The International Day for Disaster Reduction is observed on 13 October annually to raise awareness about disaster reduction.
Key Features
Theme of 2019 was “Reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services”.
The 2019 edition continues as part of the “Sendai Seven” campaign, centered on the seven targets of the Sendai Framework.
The observance in 2019 focussed on Target (d) of the Sendai Framework: “Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services, among them health and education facilities, including through developing their resilience by 2030.”
Given the high death tolls, notably in earthquakes and tsunamis, it is especially important that great care is taken to ensure that schools and hospitals are built to last by ensuring that location and hazard-appropriate planning regulations and building codes are enforced.
Other areas of critical infrastructure which help to achieve other Sendai Framework targets include potentially life-saving utilities and services such as food and water supply, energy, telecommunications and transport.
