1. Get Prepared for More Complex Scenarios
   Disasters claimed the greatest number of lives worldwide in 2010—more than any other single-year period in the last several decades. In just Haiti alone, the death toll was estimated at 230,000, although the actual number may never be known. The variety, frequency and complexity of these events will continue to increase, as we live in a more sophisticated and interdependent world, and countries must prepare for this.

Executive Summary

After the relatively moderate year of 2009, the extent of the impact of natural disasters took a turn for the worse in 2010. A total of 385 natural disasters killed more than 297 000 people worldwide, affected over 217.0 million others and caused US$ 123.9 billion of economic damages.

INTRODUCTION

The review comes at a time when the humanitarian community faces a number of daunting challenges. Disasters are increasing, as are the numbers of people affected by them. These are set out starkly in the Chair's foreword and in the report itself.

The UK is a major contributor in humanitarian crises, and is highly respected for its role. Some of the best known humanitarian organisations are UK based, and the British public gives generously in appeals. The UK government has been the second largest bilateral donor for humanitarian relief in recent years, after the US.

Devant les Etats membres, il a souligné

« Les catastrophes en Asie sont principalement dues aux inondations et dans une moindre mesure, aux tempêtes. Je pense qu'une conscience de l'importance de la gestion des inondations est en train d'apparaître, parce que les cultures, ainsi que les infrastructures,

* Earthquakes, floods cost $109 bln in 2010 vs $35 bln 2009

* Decaying infrastructure described as risk in urban areas

By Laura MacInnis

GENEVA, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Natural disasters caused $109 billion in economic damage last year, three times more than in 2009, with Chile and China bearing most of the cost, the United Nations said on Monday.

The 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Chile in February cost $30 billion. Landslides and floods last summer in

What we build: So much more than houses

Building and repairing homes has always been our identity. In fact, we are very grateful to all those who helped Habitat for Humanity serve almost 75,000 families worldwide last year-almost triple the number of five years ago. But the heart of Habitat is not bricks and sticks. It is the desire to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ by reaching out to help those in need of a better place to live. When we ask, "What will you build?" there are so many answers, because we build so much more than houses.

FRANCFORT - Dominées par le séisme en Haïti, les catastrophes naturelles ont été particulièrement dévastatrices en 2010, avec 295.000 morts et 130 milliards de dollars de dégâts, bien davantage que la moyenne des 30 dernières années.

L'année passée fut la plus meurtrière depuis 1983 et la sécheresse en Ethiopie qui fit 300.000 morts, selon le groupe allemand Munich Re, grand nom de la réassurance dont le rapport annuel publié lundi fait référence.

Au total, 950 catastrophes naturelles ont frappé la planète, un chiffre bien supérieur à la moyenne de ces trente