Chapter 1

ADRC-Natural Disasters Data Book-2003

Natural Disasters in 2003: An Analytical Overview

Chapter 1: Impact of Natural Disasters

This Chapter deals with the overall trend and impact of natural disasters in the year 2003.
It also addresses regional perspectives on disasters based on disaster types and discusses thevulnerability of natural disasters in the Asian region.

1.1 Trend of Natural Disaster Damage and Characteristics:
According to the following figures (Figures 1 & 2) and the summary table (Tables 1, 2 & 3),
there is a trend towards increasing occurrence of natural disasters for various reasons, such as global
climate changes, environmental and ecological imbalance, increasing population density, improper
urbanization, deforestation and desertification.

Due to the compounding effect of these factors,

human suffering, loss of life, and economic losses caused by natural disasters have also beenincreasing.

It is noteworthy to mention that the totally1 affected population in the year 2003 isalmost 4% of the world population and the worldwide total economic damages in the year exceeded
the GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) of certain developing countries in Asia and Africa, thus underlying
the importance of natural disaster mitigation strategies.

For instance, the total amount of damage inthe world caused by natural disasters in the year 2003 exceeds the annual GDP (2002 estimate) of
Mongolia by 8 times, Laos by 4 times, Tajikistan by 5 times, Armenia by 3.5 times, Kyrgyz by 2.5

1

According to CRED, Belgium, the totally affected population includes the number ofpeople injured, number of people became homeless and number of people affected byvarious other means due to disasters.

１Chapter 1

ADRC-Natural Disasters Data Book-2003

times, and Papua New Guinea by 4 times respectively.

In comparison to 2002 statistics, there is anincrease in number of people killed and the amount of economic damage.

This trend is quite

alarming and a great obstacle to any development activity of affected countries within the purview ofsustainabledevelopment.

Humansufferingandeconomic

lossesundeniably

createadevelopment-vacuum that will be hard to fill in the near future.

Table 1:

Summary of Natural Disasters (2003)

Asia(Share)
World

Number ofDisasters

Sum of Killed

Sum of Totally
AffectedSum of Damage
US$(000´s)

136(36%)
380

49,779(57%)
86,862

228,402,420(90%)
253,635,421

17,283,486(40%)
43,672,375

Source: ADRC, Japan and CRED-EMDAT, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, 2003

The following figures show the increasing trend in the occurrence of natural disasters and thenumber of totally affected people from 1975 to 2003.

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Chapter 1

ADRC-Natural Disasters Data Book-2003

Figure 1:N u m b e r o f D i sa ste rs (1 9 7 5 -2 0 0 3 )Number of Disasters

600
500
400
300
2001002003

2001

1999

1997199519931991

1989

1987

1985

1983

1981

1979

1977

1975

0Y ear

Source: ADRC, Japan and CRED-EMDAT, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, 2003

Figure 2:N um ber of Totally affected People (M illions)(1975-2003)
600
500
400
300
200
100
2003

2001

1999

1997

1995

1993

Y ear

1991

1989

1987

1985

1983

1981

1979

1977

01975

To ta lly A f f e cte d Pe o p le

700

Source: ADRC, Japan and CRED-EMDAT, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, 2003

The following tables show regional disaster characteristics in relation to various disaster types.

３Chapter 1

ADRC-Natural Disasters Data Book-2003

Table2:

Summary of Natural Disasters (2003)(Region/Disaster Type/Disaster Characteristics)
Data
Continent
AfricaDisTypeCount ofDisNo
11918,142,539

