UNDRR News

Models of local-level disaster risk reduction and management, the Jordanian cities of Aqaba and Petra are leading an initiative for five fellow municipalities which have stepped up their own efforts to build resilience.

The Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström, today expressed her condolences to the government and people of Nepal on the loss of life, injuries and devastation caused by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake at the weekend.

Nepal was scrambling on Sunday to save the lives of people trapped in the rubble following the country's devastating earthquake, as the death toll mounted to 2,000, and the population of affected areas remained outdoors as aftershocks continued to rock the country.

One of Asia's poorest and most disaster-prone countries, Nepal is reeling from a massive earthquake outside the capital Kathmandu which has claimed hundreds of lives.

Municipalities are taking the lead in Jordan to help build resilience to disasters, in the wake of recurrent winter storms that have seen heavy snow, rainfall and high winds cause power cuts, road closures and flooded homes.

Inventors aiming to reduce the risk of disasters have flocked to Geneva to pitch a whole range of cutting-edge ideas, from earthquake-resistant buildings to lamps that make evacuations easier.

A 16th century Samurai has left a powerful legacy on the floodplain as well as the battlefield in one of Japan’s most beautiful yet hazardous regions.

Disaster risk reduction has entered the exciting world of E-learning with the launch of an on-line course aimed at officials and practitioners working to strengthen urban resilience.

Four years on from the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan, the country’s business sector has lived up to its reputation for resilience and shown clearly why disaster preparedness is so important for recovery.

The head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Margareta Wahlström, spoke today of her concerns about the future development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the face of extreme weather events.