Identifying information voids during weather-related disasters: case studies from the 2024 Europe floods and Florida’s hurricane helene

Abstract Information voids have been anecdotally marked as a precursor to outbreaks of misinformation during health and climate crises but remain an empirically untested phenomenon. Understanding the public’s information needs and identifying voids is critical if disaster risk communication must preserve lives and livelihoods during climate emergencies. This paper conceptualizes and tests a novel survey tool designed to detect information voids across four key dimensions: information quantity, quality, source, and channel. Following major climate emergencies in 2024, a series of quantitative, online cross-sectional surveys were conducted in four countries, with a total of 897 respondents. The study aimed to assess the reliability and sensitivity of the tool in identifying gaps in information during climate crises. Study 1 in Belgium (n = 202) detected information voids across all dimensions after Storm Boris ( p < .001). Study 2 demonstrated the ability of the tool to detect information voids in other geographical contexts [Germany (n = 197) and Poland (n = 191)] during similar flooding events (both p < 0.01). Study 3 confirmed the tool’s ability to detect information voids across all dimensions in the context of a different climate emergency: Hurricane Helene in Florida, USA (n = 307) ( p < 0.01). Our findings demonstrate the potential of the survey to generate rapid evidence around information gaps and deliver detailed, actionable insights to improve disaster communication during emergencies in various regions. We discuss implications for addressing misinformation and disinformation during climate emergencies, as well as strategies for enhancing flood (disaster) risk communication and management.