Harnessing text information for enhanced hurricane resilience and public engagement: Unveiling disaster perspectives through social media

Abstract

The recent disaster by hurricane Otis in Acapulco, Mexico, exemplifies how natural disasters, particularly hurricanes, can often arrive with a force that defies prediction despite technological advancements. Their impact, coupled with secondary disasters, underscores the urgency for efficient preemptive measures. Resilience research in the face of such calamities necessitates the creation of a safeguard before incurring irreversible losses. This research leverages big data, explicitly harnessing information obtained from social media about hurricanes, to bolster the efficacy of hurricane response efforts. The focus lies in amplifying the dissemination of adequate warnings and enhancing rescue operations. Concurrently, the research aims to delve into potential disaster rescue suggestions by tracking and analyzing high-interaction discussions on social media — X. This exploration seeks to unveil public focal points during hurricane disasters and identify valuable perspectives for future disaster response strategies. The research findings show that dynamic public discussions on X failed to adequately focus on crucial aspects such as hurricane rescue and warnings. Instead, certain discussions tended to target specific groups and individuals. By unveiling these trends, this research highlights the need to develop a nuanced understanding of interpreting and engaging with social media discussions during significant hurricane events.