Press release

Children are among the most vulnerable targets when natural hazards occur. Thousands of school children were among the 220,000 victims of last month’s Indian Ocean tsunami and thousands more have perished in floods, earthquakes and hurricanes across the

Delegates gathered here today have pledged their support to create a regional early warning system in the Indian Ocean emphasizing the importance of international and regional cooperation. Experts agree that such a warning system could have saved

United Nations experts have decided to create a global early warning system to reduce the impact of natural hazards on vulnerable communities and to increase international cooperation to help save lives and livelihoods. Launched today at the World

December 2004 was a painful reminder of the many vulnerable people threatened by natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, cyclones, landslides and tsunamis. The disaster presented a range of valuable lessons, including the need for people to be aware

Three weeks after the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean, the World Conference on Disaster Reduction opened this morning here to address the critical need of better preparing communities when faced by natural hazards.

Just ten years ago, on 17 January 1995, the city of Kobe was struck by a huge earthquake that killed 6,433 people and injured more than 40,000 people in 20 seconds. The earthquake was a traumatic experience for Japan and its people who realized too late

It could have been completely different. In the Pacific Ocean region, tsunami early warning systems have been in place for years, particularly in Japan and the United States, to protect citizens and towns along vulnerable coastlines that have experienced

Early on the morning of 26 December an earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter Scale struck South Asia off the north west coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The quake was the largest in magnitude since 1964, triggering tidal waves that caused

In cooperation with the Ministry of Emergency Situations and Civil Defence and UNDP Tajikistan, UNISDR will organize a first regional consultative meeting at the UN building-conference hall, 93, Anini Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan on the 1-2 December 2005

Another tropical storm, even stronger than those which have recently claimed the lives of at least 400 people in the Philippines, is approaching the east coast of the island nation and could potentially result in more death and destruction. The