── hazard_risk_profiles.json # ThinkHazard! & NEMA national profiles (Israel) ├── middle_east_hazard_profiles.json # ThinkHazard! multi-hazard matrix for all 17 nations ├── kaggle_dataset_metadata.json # Kaggle metadata for primary dataset ├── middle_east_kaggle_metadata.json # Kaggle metadata for secondary Middle East dataset └── startup_catastrophe_models.json # Parametric insurance triggers & spatial risk algorithms ``` ### Attribute Specifications (30 Fields) Both datasets adhere to a unified schema enabling seamless joins and cross-catalog analytics: | Field Name | Type | Description | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | `id` | `String (PK)` | Unique identifier (e.g. `ISR-EQ-1927-01`, `TUR-EQ-2023-01`, `OMN-CYC-2007-01`) | | `event_name` | `String` | Formal name in English with native script transliteration | | `disaster_type` | `String` | `Earthquake`, `Severe Winter Storm`, `Wildfire`, `Flash Flood`, `Extreme Heat`, `River Flood`, `Tropical Cyclone`, `Volcanic Eruption`, `Sinkhole & Subsidence`, `Drought`, `Tsunami`, `Landslide`, `Extreme Dust Storm` | | `disaster_subtype` | `String` | Specific geological or meteorological mechanism (e.g. `Tectonic Strike-Slip`, `Tropical Cyclone Category 5`, `Arid Slot-Canyon Flash Flood`) | | `country` | `String` | Country of primary impact (17 Middle Eastern nations) | | `district` / `subregion` | `String` | First-level administrative unit or regional subregion (`Jerusalem District`, `Anatolia`, `Levant`, `Iranian Plateau`, `Arabian Peninsula`) | | `date_start` / `date_end` | `ISO Date` | YYYY-MM-DD bounds (negative years for BCE) | | `year` | `Integer` | Calendar year | | `primary_location` | `String` | Epicenter, municipality, wadi basin, or geographical landmark | | `latitude` / `longitude` | `Float` | Decimal coordinates in WGS 84 | | `severity_level` | `String` | Standardized category: `Catastrophic`, `Very High`, `High`, `Moderate` | | `severity_metric` | `String` | Instrumental measurement (e.g. `Mw 7.8 / Intensity XI`, `97.5 cm snow depth`, `50.4°C`, `260 km/h winds`) | | `impact_jerusalem` | `Boolean` | Flag indicating impact on Jerusalem (true for 76 Israel events) | | `fatalities` | `Integer` | Verified casualty count | | `injuries` | `Integer` | Documented injuries requiring medical treatment | | `evacuated_displaced` | `Integer` | Displaced residents or evacuated populations | | `economic_damage_usd_est` | `Integer` | Estimated total direct and indirect economic losses in USD | | `summary` | `Text` | Synthesized narrative of disaster chronology, footprint, and aftermath | | `tectonic_or_synoptic_driver` | `Text` | Tectonic fault system or atmospheric synoptic pressure system | | `emergency_response` | `Text` | Government response, civil protection, IDF Home Front Command, Red Crescent, or international mobilization | | `citations` / `sources` | `Array` | Primary catalog references, academic DOIs, and archival sources with official verification URLs | --- ## 4. Key Regional Benchmarks & Historical Insights ### A. The Dead Sea Transform & Levantine Fault Networks * **Recurrence Intervals**: Major $M_w \ge 6.0$ earthquakes along the Dead Sea Transform (DST) recur approximately every **$90\text{--}110$ years**. * **1927 Jericho / Dead Sea Earthquake** ($M_w 6.25$): Left 285+ fatalities across the Levant, destroying homes in Jerusalem's Old City, Augusta Victoria, and Al-Aqsa Mosque. * **Historical Cataclysms**: 749 CE Galilee/Jordan Valley ($M_w 7.3$, ruined Scythopolis), 1033 CE Jordan Valley ($M_w 7.0$), 1202 Levant Mega-Earthquake ($M_w 7.6$, $>30,000$ casualties), 1759 Near East twin shocks ($M_w 7.4$), and 1837 Safed Earthquake ($M_w 6.8$, destroyed Safed and Tiberias). ### B. Pan-Middle East Tectonic Belts * **Anatolian Plate Boundaries (Turkey)**: The East and North Anatolian