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'Natural disasters quadrupled in last two decades'

Weather-related disasters have gone up four times over the last two decades, from an average 120 incidents a year in the early 1980s to as many as 500 today.

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NEW DELHI: Weather-related disasters have gone up four times over the last two decades, from an average 120 incidents a year in the early 1980s to as many as 500 today, according to a report.

Oxfam, an international agency, in its report "climate alarm: disasters increase as climate change bites" has noted that most of the present day disasters are small and medium sized ones and expressed concern over this new trend.

The number of people affected by disasters has risen from an average of 174 million a year between 1985 -1994 to 254 million a year between 1995-2004, the report said.
   
Earlier this year, the Asian floods alone affected 248 million people.
   
"This year we have seen floods in South Asia and in Mexico that have affected more than 250 million people. This is no freak year. It follows a pattern of more frequent, more erratic, more unpredictable and more extreme weather events that are affecting more people."

The death toll caused by these disasters has risen from an average of 6,000 in 1980 to 14,000 in 2005.

The study warns that disasters one after another, even if relatively small, can push poor people and communities into a downward spiral from which it is difficult to recover.

"To make matter worse, rich countries tend to prioritise their aid spending into the more high-profile emergencies and to those countries that are seen as in line with their foreign policy priorities," the report added.
   
Exploring the nature of the disasters world over, the report noted that some countries were particularly prone to weather-related disasters.
   
It cited the example of Vietnam which was hit by Typhoon in August and then again in October, causing extensive flooding and loss of life and property.

"Vietnam is also likely to be hardest hit of all by rising sea levels," the study said quoting the World Bank research.
   
Worst sufferers are poor people who are dependent upon the land and even a slight change in the climate can have a long-term impact on their livelihoods, it added.
   
Asking the rich countries like the United States to make humanitarian aid faster, fairer and more flexible, the NGO has sought improved ways to prepare for and reduce the risk of disasters.
   
"The countries meeting at Bali next month must agree a mandate to negotiate a global deal that will provide aid to developing countries to cope with the impacts of climate change and reduce the emission," the report added.

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