Sri Lanka second in Asia's disaster affected countries

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

Sri Lanka recorded the second highest number of people killed and affected by disasters in Asia, according to this year's report of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), issued last week. Democratic People's Republic of Korea tops the list, according to a press conference held in Bangkok held jointly by the UNISDR and the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) of the Louvain University, Belgium. Out of the total deaths due to disasters in the Asian region more than 53 percent is from South Asia.

According to the findings by the CRED, floods and storms remain the main threats in Asia. "Data also suggest that some high risk countries in the region have made significant progress in controlling disaster impacts. This means that preparedness and prevention measures can be effective," said Director of CRED Dr. Debby Sapir. The Centre has been active for over thirty years in the fields of international disaster and conflict health studies, with research and training activities linking relief, rehabilitation and development.

China tops the list with the highest number of reported disasters in 2012. In 2012 floods have accounted for 54 percent of the death toll in Asia, 78 percent of people affected and 56 percent of all economic damages in the region. Pakistan suffered large-scale loss of life from floods for the third year as well with 480 deaths during floods between August and October. Floods in China during June-July period have affected over 17 million people and caused the highest economic loss accounting for US $4.8 billion, according to the report. In an earlier report this year, Asia was found to be the most disaster prone region in the world.

According to the new report, this year worldwide, 231 disasters have caused 5,469 deaths, affected a total of 87 million others, and caused US$ 44.6 billion economic damages.