The existing meteorological observation maintained by the Department of Meteorology consists of manually operated meteorological instruments. The communication system connecting these network sites to the National Meteorological Centre (NMC) in Colombo too is far from adequate and hence the availability of real time information at the NMC particularly during the bad weather periods is unsatisfactory resulting in difficulties with weather forecasting. Due to these reason, Department of Meteorology considers that improvement of its meteorological network is of vital national importance.

The study focuses on two drought-prone regions of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra and a flood prone region in Orissa.

NEW DELHI, May 25, 2009 - A new World Bank report says India can further its climate resilience through a combination of measures and right incentives aimed at multiple levels of government - local, state, and national.

The Report, Climate Change Impacts in Drought-and Flood-Affected Areas: Case Studies in India is the first of its kind in South Asia Region. The Report looks at options

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. The purpose and scope of this review is to provide an understanding of past and current policies and programme approaches for integrating gender into humanitarian interventions, including actions to prevent and respond to the incidence of sexual and gender based violence. As such, it aims to identify lessons learned and good practice from desk-based policy reviews, interviews with a range of actors, and field visits. An extensive review of selected policy approaches by UN, ICRC, some EU Member States and other donor governments was undertaken.

The fighting between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has intensified since the start of 2009 in the area controlled by the LTTE. LTTE fighters and an estimated 130,000 civilians are trapped in an area spanning less than 25 square kilometres. Within this area, the Sri Lankan government has designated a safety zone (ca. 10 square kilometres) for internally displaced persons; however, humanitarian aid workers do not have access to the zone.A hospital in Puthukkudiyiruppu supported by the International Committee of the Red

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY / UPDATE

Appeal Target: US$ 638,425

Geneva, 27 January 2009

Dear Colleagues,

The state of Tamil Nadu was hit by cyclonic storm "Nisha" in South India since the 26 November 2008. Under its influence, heavy rains lashed coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, taking the death toll above 177. More than 552,000 hectares of crops in the Cauvery delta districts were submerged. About 100 boats and more than 50,890 houses have been damaged.

Authorities have evacuated and put up 101,940 persons in 2,099 relief centres. These people have been evacuated

COLOMBO, 7 January 2009 (IRIN) - When Typhoon Nisha lashed northern Sri Lanka in the last week of November 2008 it caused extensive damage to the roofs of thousands of newly constructed homes, forcing the World Bank to reassess the type of roofing used in its multi-million dollar housing projects.

Jaffna, 400km north of Colombo, was hit hardest, according to the National Disaster Management Centre, with nine killed and over 290,000 affected by flooding. Some 34,000 houses were damaged.

The Bank has been involved in a US$150

Appeal Target: US$ 437, 957

Geneva, 23 December 2008

Dear Colleagues,

The state of Tamil Nadu was hit by cyclonic storm "Nisha" in South India since the 26 November 2008. Under its influence, heavy rains lashed coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, taking the death toll above 177. More than 552,000 hectares of crops in the Cauvery delta districts were submerged. About 100 boats and more than 50,890 houses have been damaged.

Authorities have evacuated and put up 101,940 persons in 2,099 relief centres. These people have been evacuated

"Data Against Natural Disasters" to help governments and aid agencies design new monitoring systems that ensure timely and efficient delivery of assistance to disaster victims

Jakarta, December 16, 2008 - The World Bank and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today jointly launched a book that contributes to the world's understanding of the conditions and actions necessary for establishing effective disaster management information systems. Data Against Natural Disasters highlights