In recent weeks, India’s second COVID-19 wave has been devastating, reaching world records for the total numbers of cases and deaths and overwhelming the healthcare system. On 8 May, India, for the first time, registered more than 4,000 deaths and over 400,000 new infections in just one day. The most striking aspect of the second wave is the astronomical speed with which it grew, with daily caseloads rising from about 12,000 in mid-March to 412,000 in the first week of May.
On 7 February 2021, the Nanda Devi glacier broke off in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, in the outer western Himalayas. At least 61 people were killed and around 143 are still missing. This disaster is not unique. In June 2013, the adjoining town of Kedarnath witnessed a cascade of devastating floods and landslides that killed more than 5,700 people and caused large-scale destruction of bridges and roads, which left about 300,000 pilgrims and tourists trapped in the valleys for many days.
In 2020, Asia-Pacific saw the collision of climate extremes and COVID-19 transmission create cascading disasters with wide-ranging impacts on sectors, economies, and populations.
The year presented a new landscape of cascading risks.
From risks to uncertainties: more complex scenarios
An introduction to ESCAP’s approach to impact-based forecasting, combining information on hazards, exposure and vulnerability to identify potential impacts and support decision-making.
This policy brief aims to enhance understanding of the key features of planning, developing, operating, and maintaining resilient and inclusive infrastructure. This brief highlights the gaps in current approaches to infrastructure development and suggests potential pathways to bridging these gaps.
This policy brief makes the following recommendations:
This manual was developed under the project “Operationalizing Impact-based Forecasting and Warning Services (IBFWS)”, to support the capacity of the Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration (VNMHA) to provide impact-based forecasting and early warning services. The objective is to introduce impact-based forecasting and the substantive steps for producing an impact-based forecast, with a focus on the local context of Viet Nam. This will be covered over 3 modules in the training manual.