The impact of disasters in Asia Pacific on schools and children

A greater humanitarian focus on schools before, during and after natural disasters will save lives, protect children and benefit communities and countries, Save the Children says in a report due out this week.

The report details the impact on education of earthquakes, floods and storms that struck Nepal, Myanmar, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vanuatu last year.

The disasters range from large humanitarian crises - such as the massive twin quakes in Nepal that killed 8,900 people - to the seasonal floods and storms that batter the Asia-Pacific region.

"The earthquake in Nepal had a huge impact on the country and received international media attention," said author of the report, Sarah Ireland, by phone from Melbourne.

"Floods in Indonesia happen every year, and we often don't hear about them," she added.

Researchers estimate the lives of 200 million children per year will be severely disrupted by disasters in coming decades.