World Disasters Report 2009 - Focus on early warning, early action

• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent

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18 June 2009While natural hazards cannot be prevented, they only become disasters because affected communities are vulnerable and unprepared.

Early warning systems have been proved beyond doubt to save lives and reduce economic losses at all levels, but they are still not an integral part of disaster management and risk reduction globally. Nor is early action an effective and timely response to early warning, across different timescales. This report argues that early warning without early action is not enough.