International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2025

Observed on October 13, the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction promotes a culture of risk awareness and preparedness. In 2025, the focus is clear: fund resilience now to avoid avoidable losses later, and make budgets risk-informed across sectors

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is about lowering exposure and vulnerability, and strengthening capacity, so hazards do not become disasters. It prioritises prevention and preparedness alongside response and recovery, turning knowledge and planning into fewer deaths, less damage, and faster recovery.

Direct disaster losses are often reported near US$200 billion a year, yet the Global Assessment Report 2025 estimates the real cost is close to US$2.3 trillion annually. Investing in resilience protects lives and budgets by reducing these escalating hidden losses

A warming climate is intensifying floods, storms, heatwaves, and wildfire seasons. DRR connects with climate action so development plans, infrastructure, and social protection account for shifting hazards and compound risks over the coming decades.

The Sendai Framework guides DRR to 2030 with four priorities: understand risk, strengthen governance, invest in resilience, and enhance preparedness for effective response. It also sets global targets to reduce losses and expand early warnings and national strategies.

Early warning systems save lives when they link risk knowledge, monitoring, communication, and local response. Countries that invest in end-to-end systems evacuate earlier, coordinate better, and recover faster, especially when warnings reach last-mile communities

During Cyclone Fani (2019), Odisha combined accurate forecasts, mass alerts, shelters, and coordinated evacuation of about 1.2 million people. Mortality stayed low relative to storm severity, showing how preparedness and community engagement translate funding into outcomes.

Back risk-informed budgets in schools, campuses, and cities. Support drills, first-aid and CERT training, hazard-aware building codes, and accessible alerts. DRR is everyone’s job: funding resilience today prevents tomorrow’s losses and protects the most vulnerable.