US FLOODS: HOW CHURCHES AND OTHER FAITH-BASED GROUPS ARE LENDING A HAND AFTER NEBRASKA DISASTER
EMILY MCFARLAN MILLER, of Religion News Service, reports…
Danger still lingers two years after Colombia’s deadly Mocoa landslide
Thomson Reuters Foundation Two years after a mudslide that killed more than 300 people in the Colombian rainforest town of Mocoa, local authorities are struggling to get the funds to resettle tens of thousands of residents living in areas at risk of flooding. Torrential rains on March 31, 2017, triggered a deadly torrent of mud, […]
“Insurance gap” threatens disaster-vulnerable poor nations, says Lloyd’s
Thomson Reuters Foundation Disaster-prone developing nations, including Bangladesh and Indonesia, are exposed to crippling losses when storms, floods or earthquakes strike because they suffer from a dangerous lack of insurance, industry experts said on Monday. Globally, assets worth about $US163 billion are not insured against catastrophes, posing a “significant threat” to livelihoods and prosperity, London-based […]
Climate disasters cause global economic losses to soar, says UN
Thomson Reuters Foundation Economic losses caused by climate-related disasters have soared by about two and a half times in the last 20 years, the United Nations said on Wednesday. From 1998 to 2017, direct losses from all disasters totalled $US2.9 trillion, of which 77 per cent was due to extreme weather that is intensifying as […]
COSTA RICA: AFTER NATE, COUNTRY LOOKS TO MEASURE MENTAL HEALTH DAMAGE TOO
SEBASTIAN RODRIGUEZ, writing for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on how the Central American nation is including mental health impacts in its damage assessments conducted in the aftermath of 2017’s tropical storm Nate…
US: AS WILDFIRES RAGE, CALIFORNIA TOWN RALLIES FOR MATERIAL, SPIRITUAL HELP
HEATHER ADAMS, of Religion News Service, reports from the fire-ravaged town of Redding, California…
Poor countries face $US168 billion interest bill due to climate change
Thomson Reuters Foundation Poor countries could have to pay up to $US168 billion more in interest over the next decade as extreme weather events brought on by climate change affect their credit ratings, a study said on Monday. Nations that rely heavily on agriculture are likely to suffer as global temperatures rise, bringing more storms, […]
In tech we trust – but less than half of Americans are ready for the next disaster
Thomson Reuters Foundation Less than half of Americans have basic emergency information to hand should calamity strike, an Ipsos survey revealed on Wednesday, yet 83 per cent are confident technology will play “an important role” in their preparation for the next disaster. The findings highlight the need to develop well-defined lines of communication ranging from […]
Poor farmers need better protection from costly disasters, says UN
Thomson Reuters Foundation Natural disasters such as drought and floods cost developing countries $US96 billion in damage to crops and livestock between 2005 and 2015, highlighting the need to step up protection for poor farmers, the United Nations said. Half the total damage – $US48 billion – occurred in Asia, according to a report from […]
Little chance for illiterate youth in warzones, UN says
Thomson Reuters Foundation Illiteracy among young people is almost three times as high in countries hit by war or disaster, with women and girls worst affected, the United Nations said on Wednesday. France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Senegalese President Macky Sall will open a conference on Thursday in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, to raise money for […]