UNDRR News

GENEVA, September 21, 2015 - The head of UNISDR, Margareta Wahlström, praised Mexico for its commitment to reducing disaster losses and avoiding the creation of new risk, during talks with the government and in a speech to mark the 30th anniversary of the deadly 1985 earthquake on Saturday.

The head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Margareta Wahlström, will take part tomorrow in the 30th anniversary commemoration of the earthquake which struck Mexico City on September 19, 1985.

The Government of Uganda is training its military and police officers in disaster preparedness in anticipation of the effects of El Niño-enhanced rains over the mid-September 2015 to January 2016 period.

The head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Margareta Wahlström, today congratulated the Chilean government on its successful efforts to reduce disaster risk and minimise the number of casualties from the 8.3 magnitude earthquake and tsunami which occurred last night.

Cyclone Pam’s devastation of Vanuatu provided a real-time example of the relevance of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk as it was adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, in Japan, almost six months ago.

“Building Back Better” is the principle guiding the efforts of local governments in Tacloban city, Javier, Tanuan and Palo municipalities which were visited today by the head of UNISDR, Margareta Wahlström.

Health services across the region continue to deal with the impact of the severe sandstorm which hit the Middle East last week, sweeping across Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, causing casualties and sending dozens to hospitals, as health risks particularly respiratory problems increased. Other countries in the region, like Iraq, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, were affected by the clouds of dust and sand causing flight delays and disrupting school activities.

NADI, Fiji, 9 September 2015 – When floods closed Fiji’s main international airport for the only time in its history, economic shockwaves rippled through the tourism-dependent country.

MAPUTO, 7 September 2015 – African leaders and experts on disaster risk are moving ahead on detailed planning of implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the new global agreement on reducing disaster losses and a key pillar of the post-2015 Development Agenda.

The head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Margareta Wahlström, today extended her condolences to the people of the small island state of Dominica as they enter a second day of national mourning for the 31 people who have died and the 35 reported missing in the wake of a tropical storm which arrived with little or no warning.