World Disasters Report 1998

THE WORLD DISASTERS Report is an annual publication which combines the latest information on disasters with chapters on particular themes. The 1998 edition focuses on "Meeting the challenge of urban disasters". Chapter 1 highlights the scale of the world’s urban population, the proportion who are at risk from disasters and the measures that can be taken to reduce this number. It includes a discussion on what makes people vulnerable to disasters and how this vulnerability can be reduced. Chapter 2 focuses on "Must millions more die from traffic accidents?", as such accidents have become one of the greatest causes of death worldwide. Chapters 3 and 4 are within a section on methodologies, and examine psychological support and shelter solutions. Chapters 5 and 6 discuss different aspects of disaster aid, whilst chapters 7 to 11 look at different disasters or disaster responses since 1997 – rebuilding Sarajevo; the impact of the embargo in Iraq; the refugee camps that have become "cities"; the floods in Europe; and response to disasters in Colombia. Section V includes an updated version of the report’s usual comprehensive and detailed database on disasters, and the final section gives details of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.