UN pushes for worldwide disaster alerts as extreme weather spirals'

"Climate-related hazards have killed more than 2 million people in 50 years, said the UN's meteorological agency, 90 percent of them in developing countries. Nearly half of all countries lack early-warning systems for extreme weather events, leaving millions especially those in developing nations vulnerable. As it released a new report on Monday, the UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) called for gaps in global monitoring and forecasting networks to be plugged."

"Timely alerts are crucial to saving lives as extreme weather events multiply due to climate change, it warned. Many millions of people lack protection against dangerous weather, which is inflicting an increasing toll on economic assets and vital infrastructure, said a statement by the WMO, noting that disaster-related deaths are six times higher in countries without early-warning systems. The organisation said weather, water and climate-related hazards have killed more than 2 million people in the past 50 years."

Climate-related hazards have killed more than 2 million people over the past 50 years, with 90 percent of fatalities occurring in developing countries. Nearly half of countries lack early-warning systems for extreme weather, leaving millions vulnerable, especially in developing and conflict-affected contexts. Disaster-related deaths are six times higher where early-warning systems are absent. Use of multi-hazard early warning systems rose from 52 to at least 108 countries, yet many possess only basic or less capacity. Gaps in monitoring and forecasting networks threaten economic assets, infrastructure, and lives without timely alerts.

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