- From 1960 to 2020, 82% of the natural hazards that triggered disasters in developing Asia were weather-related.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of building disaster resilience.
- Between 2000 and 2020, disasters triggered by natural hazards claimed at least 36,000 lives annually in developing Asia
- Over the past 20 years, developing #Asia has begun to pay increasing attention to disaster management as frequency of disasters and magnitude of impacts rise.
Asia and the Pacific has seen tremendous economic and social progress since the 1960s. Yet, the region remains vulnerable to disaster risk that threatens its hard-won gains. Over the years, developing Asia has endured a growing number of disasters triggered by natural hazards.
As a result, numerous lives, livelihoods, and communities have been damaged or lost. The COVID-19 pandemic is testament to the debilitating effects of such a disaster on people, businesses, and economies.
Indeed, in 2020, developing Asia suffered its first economic contraction in 6 decades. Now more than ever, the region must find ways to reduce its vulnerability to natural hazards and build economic resilience.
