Pacific Rim Countries to Test Their Tsunami Warning System
Countries bordering on the Pacific Ocean are testing their capacity to handle a major tsunami in an exercise from 15 to 17 February, held to identify possible shortcomings in the…
Asia
Floods in Asia
WMO Gears Up for Extreme Weather, Climate Change in Asia
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (WMO) – Climate change, environmental degradation, population growth and urbanization are putting pressure on water supplies in many parts of the Asian region, and exposure…
In Japan Tsunami City, People Power Turns Disaster Into Opportunity
Building a “new city” from the wreckage of Higashi-Matsushima has required careful planning and consensus among citizens on how to protect them from future threats. CHIANG RAI, Thailand, Feb 9…
Indonesia – Floods and Landslides Leave 12 Dead, Thousands Affected
Over the last few days the provinces of Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and Banten in Indonesia have been affected by heavy rain which has caused severe flooding and deadly landslides.…
Philippines – 178,000 Remain Displaced by Floods in Mindanao
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) is reporting that as many as 178,000 people in the Philippines remain displaced by flooding that first struck on 16 January,…
Malaysia – Thousands Still Displaced After Second Wave of Flooding in Weeks
The National Agency for Disaster Administration (NADMA) says that over 5,000 people are still displaced after flooding in Sabah and several states in Peninsular Malaysia since 23 January, 2017. Some…
Thailand – Floods in South Leave 96 Dead, 3 Provinces Still Affected
Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) says at least 96 [people have died in flooding that affected 12 southern provinces in the country from early January. Flooding still…
Indonesia – 7,000 Affected by Floods in Sulawesi and Belitung
A period of heavy rain in Indonesia between 26 and 29 January 2017 caused flooding in parts of North Sulawesi and Bangka-Belitung Province. Indonesia’s BNPD says that around 7,000 people…
Nepal’s Airports Prepare for Future Natural Disasters
Within 48 hours after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal in April 2015, the country’s main airport was flooded with humanitarian aid supplies and rescue and relief teams coming in from…
Philippines Making a Case as Disaster Management Hub
Long before climate change became a buzz word, the Asia-Pacific region had gained a reputation as a natural disaster hotspot. Over the past 45 years, the region accounted for 57…
Philippines – 4 Dead, Thousands Displaced as Floods Hit Misamis Oriental
Heavy rain caused by the tail-end of a cold front and low pressure area has caused deadly floods in Eastern Visayas and Northern Mindanao, Philippines. Over 13,000 people have been…
Thailand – More Rain to Come as Floods Leave 43 Dead, 1.6 Million Affected, 500,000 Homes Damaged
The number of victims of the flood disaster in southern Thailand continues to rise as the flood situation continues in 6 provinces. However, the Thai Meteorological Department are warning of…
Thailand – NASA Measures Extreme Rainfall in Southern Floods
Widespread flooding has recently caused the deaths of dozens of people in southern Thailand. Frequent and persistent downpours have resulted in record rainfall totals and NASA calculated rainfall over the…
Thailand – Flooding Continues in 12 Southern Provinces as Death Toll Rises
According to the latest report on the flood situation in the south of the country. Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) says that the number of fatalities has…
Hydropower in China Impacts the Flow of the Mekong River
A study led by researchers from Aalto University in Finland reveals that the hydropower projects in China have caused major river flow changes to the Mekong River since the year…
Thailand – Floods in South Leave 21 Dead, Over 1 Million Affected
Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) report that 21 people have now died in the floods affecting southern provinces of the country. At least 11 provinces are in…
