Weather-related Disasters Climb

by Zoe Chafe

In 2006, the world experienced more weatherrelated disasters than in any of the previous three years, according to both Munich Reinsurance Company (Munich Re) and the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED).1 Weather-related disasters include those caused by heat waves or cold snaps, floods, landslides, avalanches, wildfires, hurricanes, cyclones, typhoons, tornadoes, or winter storms.

The economic losses associated with these disasters fell sharply, however, from $219.6 billion in 2005 to $44.5 billion in 2006, according to Munich Re.2 (See Figure 1.) A relatively quiet Atlantic hurricane season contributed to this dramatic 80-percent decrease in recorded losses.3 With only 9 named storms, down from 27 in the 2005 season, much of the infrastructure- heavy U.S. coastline that suffered extreme damage in 2005 was spared this year.4

CRED recorded a total of 16,193 deaths due to weather-related disasters in 2006, up 24 percent from 12,081 in 2005.5 Floods were responsible for the greatest number of these deaths in 2006, and they affected 87 countries.6 (See Figure 2.) The Horn of Africa was particularly hard-hit, experiencing some of the worst monsoon flooding ever recorded.7 In August, Typhoon Saomai became the strongest storm to make landfall over China in 50 years, destroying 50,000 homes and forcing more than a million people to evacuate.8

Millions of people survive disasters each year, but they continue to suffer long after the flood waters have receded or the storm clouds have disappeared. Between 2002 and 2006, some 827 million people worldwide were affected by weather-related disasters; in 2006 alone, nearly 99 million were affected.9 (See Figure 3.) This includes 29,400 who were injured and 5.4 million people who became homeless as a result of a disaster.10

While weather-related disasters often capture the media spotlight because of their quick onset and dramatic impacts, attention may shift away long before the suffering ends and real recovery begins. This leaves survivors with little support to cope with “secondary” disasters that follow: sexual harassment in camps, domestic violence, trafficking of children and child labor, poor resettlement plans, and ongoing disabilities.11

Weather-related disasters are often perceived as natural events, but many human actions have a hand in their creation. Climate change is warming sea temperatures, which can lead to stronger hurricanes.12 Sea level rise threatens low-lying areas, especially during storms. Damage to mangrove forests and coral reefs weakens natural storm defenses.13 And with more people forced to live in undesirable, riskier areas, the potential for disaster is ever higher. Of the 33 cities projected to have at least 8 million residents each by 2015, some 21 are coastal cities that will have to contend with sea level rise.14

Cities are particularly vulnerable to weatherrelated disasters because of their dense infrastructure. But the true economic toll from disasters is difficult to estimate, because most people the world over do not have insurance policies: only 1–3 percent of households and businesses in low-income and middle-income countries are insured against disasters, compared with 30 percent in high-income countries.15 Only 2 percent of natural disaster losses are covered by insurance in developing countries, while half of such costs are covered in the United States.16

U.N. Special Advisor Jeffrey Sachs has recommended that countries secure insurance against frequent natural disasters rather than rely on international aid appeals that are often inadequately funded.17 The first such national insurance policy was issued by the World Food Programme to Ethiopia in 2006, to protect the residents of that drought-stricken country.18 If rainfall levels fail to reach an agreed level, farmers will be eligible to receive payouts.19

Still struggling with how to mobilize disaster aid as quickly as possible, the United Nations created a new instrument, the Central Emergency Response Fund, to get money and supplies to affected areas within 72 hours of a disaster.20 Within one year of its March 2006 launch, the fund had received payments and pledges of $343 million from 51 governments and three supporting organizations.21

Includes the following charts and graphs
Economic Losses from Weather-Related Disasters, 1980-2006
Deaths from Weather-Related Disasters, 2006
Number of People Affected by Weather-Related Disasters, 1982-2006

Notes
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