The year that shook the rich: a review of natural disasters in 2011

This review analyses some of the major events and trends related to natural disasters and humanitarian disaster response and looks at the experience of developed countries with natural disasters in 2011. Highlighting evidences from the Japanese earthquake-tsunami-nuclear accident, the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, floods in Australia, and tornadoes, hurricanes and drought in the United States, it reminds that natural hazards affect all regions of the world and even rich countries have much to learn about both disaster risk reduction and disaster response.

The review then looks at the intersection of drought, famine and conflict, with a particular focus on the Horn of Africa in 2011. And finally, it closes with a contribution about the impact of natural disasters on one particularly vulnerable – and resourceful – sector of society: the elderly.