community-based disaster risk management and the media media kit

introduction
introduction
Every now and then disasters cause huge loss of life and property and
they damage the environment in the countries of South East Asia, e.g.
Cambodia, Timor Léste, Indonesia, Lao PDR and Vietnam. Disasters
affect negatively the sustainable development in the affected societies
and countries. Disasters are caused by hazards which impact upon
vulnerable people, infrastructure, assets and environment. Some of the
common hazards experienced in the region include typhoons, fl oods,
drought, forest fi res, landslide, earthquakes and tsunami. We can avoid
and reduce losses from disasters, by either mitigating the hazards or
reducing the vulnerabilities of the people living in hazard prone areas.
The process of disaster risk reduction involves identifi cation of hazards/
vulnerabilities, analyzing their potential impact, identifying priorities for
risk reduction and identifi cation and implementation of solutions.
In order to reduce risks to disasters everybody needs to get involved.
This includes government departments, scientifi c organizations,
research institutions, NGOs, United Nations agencies, donor agencies,
the media, and the private sector. The role of at-risk communities and
groups is most important in reducing the risks of disasters. All of the
above stakeholders have different perceptions about the nature of risks,
priorities for risk reduction and the appropriate solutions. Therefore,
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