For the urban coastal city of Hong Kong, typhoons are a regular occurrence from May to October. Consequently, Hong Kong’s infrastructure is designed to cope with the strong winds, floods, and storm surges they bring. Recently, however, the territory experienced two powerful storms in consecutive years. In 2017, Super Typhoon Hato struck the region, and in the following year, the city witnessed Super Typhoon Mangkhut, the strongest typhoon since 1983. But Hong Kong suffered lower economic losses from both storms when compared with the neighboring Guangdong region and the city of Macau, thanks partly to its well-coordinated response and resilient infrastructure.

On 25 November 2021, a four-day Training Academy on disaster risk reduction and early warning systems took place. Experts responsible for disaster risk management and meteorological/hydrological services from IGAD, IGAD Member States, Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), as well as Malawi, Mozambique and the Republic of Tanzania participated.

On 23 November 2021, an exit workshop was held on the Government of Italy funded project on “Disaster Risk Reduction Capacity Building in Ethiopia”. Experts gathered to share main outcomes, exchange experience, and discuss the way forward.

Regional cooperation is rising, systemic governance is center stage and businesses are taking an important role in disaster risk reduction — vital steps towards the ultimate goal of saving lives and livelihoods.

On 17 November 2021, the Government of Republic of Kenya officially opened the 8th Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction as the host country.

On November 5, the Heads of Emergency Authorities of Central Asian States at the Regional Forum in Tashkent adopted a Strategy for Development of Cooperation Between Central Asian Countries in Disaster Risk Reduction for 2022-2030.

Over 500 people joined an online high-level event to mark the 6th World Tsunami Awareness Day today. The accent was very much on science and youth, and the inclusion of tsunami risk in the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

The Secretary-General's Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction's message on World Tsunami Awareness Day