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Displaying 15 of about 488 resultsNAIROBI/GENEVA, 13 February 2012 - In advance of critical rainfall forecasts for the Horn of Africa, the UN office for disaster risk reduction, UNISDR, today announced a partnership with the WMO-supported African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) to ensure rapid dissemination of weather updates to disaster managers.
Pedro Ba…
GENEVA, 3 February 2012 - A 15-day state of disaster is currently in effect in areas on the west coast of Fiji that have been ravaged by floods which began on 22 January.
A flood watch is in place as periods of heavy rain are expected. All those living in flood-prone areas have been advised to evacuate and take with them food, water and a change of clo…
BANGKOK, 23 January 2012 - The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Margareta Wahlström, met today with Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Kittiratt Na-Ranong, to discuss new government proposals on risk management and to urge Government support for business continuity plans following the costliest disaster in the…
GENEVA, 28 December 2011 – When a city joins the “Making Cities Resilient” campaign, the media gets very active, explained Piyush Ranjan Rout, co-founder and Executive Director of the Local Governments Network, a non-government organization in Bhubaneswar, India.
“They see that a city has joined the campaign and begin asking, ‘But what are they doing?’…
GENEVA, 27 December 2011 – A week after Tropical Storm Sendong hit the Philippines, aid agencies are focusing attention on an estimated 14,000 children who make up about a third of displaced persons in evacuation centres, including those separated from their families.
Children who are left to cope with disasters on their own face a range of risks, said…
GENEVA, 19 December 2011 - The UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström, today extended her sympathy to the people of Mindanao in the Philippines, following the great loss of life resulting from Typhoon Sendong.
The UNISDR Chief, Wahlström, said: “There are many lessons to be learned about risk manag…
GENEVA, 17 November 2011 - The flood crisis affecting over eight million people in Thailand will be discussed at the 19th ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) Summit which opened today in Bali, Indonesia.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, following a tour of the flood-affected areas yesterday, said he was told by Prime Minister,…
VENICE, 28 March 2012 - The Mayor of the fabled city of Venice, Giorgio Orsoni, has been chosen by UNISDR as Europe's first Champion of Urban Resilience in recognition of his efforts to build resilience to disasters and protect cultural heritage.
Margareta Wahlström, United Nations disaster risk reduction chief, appointed Mr. Orsoni a champion as part…
By Dizery Salim
GENEVA, 10 November 2011 – Eighteen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have agreed to tighten up on school safety while also integrating disaster risk reduction into the school curriculum, following high-level talks on education in Panama City.
Between 1970 and 2009, over 32,000 schools in South America were damaged or destro…
By David Singh
GENEVA, 26 October 2011 – The UN has issued a flash appeal for US$15.7 million to provide emergency assistance to El Salvador which has now been pounded by heavy rains and floods since 10 October.
Tropical Depression 12-E arrived in El Salvador two weeks ago bringing more rainfall than Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and registering the highest…
BEIRUT/GENEVA, 21 October 2011 – UNISDR Chief, Margareta Wahlstrom, today welcomed the news that both the Lebanese Army and the National Institute of Administration, the country’s civil service, are to make disaster risk reduction a core element of staff training.
She said: “This is a welcome signal from the new government of the importance it attaches…
By Yuki Matsuoka and Etsuko Okazaki
KOBE, 17 October 2011 - Recognizing the importance of risk reduction, the Japanese city of Saijo, located in Ehime prefecture on Shikoku Island, expanded their disaster risk reduction (DRR) education program to train children and young people to be future leaders in DRR. On 14 October, a lecture program was organize…
Building Disaster Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa Disasters in Sub-Saharan Africa often take a huge toll on vulnerable populations. Loss of life and livelihoods in the face of already existing challenges sets communities back many years leaving them at risk should another natural hazard occur.
African countries suffer from inadequate information to en…
The Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management is an annual conference jointly organised by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the Pacific Community (SPC) with support from international and national partners. The event represents a unique opportunity for governments to reaffirm their political commitments to the…
The main objective of the forum is to develop regional consensus climate outlook for the September to December 2011 rainfall season. It will also provide a regional interaction platform for the climate scientists and various users of climate early warning advisories. Further, the forum will review lessons / experiences from the use of the products provi…