Faults have generated the region's deadliest instrumental earthquakes: - **February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake Sequence** ($M_w 7.8$ & $M_w 7.5$): $>53,500$ deaths in Turkey and $>8,400$ in Syria; $>\$104\text{B USD}$ in damages. - **August 17, 1999 Marmara / İzmit Earthquake** ($M_w 7.6$): 17,480 fatalities; $>\$20\text{B USD}$ losses in Turkey's industrial heartland. - **December 26, 1939 Erzincan Earthquake** ($M_w 7.8$): 32,700 fatalities in eastern Anatolia. * **Zagros & Central Iran Belts**: - **December 26, 2003 Bam Earthquake** ($M_w 6.6$): 34,000+ fatalities; leveled the ancient mudbrick citadel of Arg-e Bam. - **June 21, 1990 Manjil-Rudbar Earthquake** ($M_w 7.4$): 40,000+ fatalities and 500,000 left homeless. - **September 16, 1978 Tabas Earthquake** ($M_w 7.8$): 20,000 fatalities. ### C. Extreme Meteorological & Climate Disasters * **Jerusalem Mountain Blizzards**: - **February 1920**: All-time instrumental snow depth record of **$97.5\text{ cm}$** in Jerusalem (IMS). - **February 1950**: The "Great Snow" covered Jerusalem in **$70\text{ cm}$** of snow, with coastal snow in Tel Aviv ($19\text{ cm}$). - **December 2013 (Storm Alexa)**: Deep Cyprus Low dropped **$40\text{--}80\text{ cm}$** of snow, paralyzing Highways 1 and 443 for 72 hours. * **Persian Gulf & Arabian Sea Tropical Cyclones**: - **June 2007 (Cyclone Gonu)**: Category 5 super cyclonic storm with peak winds of $270\text{ km/h}$; made landfall in Oman causing 50 fatalities and $\$4.2\text{B USD}$ in damages. - **October 2021 (Cyclone Shaheen)**: Rare northern Gulf of Oman cyclone striking the Al Batinah coast ($140\text{ km/h}$). - **April 2024 Gulf Mega-Storm**: Mesoscale convective storm delivering over $254\text{ mm}$ of rainfall in 24 hours to Dubai and northern Oman. * **Mediterranean Wildfires & Heat Domes**: - **December 2010 Mount Carmel Forest Fire**: 44 fatalities, 17,000 evacuated, 25,000 dunams burned. - **July–August 2021 Mediterranean Wildfire Wave**: Over 1,700 square kilometers burned across southern Turkey, coastal Syria, Lebanon, and the Jerusalem Hills. - **Summer 2026 Middle East Heat Dome**: Record heat wave with temperatures reaching $50.4^\circ\text{C}$ in Basra, $49.2^\circ\text{C}$ in Kuwait City, and $42.7^\circ\text{C}$ in Jerusalem. --- ## 5. Dataset Validation & Quality Assurance Both datasets include comprehensive automated validation test suites: ```bash # Validate Israel Deep Catalog (105 events) python3 scripts/validate_dataset.py # Validate Middle East Catalog (182 events across 17 nations) python3 scripts/validate_middle_east_dataset.py ``` ### Validation Results Summary ``` ================================================================================ NDS-DATA INTEGRATED VALIDATION AUDIT ================================================================================ Catalog: Israel & Jerusalem Deep Dataset - Total Events: 105 / 105 valid (100% PASS) - Date Range: 759 BCE to 2026 CE - Total Recorded Fatalities: 540,683 - Total Economic Damage: $14,581,000,000 USD - Jerusalem Corridor Events: 76 (72.4%) - Geospatial Bounding Box: Lat 28.0°N–34.0°N, Lon 33.5°E–37.0°E (100% inside) Catalog: Pan-Middle East Secondary Dataset - Total Events: 182 / 182 valid (100% PASS) - Covered Nations: 17 / 17 sovereign states (100% coverage) - Total Recorded Fatalities: 1,880,702 - Total Recorded Injuries: 1,494,981 - Total Displaced/Evacuated: 11,922,130 - Total Economic Damage: $210,793,000,000 USD - Geospatial Bounding Box: Lat 12.0°N–42.5°N, Lon 25.0°E–65.0°E (100% inside) ================================================================================ ``` --- ## Interactive Data Explorer (website) ```bash node server.js --port 6918 # then open http://localhost:6918 ``` The root page (`public/index.html`, `public/assets/explorer.