Red Cross dismisses idea of 'natural disaster'

There is no such thing as a "natural disaster" the Irish Red Crosssaid today after launching this year’s World Disasters report.

The report, co-authored by Irishman Séan Deely, suggests thedeath toll from floods, earthquakes, storms and mudslides is farhigher in developing countries and that many aid efforts are poorlydesigned.

There is a failure to understand the economic and social realitiesfacing disaster victims and they are not protected from futuredisasters, the organisation claims.

"Too often efforts at reconstruction after a major disaster don’tlead to recovery. Instead they end up rebuilding the risk of dangerin future disasters by ignoring economic realities," the report adds.

The example of Venezuela’s mudslides in 1999 is given becausesurvivors were moved to remote, safe areas. However they were unableto make a living and many have been forced to return to the site oftheir former homes and are again at risk.

The Red Cross report suggests more community-based aid programmes are needed because donors and governments currently direct most of their aid efforts towards rebuilding infrastructure.

Another concern of the report is the "leakage" of aid money. InBangladesh, 60 per cent of the funds spent on the Flood Action Planbetween 1990-1995 was paid to foreign consultants.

The World Disasters report includes chapters on Venezuela, Somalia,Vietnam and Tajikistan.