UNDRR News

Renowned tsunami expert Prof. Fumihiko Imamura uses the occasion of World Tsunami Awareness Day to draw attention to the threat of "black tsunamis" caused by pollution of the seas.

As one of the first countries in the region to mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Government of Thailand took advantage of the occasion to highlight how it is working with partners to build the resilience of its infrastructure.

Integrated approaches that synergize climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction are key to building resilience. This was the resounding takeaway message at the Asia-Pacific Climate Week, which concluded on 6 September 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand.

In the face of climate change and growing urbanization, Thailand is taking key steps to strengthen its resilience, including through a better understanding of disaster-related economic losses. The collection of statistics on losses and damages, especially on key sectors such as agriculture, housing, infrastructure, and cultural heritage, can guide risk reduction efforts to safeguard these sectors.

As the Government of Lao PDR continues its recovery from the floods of 2018, it is seeking to lessen the risk of future disasters. To accomplish this, the Lao Government and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction jointly organized a national workshop that brought together development partners and government agencies to lay the foundation for the country’s first national disaster risk reduction strategy.

UNDRR is supporting the Member States of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) maintain and protect their development gains by strengthening their ability to develop, implement and monitor coherent disaster risk reduction strategies.

While heatwaves and hot weather do not cause significant damage to the landscape similar to cyclones and earthquakes, the impacts of heatwaves on health, economic productivity, and the environment can nonetheless be serious and costly.

Following the deaths or disappearances of over 4,600 people last year in 2,426 recorded disaster events, Indonesia is stepping up efforts to improve disaster risk management.

The Asia-Pacific region is making progress in reducing disaster mortality, but high economic losses from disasters point to a need for governments to accelerate the implementation of the disaster risk reduction strategies they have developed.

How Nepal ensured there was no corruption in the massive reconstruction effort that got underway after the 2015 earthquake which damaged a million homes.