UNDRR News

The 18,000-strong community of Tuti, a River Nile island in the heart of the Sudanese capital Khartoum, has long been highly vulnerable to floods.

This year’s International Day for Disaster Reduction highlighted the power of traditional, indigenous and local knowledge to protect people and communities, and the issue has been in the foreground at a conference of more than 3,000 officials and experts in fire risk management.

Today, one of Europe’s most vulnerable earthquake zones, the Italian Province of Potenza, was recognized as a champion of disaster risk reduction for the creation of a “Network of Resilience” among 100 municipalities.

The UK community of East Salford has over 1,400 homes and 500 businesses in Lower Broughton and Lower Kersal – all of which are at risk of flooding from the River Irwell. Salford has a long history of flooding , notably in 1946, 1954 and 1980.

Eight communities living with the threat of floods, storms, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions were today recognised as Champions of Disaster Risk Reduction by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).

Residents of a flood-prone community in Cameroon’s capital Yaoundé are deploying local knowledge to curb the risk of disasters and epidemics by tackling the trash that blocks drainage ditches.

India has had some significant success in reducing the death tolls from cyclones and flooding in recent years due to better preparedness and early warnings. In October 2014 and October 2013 large scale evacuations saved many lives as early warnings were disseminated in a timely and effective way to endangered populations along the Bay of Bengal.

This year’s observance of the International Day for Disaster Reduction is dedicated to the power of traditional, indigenous and local knowledge.

An important effort is being made in a disaster prone area of Nicaragua to create understanding and awareness of how indigenous people cope with natural hazards by tapping into their ancestral store of knowledge and keeping it alive.

International Day for Disaster Reduction arrived early today in the Philippines. Globally, the Day is marked next Tuesday on October 13 but the Philippines Senate today took time out to celebrate the Day’s theme of community and local knowledge for disaster risk management.