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Impact and Causes of Disasters and Migration in Southeast Asia

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Last year 574 disasters were reported around the globe and 108 million people have been affected, according to the latest infographic by the Aid & International Development Forum. The vast majority (92%) of natural disasters are due to global warming. Out of 65.3 million displaced people around the world over 14% are being hosted in Asia and the Pacific.

One of the prevailing effects of climate change is water deprivation and drought, caused by the warming of the earth. According to UNICEF, over two million people in Vietnam seek humanitarian assistance due to El-Nino induced drought. Three quarters those in need are women and children. The Emergency Response Plan has prioritised health, WASH, food and nutrition for just more than one half of the total funding required.

In the Philippines El-Nino caused $19.2 million agricultural damage. In Cambodia, 18 out of 25 provinces face food insecurity with 2.5 million people affected.

The infographic explores the causes and impact of migration and disaster in Southeast Asia and was created in time for the 3rd annual Aid & Development Asia Summit. To download the infographic, click here.

Dr Ancha Srinivasan from Asian Development Bank states _“Southeast Asia is a highly exposed area and vulnerable to severe climate change”. _

Myanmar ranks 2nd out of 187 countries in the Global Climate Risk Index. An estimated $190 million funding is required to support over 525,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance across the country.

About 218,000 people are displaced with 70% being women and children. The two key reasons for the displacement are due to internal conflict between states or floods and landslides, both of which have a devastating impact on people’s lives. Displaced are in urgent need of water, food, medical attention and shelter. 90% do not have access to basic health services and three quarters are food insecure.

According to the UN OCHA report “Myanmar is one of the countries at highest risk of natural disasters in South-East Asia and there is an urgent need to strengthen disaster risk reduction activities and to enhance national capacity to prepare for and respond to future emergencies.”

Find out more about innovations, partnerships and policy updates for disaster and flood risk reduction at the upcoming Aid & Development Asia Summit (14-15 June, MICC2, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar). The agenda will include a panel discussion on building a culture of resilience and strengthening disaster preparedness and roundtables on emergency communication, early warning systems, GIS, data collection and mapping. To view detailed agenda, visit http://asia.aidforum.org/agenda

Join the summit and hear from leading speakers including Giuseppe de Vincentiis, Country Representative, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Dr Aung Kyaw Htut, Deputy Secretary General, Myanmar Red Cross Society and Kieran Gorman-Best, Head of Mission, Myanmar, International Organization for Migration (IOM). They join Atiq Kaiman Ahmed, Programme Director, Climate Change and Climate Risk Management (CCCRM), Asia Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), Peter Batchelor, Country Director, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Ernesto Castro-Garcia, Director, Regional Programs, Asia-Pacific Region Habitat for Humanity amongst others. To register your participation, click here http://asia.aidforum.org/register/