{js,css}`) is a dependency-free explorer with one interactive table per dataset: Middle East events, Israel & Jerusalem events, country hazard levels, Jerusalem neighborhoods, lifeline corridors and insurance triggers. - **Category filters with live counts:** disaster type, country, subregion, district, severity, era, size (death-toll bands) and Jerusalem impact. - **Range filters:** year (negative = BCE), deaths, economic damage, earthquake magnitude (Mw) and risk scores. - **Search and table controls:** full-text search with highlighting, sortable columns, a column picker, pagination, and CSV export of the filtered rows. - **Record details:** click a row for the full record and its sources. - **Shareable views:** every filter, sort order and page is saved in the URL (e.g. `/#/events?type=Earthquake&mw=7..&sort=-fatalities`). - **Mobile-friendly:** on phones (≤ 700px) tables become tappable cards, filters open as a full-height sheet with a live "Show N results" button and active-filter badge, sorting moves to a dropdown, and the pager and detail drawer use large touch targets. The previous map/chart dashboard is still available at `/classic/`. --- ## 6. REST API Reference The Node.js platform (`server.js`) exposes complete REST API endpoints for both datasets: ### Israel Catalog Endpoints (`/api/*`) - `GET /api/disasters`: Retrieve events with multi-criteria filtering (`type`, `severity`, `epoch`, `search`, `limit`, `offset`). - `GET /api/disasters/:id`: Fetch individual event by alphanumeric ID. - `GET /api/stats/overview`: Aggregate metrics (total events, fatalities, economic loss, type/severity distributions). - `GET /api/hazards/summary`: ThinkHazard! and NEMA national hazard classifications. - `GET /api/export/json`: Stream normalized JSON export. - `GET /api/export/csv`: Stream comma-separated tabular CSV export. ### Middle East Catalog Endpoints (`/api/middle-east/*`) - `GET /api/middle-east/disasters`: Filter pan-Middle East events (with `country`, `type`, `severity`, `epoch`, `search`). - `GET /api/middle-east/disasters/:id`: Fetch Middle East event by ID. - `GET /api/middle-east/stats/overview`: Pan-regional metrics (182 events, 17 nations, 1.88M fatalities, $210.8B loss). - `GET /api/middle-east/filter-options`: Dynamic lists of covered countries, disaster types, and severity levels. - `GET /api/middle-east/hazards/summary`: ThinkHazard! multi-hazard risk profiles for all 17 countries. - `GET /api/middle-east/export/json`: Stream full Middle East JSON catalog. - `GET /api/middle-east/export/csv`: Stream full Middle East CSV dataset. --- ## 7. Python & Pandas Quickstart ```python import json import pandas as pd # 1. Load Israel Deep Catalog df_israel = pd.read_csv('data/israel_jerusalem_natural_disasters.csv') print(f"Israel Catalog: {len(df_israel)} events") print(df_israel[['year', 'event_name', 'disaster_type', 'fatalities', 'severity_level']].head()) # 2. Load Pan-Middle East Catalog df_me = pd.read_csv('data/middle_east_natural_disasters.csv') print(f"Middle East Catalog: {len(df_me)} events across {df_me['country'].nunique()} nations") # Top 5 deadliest disasters in the Middle East deadliest = df_me.sort_values(by='fatalities', ascending=False)[['year', 'country', 'event_name', 'disaster_type', 'fatalities']].head(5) print(deadliest) ``` --- ## 8. License & Citation * **Dataset License**: [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) * **Code License**: MIT License * **Recommended Citation**: > Inbar, M. (Haifa NDI); National Knowledge & Research Center for Emergency Readiness (NKRER); Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research (JIPR); ThinkHazard! (World Bank/GFDRR); EM-DAT (CRED); NOAA NCEI; USGS; IMS; GSI; AFAD; IIEES. *Natural Disasters in Israel and the Middle East Dataset (NDS-data)*, 2026.