News and announcements

The Governments of Barbados and Japan have signed a million dollar agreement aimed at reducing Barbados’ vulnerability to disaster and increasing this country’s resilience. As a Small Island Developing State, with a densely populated low-lying coastal zone and tourism-based economy, Barbados is vulnerable to meteorological, geological and biological hazards.

In December 2015, the city of Chennai, India, was struck by devastating floods. In the aftermath of the disaster, local authorities sought advice from other cities whose experience of flooding – and pioneering plans to alleviate flood risk – could ensure Chennai is less badly affected the next time the rains hit with such force.

Fujitsu Limited and PT. Fujitsu Indonesia today announced that they have built a river information system that incorporates augmented reality (AR)(1) technology for Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Fujitsu built the system at the request of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Indonesia Office.

In 2013, Ahmedabad became the first city to implement a heat wave early warning system and preparedness plan in South Asia, offering an innovative approach to address rising temperatures. Now, leading governments in the Nagpur region of Maharashtra and Bhubaneswar coastal region of Odisha are stepping up to launch Heat Action Plans this week.

The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the World Health Organization today issued an appeal for national disaster management agencies to develop their preparedness and response capacities to include health emergencies alongside earthquakes, floods and storms as a top priority.

Delegates from across Africa have met to identify the continent’s priorities for sustainable urban development, addressing a critical component of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Women play an important role in advancing disaster risk reduction policies and we want to see more of them engaged in disaster management,” Mr. Robert Glasser, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, said today, as the world marks International Women’s Day.

A new study provides insight into what may happen when a supervolcano explodes. The research focuses on the Silver Creek caldera, which sits at the intersection of California, Nevada and Arizona. When this supervolcano erupted 18.8 million years ago, it flooded parts of all three states with river-like currents of hot ash and gas.