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By Aayushi Sharma
Millions of people around the world experience disasters each year as a result of severe natural occurrences across the globe. However, the possibility that a natural event—be it an earthquake, storm, or flood—will become a disaster is not only dependent on the event’s force. The framework conditions of a society and the structures in place to provide assistance in the event of emergency are equally important. A society’s vulnerability to natural events increases with the fragility of its infrastructure network, leading to higher levels of extreme poverty, inequality, and reduced access to the public health system. Extreme weather events and the effects of climate change also exacerbate water-related problems as they push long-established water supply processes to their limits.
The risk of disasters following extreme weather events rises when economic interests lead to the destruction of the environment and its natural protective functions. A few instances among several others include inundated coastal settlements and beaches that have been washed away due to the removal of the mangroves that once provided a natural barrier.
Built on the World Risk Index Data, the 2023 report ranks 193 countries on their risk of experiencing disaster or vulnerability to extreme natural events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and drought. Here are the top 10 countries with highest disaster risk:
- Philippines
There is a growing number of hurricanes and typhoons wreaking havoc in the Philippines; yet, certain populations are more susceptible to the effects of climate change than others. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) of the Philippines, the combined effects of low pressure areas, the Northeast Monsoon, and Shear Line has impacted multiple regions in the Philippines. Within a span of 14 days in January 2023, a total of 1,023 incidents such as flooding, landslides and tornadoes/strong winds, were reported.
- Indonesia
The risk index for a tsunami occurring in Indonesia in mid-2023 was 9.7 out of a maximum of ten points. Indonesia is situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region frequently affected by landslides, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires, and droughts. With at least 1,500 natural catastrophes occurring every year, Indonesia is among the nations with the highest rates of natural disasters globally.
- India
According to a report by CSE, In the first nine months of this year, India has had almost daily natural disasters, ranging from intense heat and cold waves, cyclones, and lightning to severe rain, floods, and landslides. 2,923 people have died as a result of these disasters, which have also destroyed over 80,563 dwellings, damaged 1.84 million hectares of cropland, and killed almost 92,519 cattle. The amount of loss and damage estimated here is likely underestimated because neither the data for individual incidents nor the losses of crops or public property are compiled.
From 2,431 in 2022 to 2,594 in 2023, there is an increase in the number of fatalities linked to extreme weather occurrences.
(Read more about this here)
- Mexico
Between 2008 and 2022, Mexico witnessed over two million internal displacements due to weather-related natural disasters. Flooding events constituted over 60% of these displacements, with storms accounting for nearly 910,000. In September 2022, Hurricane Key alone led to around 2,600 internal displacements in Mexico.
- Colombia
In Latin America and the Caribbean, Colombia has one of the highest rates of natural and climate-related disasters; these events can range from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to frequent floods and landslides. In Colombia, disasters claim 2,800 lives annually and cause an average of 160 fatalities. They primarily affect the most vulnerable and impoverished citizens, and their significant financial consequences have a detrimental effect on the nation’s economic growth.
In 2022, Colombia experienced a total of 13 climate related disasters, mostly in the form of flooding, displaying a record high since 1990. Also it is evident in the region that the frequency of climate change-related disasters have been increasing.
- Myanmar
Myanmar is at risk to several natural disasters, including extreme temperatures, drought, cyclones, floods and storms, and heavy rainfall events.
The probability that a flood would happen in Myanmar in 2022 was 9.9 out of a possible ten points. In contrast, the likelihood that Myanmar will have a drought in 2022 was one out of ten points.
- Mozambique
With existing climate policies, Mozambique is projected to experience a 22% GDP loss by 2050 and a significant contraction of over 68% by 2100 due to climate change. However, under a scenario where temperatures are limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the economic impact on Mozambique would be less severe, with a 15% GDP reduction by 2050 and a 36% reduction by 2100, according to the source’s estimates.
- Russian Federation
Due to climate change, Russia is more susceptible to extreme weather events such heat waves, flash floods, coastal flooding, increased erosion, and an increase in the frequency and duration of droughts, extreme precipitation, floods, forest fires, and the degradation of permafrost in the northern region.
Without urgent climate action in Russia, heatwaves will last 1,026% longer, increasing the length of agricultural drought by 31%.
- Bangladesh
Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate risks is already being exacerbated by climate change. While Bangladesh’s average temperature has risen in line with the average worldwide temperature, the nation’s maximum temperatures are rising faster and are already causing record-breaking heat waves. This is a worrying trend that is expected to continue, which will be detrimental to both agricultural productivity and human health.
- China
With several record-breaking temperatures and extreme weather events throughout the year, 2023 was China’s warmest year on record, underscoring the country’s growing concerns about climate change and global warming.
In China, several major climate related risks due to anthropogenic emissions have been high in the past 20 years.
References:
https://th.boell.org/en/2022/01/21/climate-disasters-philippines
https://weltrisikobericht.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/WRR_2023_english_online161023.pdf
https://www.adrc.asia/view_disaster_en.php?NationCode=608&Lang=en&Key=2592
https://www.adrc.asia/view_disaster_en.php?NationCode=360&Lang=en&Key=2593
https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/myanmar/vulnerability
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1313527/gdp-loss-due-to-climate-change-in-mozambique/
https://www.g20climaterisks.org/russia/
https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lanpub/PIIS2468-2667(23)00245-1.pdf
https://www.freepik.com/free-ai-image/aerial-view-flooding-natural-devastation_83158427.htm
https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-wildfire-on-mountain-3552472/
