November 20, 2015

Investing in Disaster Risk Management at the local level: competing with pressing social needs. 

By Pablo González, Paula Jara and Daniela Hidalgo

Every day we are exposed to a wide range of threats to our physical integrity, our lives and livelihoods; from natural hazards to diseases and even traffic accidents. Nevertheless, the actual disruption in someone’s life comes when our ability to face the threat is overwhelmed. In short, we do not have the capacity to cope with the manifestation of the given hazard. So, in order to assess the risk that any hazard poses to us, we need to understand our exposure and degree of vulnerability and our capacity to deal with it. Understanding the hazard, its typology, is critical but not enough... Read more 

What happened this week?

Bolivia, City of Trinidad, Department of Beni. A large fire consumed 95% of a market in Villa Corina. The fire started at 5am local time, at least 500 families were affected and economic losses are substantial. At least three injuries were reported. Firefighters were able to eventually control the fire using water tanker trucks from private companies... Read more  

Brazil, Mariana, Minas Gerais. The Minas Gerais Fire Department reported that four more bodies were found in areas affected by the landslide due to the failure of the dam in Fundão and Santarém, district of Bento Rodrigues, in Mariana, in the central region of Minas, which happened on November 5. Seven victims have already been identified; this now raises the number to 11 recovered bodies... Read more 

Paraguay. Floods in the Ciudad del Este, Alto Paraná. Rains continue causing overflow and flooding in several areas of Alto Paraná. Homes as well as Lake República were reported flooded... Read more 

Panama, Region of Kuna Yala. The overflowing of the river in Playón Grande in the region of Kuna Yala, 20 houses have been affected, an unknown number of people were moved to a temporary shelter in Playón, Chico... Read more 

Guatemala. Floods in the municipality of Panzós, department of Alta Verapaz: Residents and homes have been affected by the floods caused by the rains of the last few hours due to the flooding of the Polochic River, CONRED reported... Read more 

Interesting Facts

Scientists discover the cause behind prehistoric climate change. Scientists now know why the climate underwent dramatic changes at the end of the last Ice Age... Read more

An Earthquake Response System That's Faster Than 911. The One Concern algorithm predicts which parts of the city will be hit hardest to get them help first... Read more

What's new in Disaster Risk Reduction?

ACS concludes the 18th intersessional preparatory meeting of the ministerial council. The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) convened the 18th Intersessional Preparatory Meeting for the 21st Ordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Council on 17th November 2015 at the Hilton Hotel, Port of Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The Honourable Dennis Moses, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of the Host Country, addressed representatives of the Member and Associate Member Countries of the ACS... Read more

The volcano that changed the course of disaster risk management. The head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Margareta Wahlström, described the eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano which claimed 25,000 lives in Colombia on November 13, 1985, as “a major turning point in the history of disaster risk management”... Read more

Chile sign agreement on disaster reduction, management. The Philippines signed a memorandum of understanding in Malacañang with the government of Chile for cooperation in disaster risk reduction and management... Read more