- A Disaster Risk Reduction Story -
“Pounds of Prevention” is a series of short articles that illustrate how disaster risk reduction works and why it is important. Take a behind-the-scenes look at aid work in action, long before the disaster occurs. How is that possible? Read on!
FOCUS: BANGLADESH
Bangladesh is one of the world’s most hazard-prone countries, susceptible to earthquakes, droughts, flooding, tidal surges, and cyclones. To meet the challenges posed by these threats as well as the effects of climate change, USAID, the Government of Bangladesh, and their partners have invested in a comprehensive approach to disaster risk reduction. From hazard forecasts and early warning systems, to community preparedness and mobilization, to training of first responders and climate change adaptation and mitigation, the range of activities seeks to strengthen national and local capacities to lessen, prepare for, and respond to the effects of disasters.
For a country that experiences annual flooding, the importance of timely and easily understandable forecasts cannot be overestimated. USAID, in partnership with scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development, has funded flood monitoring, forecasting, and early warning systems to provide critical, location-specific information directly to rural communities in at-risk areas. Likewise, the development of short-, medium- and long-term flood forecasts have allowed farmers to make more informed decisions regarding planting and harvesting.
Click the image at right to read the full Pounds of Prevention article.
