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2:50:57 AM 10 countries worst hit by climate change | |
Bangladesh has been the most affected country by extreme weather conditions between 1990 and 2008. And globally, in the last 18 years, extreme weather conditions have killed 600,000 people and cost a loss of $1.7 trillion, according to Germanwatch's Global Climate Risk Index 2010.
India is ranked 7th worst-hit country in the Climate Risk Index. None of the developed countries figure in the ten most affected countries' list. Among the first 20, there are only four developed countries: Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United States. Poorer developing countries are often hit much harder. These results underscore the vulnerability of poor countries to climatic risks, despite the fact that the absolute monetary damages are much higher in richer countries. Myanmar, Yemen and Vietnam were most severely affected in the year 2008. The Climate Risk Index ranks nations that have been worst affected by climate change and are most vulnerable to global warming on the basis of a CRI score. The lower the score on the index, the higher the risk to that country. Here is a lit of top 10 countries worst hit by climate risks from 1990 to 2008. 1. Bangladesh
In all, 654 events were registered worldwide in 2008, which caused around 93,700 deaths and economic losses of more than $123 billion. Only around a third had been insured, primarily in developed countries. The fact that no further peak catastrophe has happened in Bangladesh, like in 1991 when 140,000 people died, is partial proof that it is possible to better prepare for climate risks and prevent larger-scale disasters. Climate Risk Index (CRI) score: 8.0 Annual death toll due to extreme climate: 8,241 Total losses: $2,198 million (purchasing power parity) Losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 1.81% Results (annual averages) in specific indicators: Number of deaths, sum of losses in US$ in purchasing power parity (PPP) and losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 2. Myanmar
In Myanmar, more than 95 per cent of the damages and fatalities occurred in 2008 because of cyclone Nargis. Cyclone Nargis killed as many as 100,000 people. One million people were rendered homeless. Many towns and villages were been washed away. Climate Risk Index (CRI) score: 8.25 Annual death toll due to extreme climate: 4,522 Total losses: $707 million Losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 2.55% Image: Children who lost their homes in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis. 3. Honduras
Honduras has been hit by severe tropical storms and hurricanes over the years. Hurricane Mitch, which hit the country in 1998 changed the landscape of Honduras. In 2008, abut 200,000 people were affected by severe flooding caused by heavy rains, and 20,000 people have been forced to flee their homes. Climate Risk Index (CRI) score: 12.00 Annual death toll due to extreme climate: 340 Total losses: $660 million Losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 3.37% Image: 18-month-old Honduran Yamileth Funez suffers from malnutrition. Photographs: Daniel LeClair/Reuters 4. Vietnam
Over the last decade, the frequency and severity of droughts and floods have intensified, increasing their impact on living conditions. Many people have been affected by cyclones and hailstorms. Climate Risk Index (CRI) score: 18.83 Annual death toll due to extreme climate: 466 Total losses: $1,525 million Losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 1.31% Image: A woman wades through flood waters caused by Typhoon Ketsana in Vietnam. Photographs: Reuters 5. Nicaragua
Nicaragua has been often hit by earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and volcano eruptions. Climate Risk Index (CRI) score: 21 Annual death toll due to extreme climate: 164 Total losses: $211million Losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 2.03% Image: Linda Castellon, 30, waits with her daughters to be evacuated after heavy rains in Managua. Photographs: Oswaldo Rivas/Reuters 6. Haiti
Four storms -- Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike -- devastated this poverty-struck nation. About 800,000 people were affected in 2008. Haiti's poverty, weak infrastructure, vulnerable environment and fiscal problems worsen the impact of a natural disaster. Climate Risk Index (CRI) score: 22.83 Annual death toll due to extreme climate: 335 Total losses: $95 million Losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 1.08% Image: Haitians make their way in a flooded road on the border between Haiti and Dominican Republic.
7. India
Natural disasters have caused extensive damage to India over the years. Droughts, flash floods, cyclones, avalanches, landslides brought on by torrential rains, and snowstorms pose the greatest threats. Floods are the most common natural disaster in India.China, India, Bangladesh and the Philippines belong to those countries that are most often hit by extremes which, of course, is partially due to their large size and/or specific exposure to extreme weather events, the study states. Climate Risk Index (CRI) score: 25.83 Annual death toll due to extreme climate: 3,255 Total losses: $6,132 million Losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 0.38% Image: A drought-hit farmer sits in his paddy field on the outskirts of Ambala, Haryana. Photographs: Dipak Kumar/Reuters 8. Dominican Republic
The hurricane season in the Caribbeans frequently coincides with heavy rains, which leads to flash floods and landslides. Earthquakes are a potential threat and tremors are felt occasionally. Climate Risk Index (CRI) score: 27.58 Annual death toll due to extreme climate: 222 Total losses: $191 million Losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 0.45 Image: Residents in the province of Santiago de los Caballeros in Dominican Republic after a storm. Photographs: Reuters 9. The Philippines
A disaster-prone country, the Philippines is recurrently hit by natural disasters: typhoons, earthquakes. The Philippines faces on average 20 typhoons each year. Climate Risk Index (CRI) score: 27.67 Annual death toll due to extreme climate: 799 Total losses: $544 million Losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 0.30% Image: Residents of Minalin town north of Manila waiting as a rescue helicopter delivers relief goods. Photographs: Romeo Ranoco/Reuters 10. China
China is one of the countries most affected by natural disasters. It had 6 of the world's top 10 deadliest natural disasters, which include floods, droughts, ecological disasters, forest and grassland fires. China had been hit badly hit by Typhoon Hagupit in 2008. About 70,000 people were killed and 18,000 people were reported missing after a 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck Sichuan, China in 2008. Climate Risk Index (CRI) score: 28.58 Annual death toll due to extreme climate: 2,023 Total losses: $25,961 million Losses per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 0.78% Image: A Chinese farmer waters dry fields on the outskirts of Guangzhou in China. Photographs: Reuters | |
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