Held every October 13, this year’s edition of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction calls for substantially reducing disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services.
Given the high death tolls, notably in earthquakes and tsunamis, it is especially important that great care is taken to ensure that schools and hospitals are built to last by ensuring that location and hazard-appropriate planning regulations and building codes are enforced.
Other areas of critical infrastructure include potentially life-saving utilities and services such as food and water supply, energy, telecommunications and transport.
PHOTO:UN Photo/OCHA/Mark Garten
