Disaster Management

Disaster: it strikes anytime, anywhere. It takes many forms –a flood,    a hurricane, a fire, an earthquake, a tornado or a hazardous spill; an act of nature or an act of terrorism.

It builds up over days or weeks, or hits suddenly, without warning. Every year, millions of people face disaster and its terrifying consequences.

Developing countries are hit harder by disasters than countries with economic wealth. For the more wealthy countries it is of course much easier to invest in the prevention of potential risks.

Disasters need to be managed in order to control them or at least to mitigate the effects. A good disaster preparedenss plan should address issues relevant to all phases of the disaster cycle: preparedness, response, recovery, rebuilding, prevention, mitigation.

Stories of hope

Surviving the Tsunami: Stories of Hope, an AlertNet multimedia documentary created for the fifth anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami, has won a top prize in the prestigious Best of Photojournalism Awards 2010.

The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami killed 226,000 people - and touched billions more through iconic imagery. But from the tragedy came stories of hope, compassion and dignity. Five years after the tsunami, survivors whose lives were transformed reveal the strength of the human spirit. With personal accounts from Indonesia, India, Sweden and Sri Lanka, and lots of data on the enormous effect of this natural disaster.

To watch this multimedia click on the picture below.