News

Bangladesh: from cyclones to multi-hazard

The Cyclone Preparedness Programme in Bangladesh is to undergo it's largest ever expansion since it was founded in 1972 and to include urban risk, earthquakes, floods and other hazards.

Reducing disaster risk for Rohingya refugees

During last year's monsoon season, over 40,000 Rohingya refugees were affected by landslides and floods. UN agencies, Bangladesh Red Crescent and other NGO partners are working to reduce disaster risk in the camps with a strong focus on the environment.

Integrating disaster risk reduction into humanitarian action in Asia-Pacific

Helping small businesses in Asia-Pacific go beyond surviving disasters to thriving

The climate trail to Dhaka's slums

As COP25 continues, UNDRR talked to women forced to start news lives in Dhaka's teeming slums as Bangladesh struggles to cope with the impacts of the climate emergency

Promoting a ‘one ASEAN’ approach to risk-informed development

Asia and the Pacific set priorities for accelerated disaster risk reduction

Bangladesh declares climate change a “planetary emergency”

School for tsunami risk draws crowds

A former elementary school on the coast of Japan has been turned into a centre for raising awareness about tsunami risk. It saved the lives of 320 people who evacuated to its roof top.

Sendai responds to tsunami alerts

The Sendai area of Japan which was badly affected by the 2011  tsunami today marked World Tsunami Awareness Day with a major exercise along its vulnerable coastline.

Pollution creates 'black tsunami' risk

Renowned tsunami expert Prof. Fumihiko Imamura uses the occasion of World Tsunami Awareness Day to draw attention to the threat of "black tsunamis" caused by pollution of the seas

Thailand: Infrastructure resilience at the cornerstone of risk-informed development

Silo-Breakers: Asia and the Pacific calls for integrating climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction

Thailand seeks to better understand its disaster-related economic losses to build resilience

Laos invests in disaster risk reduction to thwart future disasters

Accelerating disaster risk reduction in South Asia to keep up with development

Voluntary Commitments Report 2019 recognises contributions of stakeholders

The Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitment (SFVC) first Synthesis and Analysis Report was launched in Geneva during the recent Global Platform. Voluntary Commitments (VCs) are made by multiple stakeholders (private sector, local governments, civil society organizations, academia, media, etc.) in support of the implementation of the Sendai Framework, the global roadmap for reducing disaster loses by 2030.

Indonesia and UN to work closely on disaster prevention following 2018 disaster death toll

 Following the deaths or disappearances of over 4,600 people last year in 2,426 recorded disaster events, Indonesia is stepping up efforts to improve disaster risk management.

Asia and the Pacific gears up for the Global Platform and beyond

Youth are key to a resilient Pacific

Nepal's corruption-free reconstruction effort

How Nepal ensured there was no corruption in the massive reconstruction effort that got underway after the 2015 earthquake which damaged a million homes.

Fani's hard lesson on resilient infrastructure

Early warnings saved lives when Cyclone Fani hit the Indian state of Odisha but there are lessons to be learned on resilient infrastructure as a result of the widespread damage caused by the category 4 storm.

Nepal's safe school lesson

Four years after an earthquake which destroyed 14,500 classrooms, efforts continue in Nepal to mainstream school safety 

Joint UN effort bolsters Iran’s ability to reduce its disaster risk

In partnership with Iran’s Planning and Budget Organization and the National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO),  the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the Asian and Pacific Centre for the Development of Disaster Information Management (ESCAP-APDIM), and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) organized a training meeting to boost the capacity of Iran's national agencies to reduce disaster risk. The three UN entities jointly lead the UN Regional Coordination Mechanism’s working group on disaster risk reduction and resilience.

Kathmandu "not most-at-risk" for earthquakes

Scientists working with the UN Country Team in Nepal have found that earthquake risk in the west of the country is being overlooked.

Nepal earthquake recovery enters 5th year

Four years on from the April 2015 earthquake, reconstruction efforts are continuing.

Early warning systems and "the last metre"

Events such as last year's deadly Sulawesi tsunami in Indonesia underline the importance of communication and outreach to vulnerable populations.

Cambodia steps up fight against climate change

Cambodia is stepping up efforts to reduce disaster risk as it battles climate change and extreme weather events with a new National Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction

Brisbane to host the 2020 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

Brisbane, host of the next Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, is also home to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority.

Coalition for Resilient Infrastructure takes off

India's vision for the creation of a global coalition for resilient infrastructure moved closer to becoming a reality today.