Philippines was world's most disaster-hit country in 2011

MANILA, Philippines - The number of documented natural disasters in the Philippines surged 50 percent last year, making it the world's most disaster-hit country in 2011, according to the Citizens' Disaster Response Center (CDRC).

In a report, the non-government CDRC said natural disasters last year cost the Philippines P26 billion, displacing a record 15.3 million people - a huge jump from the 6.75 million people in 2010.

Carlos Padolina, CDRC deputy executive director, said the records of the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) showed that 33 of the 302 natural disasters worldwide occurred in the Philippines. 

If human-induced disasters, such as armed conflict and fire were included, the total number of disaster would climb to 431, or more than 50 percent the 202 disasters in 2010.

CDRC said 2011 was the first time in six years that disaster frequency surged, reversing a downtrend through 2005.

It said the 15.3 million people displaced by disasters last year exceeded the previous record of 14.5 million in 2006.

CDRC said tropical cyclones explained the jump in the number of displaced people. It cited typhoon Reming in 2006 and tropical storm Ondoy in 2009.

The Philippines' 1,400 casualties from disasters, particularly tropical storm Sendong, was second only to Japan's 1,924.

Famine in East Africa

With East Africa facing its worst drought in 60 years, affecting more than 11 million people, the United Nations has declared a famine in the region for the first time in a generation. Overcrowded refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia are receiving some 3,000 new refugees every day, as families flee from famine-stricken and war-torn areas. The meager food and water that used to support millions in the Horn of Africa is disappearing rapidly, and families strong enough to flee for survival must travel up to a hundred miles, often on foot, hoping to make it to a refugee center, seeking food and aid. Many do not survive the trip. Officials warn that 800,000 children could die of malnutrition across the East African nations of Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Kenya. Aid agencies are frustrated by many crippling situations: the slow response of Western governments, local governments and terrorist groups blocking access, terrorist and bandit attacks, and anti-terrorism laws that restrict who the aid groups can deal with -- not to mention the massive scale of the current crisis. Below are a few images from the past several weeks in East Africa. One immediate way to help is to text "FOOD" to UNICEF (864233) to donate $10, enough to feed a child for 10 days, more ways to help

Syrian children play in the street

Syrian children play in the street in the Bustan Al Qsar district in Aleppo, on September 12, 2012.

Medics carry Fatima Qassim

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Pinki Kundu,a 13 yrs old girl is suffering from a chronic disease

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After school fun at the river, in Laos.

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