Natural Disasters

Natural Disasters

Natural disasters destroyed $652 billion in property worldwide in the 1990s alone – an amount 15 times higher in real terms compared to the 1950s. Approximately 2.6 billion people were affected by natural disasters over the past ten years, compared to 1.6 billion the previous decade. Developing countries have borne the brunt of these catastrophes, accounting for over 95 percent of all casualties. IEG has undertaken a number of initiatives looking at the World Bank Group’s support for natual disaster relief. These evaluations aim to provide an opportunity for the institution to learn from the past experiences and to inform emerging strategies and programs.

RECENTLY RELEASED
Natural Disaster Response: Lessons from Evaluations of the World Bank and Others

This document aims to provide a concise collection of those good practices and challenges that have recently been identified by evaluative work on natural disaster response of the World Bank, the Independent Evaluation Group, and other major actors.The lessons identified can be used by World Bank staff engaged in work related to natural disasters, to gain insights into approaches that may promote or hinder effective assistance to partner countries. Click here to download the document.

Did you know that...: The costs are now 15 times higher than they were in the 1950s—$652 billion in material losses in the 1990s, according to the IMF.; Number of disasters has grown: fewer than 100 in 1975 to more than 400 in 2005.; Approximately 2.6 billion people were affected by natural disasters over the past ten years, compared to 1.6 billion the previous decade.

Relevant Studies
	Hazards of Nature, Risks to Development: An IEG Evaluation of World Bank Assistance for Natural Disasters

Topics

Multimedia

Podcast: Addressing Natural disasters and the Haiti response.

FEATURED

BLOG: Why Aren’t We Ready for Natural Disasters?

The frequency and intensity of natural disasters have been rising sharply in recent decades. The World Bank pledged $900 million for recovery programs and the UN is raising $460 million for relief efforts, but thousands of lives are still in danger. Clearly, more must be done for countries to be prepared and ready to respond to natural disasters.