The United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts “near-normal hurricane activity” in the Atlantic this coming storm season, said the UN weather agency on Friday, forecasting between five and nine major storms that could become hurricanes.
Hurricane Ian caused devastation across western Cuba and increased its strength and size as it made landfall mid-afternoon local time on Wednesday, in the United States; meanwhile Typhoon Noru underwent an “explosive” intensification before it hit the Philippines, the UN Meteorological agency, WMO, has said.
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With Small Island Developing States (SIDS) bearing the brunt of economic losses from climate change, making them more resilient to extreme weather events must be a priority, said Inga Rhonda King, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), speaking at UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday.
In September 2017 two category five hurricanes swept across the Caribbean, devastating island communities in the region. In the 2nd part of this special report marking the one year anniversary of hurricanes Irma and Maria hitting the Caribbean, UN News looks at how the UN has responded, helping communities to get back on their feet, and preparing them for the inevitability of more damaging hurricanes in the future.
“It was angry. That's what it sounded like to me. When the roof came off, there were these horrible screeches, this horrible noise. It was devastating, and we all had to run”.
When it comes to preserving crops and agricultural livelihoods, “silent disasters” often go un-reported and can be more numerous and more destructive than hurricanes or floods.
That’s the view of Anna Ricoy, a South American-based officer specializing in disaster risk, with the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Political support for preventing disasters needs a “higher level of attention” during 2017, according to the head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) in the Americas.
A change in government often means countries stop prioritizing prevention policies, Ricardo Mena warned.
The Americas region is highly susceptible to natural disasters. Earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic activity, flooding and drought have all taken their toll on human life in recent years.
Efforts are underway by the UN to drastically reduce the number of people who are affected by natural and man-made disasters from the 100 million who suffered last year.
Those people include more than 50 million who faced drought.
Flooding, earthquakes and hurricanes brought devastating consequences to millions of others.
Experts are meeting in Paraguay this week to discuss how to reduce the risks of disasters in the Americas.
Daniel Dickinson reports.
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