Reducing the risk and impact of disasters

$2 trillion cost to the globa

l ec

onomy

4.4 billion lives affected 1.3 million people killed

Protecting lives and livelihood in a fragile world

Disasters kill, injure and can wipe out everything families and whole communities own in a matter of moments - keeping people locked in poverty.

Natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, drought and cyclones cannot be prevented but the number of lives they take and the damage they cause can be greatly reduced with preparation and protection measures.

We must do the right thing and not bother our heads over whether or not we will be successful, because if we do not do the right thing we will be doing the wrong thing, and will be part of the problem, not part of the solution.”

E F Schumacher,Founder of Practical Action

Impact of disasters – the facts

More than 90% of people killed in disasters live in developing countries.

Over the past two decades, disasters have affected more than 4.4 billion, killed more than 1.3 million people and cost the global economy at least $2 trillion in supporting poor people to rebuild their lives.

It is estimated that in the years following 2015 over 375 million people per year will be affected by climate-related disasters, 50% more than the number affected during the ten years to 2010.

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A world of increasing stresses and strains

The scale, frequency, and severity of disasters have risen over the last 20 years largely driven by climate change, resource scarcity and migration to urban areas.

And it is developing countries, and the one billion people who already live below the official poverty line - those living in risky or marginal areas; those least able to cope - that are disproportionately affected.

Pumpkin grown on sandbar

in Bangladesh

Vulnerable to water shortage in drought in Kenya

Our approach

Practical Action works with communities to reduce the impact of the natural hazards they experience. By working directly with poor, indigenous and the most vulnerable communities we help them plan, prepare for, and put in place solutions that will help communities cope and recover from the disasters that affect them.

Working with people living in places affected by natural disasters we are able to help them understand what puts them at risk. This knowledge means that together we can identify ways to help them cope better with the environment in which they live now and for the future, and we can share this knowledge with other communities facing similar risks.

Working with local and national governments we’re ensuring the risks faced by the most vulnerable communities are understood, acknowledged and where possible, investments are made to support them.

Earthquake reconstruction Bridge over flood waters in Bangladesh

A school for all seasons

Nepal is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Earthquakes are common and often destroy buildings used as schools and hospitals. They are over-crowded and ill equipped to withstand shocks, leaving people trapped or killed inside.

Practical Action is working with communities like Nishal’s to strengthen the structure of the buildings they rely on. Using appropriate brick making technology to improve the resilience of the walls, and equip community buildings with materials that can be used when disasters strike.

“Earthquakes cannot be prevented, but we can adopt safety measures.” Nishal, 14

Building a bridge towards resilience

Bangladesh is a country dominated by rivers. Siraigani and the surrounding villages are separated from the mainland by the River Jamuna, where 6,000 people depend on unreliable and often dangerous boat services to get to school, markets access healthcare services - services often wiped out during the monsoon season.

Skilled volunteers and members of local community organisations trained by Practical Action built a secure bamboo footbridge over the river - giving communities safe and quick access to the services they depend on.

Mujibar Rahman said: “Around 1,000 people from the four villages are crossing the river every day, especially our children, who are going to school easily now.”

Early warning saves livesMonsoon rains put families like Manakala Thapa’s at risk every year.

Living in the foothills of the mountains, on the banks of the Himalayan-fed rivers, families like Manakala’s face being trapped in the valleys and gorges in which they live, their lives and livelihoods at risk of being washed away - simply because they live in places most affected by severe weather.

During the months of June - September, whole communities face the consequences of flash floods, when rivers burst their banks wiping out escape routes in a matter of hours, trapping people in rising flood waters.

Practical Action has worked with communities across Nepal to put in place effective early warning systems that enable them to monitor weather patterns, warn people of impending danger and instigate evacuation plans before it’s too late.

River gauges measure the rising water, sirens alert the whole community to prepare for evacuation and lifeboats carry families and possessions to higher ground. It’s a simple solution that is saving lives and livelihoods.

Evacuating flooded village

Practicing flood evacuation procedures

The flood does not scare us now. When the flood is about to come we get an early

warning of at least four to five hours. We hear the sirens and immediately start moving to a safer place.”

Manakala Thapa

Testing early warning systems

From vulnerability to resilienceIn an ever changing world, we believe a stronger focus on disaster risk reduction is necessary to deliver sustainable development, save lives and reduce the need for emergency responses to crisis situations.

Recent studies show the global response to disasters is inadequate with most efforts to alleviate the risks arriving too late, when lives and livelihoods have already been swept away - forcing people deeper into poverty.

Using our research and operational experience gained over many years in South Asia, Africa and Latin America we are working with people, communities, local and national governments, other NGOs and the private sector to encourage approaches to development, that take into account the risks communities living in poverty face as a result of climate change and other natural disasters. Our aim is to prevent crises occurring, by ensuring people are able to cope better with the environment in which they live.

For more information visit: www.practicalaction.org/disaster-risk-reduction

Tending a floating farm in Bangladesh

Find us online, just search for ‘Practical Action’

While stories in this leaflet are true, names and photos have been changed to protect the identity of individuals.

Photography: Julie Brown, Practical Action Nepal, Kenya, Bangladesh

Printed on paper made from sustainable resources.