MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th December, 2020) The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has responded to a record number of climate-related disasters across Asia Pacific in 2020 compared to any other year of the 21st century, the IFRC said on Wednesday.
"The IFRC has already responded to 25 climate-related disasters in the Asia Pacific, including floods, typhoons, extreme cold weather and a drought. The climate emergency tally is seven more than last year continuing an upward trend," the press release read.
According to the statement, in total the IFRC has responded to 29 major emergencies across the Asia Pacific in 2020 that is only one short of 2019 record number of overall responses.
The IFRC said, citing the World Disasters report that in 2019, over 94.2 million people were affected by climate related disasters in Asia and the Pacific, adding that the Asia Pacific is the most disaster-prone region in the world. The Americas or Africa regularly face twice less emergencies compared to the Asia-Pacific.
In South East Asia alone the IFRC responded to 15 emergencies in 2020, including floods and typhoons that have impacted the lives of more than 31 million people across the Philippines and Vietnam.
The group noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly complicated these response operations.
