2013 Year of Natural Disasters; Asia, the Worst Affected Region!
By: Sabita Gyawali
1st Feb 2014
2013 was the most devastating year for the world as it experienced numbers of natural disasters taking numbers of human lives and billions of cost in infrastructure. From Europe to China, India to Nepal, Japan to Brazil, a major chunk of the world went through hard time caused due to natural calamities. There are estimations that in 2013 globally 20,000 lives were killed due to natural disasters and Asia region was one of the worst affected regions. In this context, one of the latest calamities, Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Yolanda, hit the Philippines on November 8 leaving thousands of dead, injured and displaced. Among many reasons for these calamities to take place, no doubt, one of the major causes is climatic changes.
Year 2013 can also be called an active year for serious catastrophe. In this regard Asia region was hardest hit by the disaster in the year 2013. It experienced eight most serious calamities including Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines, Mud Slide in Uttarakhand of India, Earthquake in Pakistan, China and Japan as well as flood in Nepal and China. Where, the Philippines, Vietnam, India and China suffered the maximum numbers of losses.
Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines killed more than 6190 people and is still expected to rise even after 2 months of catastrophe, more than 4 million people are displaced, 28,626 are injured, and 1,785 are still missing
1. Earlier also, last year in Southern Philippines heavy seasonal rainfall has brought flooding, two people have been reported as killed and nearly 100,000 affected
2. Similarly, in India heavy seasonal rain has resulted in severe flooding in several areas like Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The worst affected area is Uttarakhand where mudslide killed large number of people. According to figures provided by the Uttarakhand government, more than 5,700 people were "presumed dead”. This total included 934 local residents
3.
Likewise, some regions of Western Nepal and some part of Western Tibet also experienced heavy rainfall. Landslide and flood followed by heavy rainfall killed at least 50 people across Nepal and displaced 12000 people. Nearly 12,000 people have been displaced and some 900 houses have been completely destroyed by the disaster
4. Similarly in flood of Southern China at least 58 people were killed, with 175 people missing. An estimated 6 million lives were disrupted by the floods
5 . In Sri Lanka too heavy rainfall has killed 58 people - mostly fishermen, and affected nearly 2,700 across many parts of the country. Central Province was the worst affected
6 .
Earthquake on 24 September in Pakistan with magnitude of 7.7 took lives of at least 825 and hundreds more were injured. Similarly, the earthquake with magnitude of 6.6 hit Leshan, Sichuan China on April 20 and resulted death of 196 people, 24 missing, at least 11,826 injured with more than 968 seriously injured. Similarly, earthquake in Indonesia killed at least 35 people and injured 276 others. Approximately 4,300 homes were damaged or destroyed.
Researcher and scientists have already claimed that Asia and South East Asia region is the most vulnerable to natural disaster and calamities. It is prone to calamities due to its landscape and lack of government policies in mitigating climate change. This also indicates a serious governance crisis in dealing with natural disasters. Governments need to realize that once natural disaster hits, it not only takes people’s lives, but also have longer-term effects and ruins infrastructure, health systems, food security mechanisms and affects to overall development aspirations.
2013 was one of the most expensive years for the globe regarding economic loss caused due to natural disaster since 2010. Natural disasters cost a total of $192 billion in 2013, according to research from Impact Forecasting, a division of reinsurance company Aon Benfield. About 35% of all global economic losses last year were the result of flooding- the highest rate since 2010. The most expensive event all year was a series of floods in Central Europe, which cost a total $22 billion in economic losses. An earthquake in Lushan China cost $14 billion. Super Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines cost $ 13 billion. Droughts in China cost $10 billion. A series of droughts in Brazil Cost $8 billion. Flooding in Alberta Canada cost $5.2 billion. August- September Floods in Northern China cost $5 billion. Another flood in Southwest China cost $4.5 billion. Hurricane Manuel in Mexico cost $4.2 billion
7. Besides these economic calculations, social costs of natural disasters are even deeper which are yet to be well analyzed and discussed. According to German insurance company Munich Re, “there were about 880 natural disasters across the world in 2013, which cost about $125 billion and ended the lives of some 20,000 people. The insured cost was smaller, at $31 billion”. It clearly shows that world will spend most of its money in restructuring the settlement of people rather than investing in new development of infrastructure; which will impact to overall global development aspects. World Bank Development Committee states, “Natural disasters can be a serious impediment to poverty reduction and affect poor and vulnerable people the most, and their impact is on the rise”.
The increasing numbers of natural disasters, death of human lives, and loss of infrastructure have been demanding more resources to address the consequences after the crisis. If this is going to be a continued trend, it will have adverse impact to global economy and global development process as the productive resources will be invested to address the crisis and rehabilitation. On the other, social cost of natural disasters are yet to be discussed and analyzed. It is thus important for governments, donors and civil society to reflect on these facts and to take collective action towards developing back up plan, allocating resources and implement strategies to address causes and consequences of natural disasters.
1UN report tracking response and relief efforts in the typhoon zone
2ARMM was the worst affected region. Source: AHA Center
3 Source: Sphere India….
4 Source Space Daily, NDTV
5 Source :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Southwest_China_floods
6 Source: Media, DMC of Sri Lanka
7Source: International Business times
