Indian Ocean islands cooperate to establish disaster loss databases

Five islands in the Indian Ocean – the Union of the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Zanzibar (Tanzania) – are working to establish and manage disaster loss databases. The losses databases should be able to predict and estimate losses from cyclones, floods and storm surges. The models to be used are the same as those employed in the UN’s 2013 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction.

The Project is supported by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the Indian Ocean Commission’s (IOC) ISLANDS Project. The First meeting was held at the IOC’s headquarters in Mauritius. The 2005-15 Hyogo Framework for Action highlights the importance of accounting for past losses that can provide a basis for better risk assessments, more appropriate disaster planning and effective measures to reduce vulnerability and exposure. The 2005-15 Hyogo Framework for Action serves as a plattform for disaster-related information. It should provide the basis for better risk assessments, more appropriate disaster planning and effective measures to reduce vulnerability and exposure.