Earthquake

22,275

210,461

Epidemic

23

2,362

66,891

Extreme Temperature

1400

Flood

40

439

2,367,460

Slides120100Wind Storm

11152

217,252

89

5,297

21,004,703

536,570

5,536,570

2

Earthquake

6

26

13,825

Epidemic

2344

50,200Extreme Temperature

2360

1,839,888

Flood

41

519

873,424

Slides

5151

2,196

Volcano2

Wild Fires

6191,179

545,000

Wind Storm

20197

263,848

10,952,600

86

1,616

3,069,560

12,891,200

0200,000

1,193,600

25,000Drought

4

Earthquake

25

43,521

3,059,832

Epidemic

4

152,448

Extreme Temperature

6

2,073

0Flood55

3,052

163,549,522

8,502,148

Slides13516

455,71251,298Wild Fires

1Wind Storm

28602

10,265,606

6,012,406

136

49,779228,402,420

17,283,486

1,062,575

710,000
571,952

Asia Total
Europe5,000,000

Drought

Americas
Total
Asia

Sum ofDamageUS$('000s)

Sum of
TotAffDrought

Africa Total
Americas

Sum ofKilled51,069,000

300

Drought

4

Earthquake7109

16,134Extreme Temperature

929,93020

４2,717,634

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ADRC-Natural Disasters Data Book-2003

Continent

DisTypeCount ofDisNo

Sum ofTotAff

Sum ofDamageUS$('000s)

Flood

1733

36,406

4,325,218

Wild Fires

630

4,704

1,750,000

Wind Storm

622

107

2,949

4930,124

1,119,946

7,360,119Europe Total
Oceania

Sum ofKilledEpidemic

1437

Flood

57489

Slides213621

Wild Fires

142,650

300,000

Wind Storm

1122

34,595

166,000

Oceania Total

204638,792

601,000

Grand Total

380

86,862

253,635,421

43,672,375

135,000

Source: ADRC, Japan and CRED-EMDAT, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, 2003

Table 3:

Summary of Natural Disasters (2003)(Disaster Type/Region/Disaster Characteristics)
Data
DisTypeDrought

Continent

Count ofDisNo
11

Americas

20

Asia

4

51,069,000

Europe4

1,062,575

710,000

918,142,539

21

9

70,274,114

710,000

Africa22,275

210,461

5,000,000

Americas

626

13,825200,000

Asia

25

43,521

3,059,832

2,717,634Europe7

109

16,134571,95240

45,9313,300,252

8,489,586

Africa232,362

66,891

Americas2344

50,200Asia

4152,448Earthquake Total
Epidemic

Sum ofDamageUS$('000s)

Sum of
TotAffAfricaDrought Total
Earthquake

Sum ofKilled

５Chapter 1

ADRC-Natural Disasters Data Book-2003

DisTypeContinent

Count of
DisNoOceania

Sum ofKilled
1

Epidemic Total

Sum ofDamageUS$('000s)

Sum of
TotAff
437

30

2,721

119,976

Africa1400

Americas2360

1,839,888

Asia

62,0730Europe929,930

20

Extreme Temperature Total

1832,403

1,839,908

FloodAfrica

40439

2,367,460

536,570

Americas41519

873,424

1,193,600

Asia

55

3,052

163,549,522

8,502,148Europe

1733

36,406

4,325,218

Oceania

57489

135,000

158

4,050

166,827,301

14,692,536

Africa120

100

Americas

5151

2,196

Asia

13516

455,712

Oceania

213621

21700

458,629

Extreme Temperature

Flood Total
SlidesSlides Total
VolcanoAmericasVolcano Total
Wild Fires

225,000

225,000

6Asia

1Europe

630

4,704

1,750,000

Oceania

142,650

300,000

14

53

8,833

2,595,000

Africa11152

217,252

Americas20

197

263,848

10,952,600

Asia

28602

10,265,606

6,012,406

Europe

622

107

2,949

Oceania

1122

34,595

166,000

Wind Storm Total

76

995

10,781,408

17,133,955

Grand Total

380

86,862

253,635,421

43,672,375

Wind Storm

1,179

51,298AmericasWild Fires Total

1951,298

545,000

300

Source: ADRC, Japan and CRED-EMDAT, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, 2003

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