The rapid growth of cities in the Americas has increased the risk people face from natural and man-made disasters; that’s according to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).

Experts from the region are gathering on Wednesday at a ministerial-level meeting in the Paraguayan capital, Asuncion, to discuss how to mitigate that risk.

They’re also looking at how best to promote the Sendai Framework, an internationally agreed strategy to reduce the number of people who die in disasters and to curtail environmental damage and economic losses.

Daniel Dickinson is in Asuncion and has been speaking to Ricardo Mena, the head of UNISDR’s Americas office.

He began by asking Mr Mena why the risk of disasters is growing in the region.

Duration: 4’44”