Increasing Threat of Natural Disasters

Islands by their very nature are vulnerable to extreme weather events such as hurricanes, cyclones, floods, tsunamis and droughts. Many disasters result from natural causes however; human actions in some instances have worsened their effect.

For example, the deforestation of lowland forested areas typically decreases the amount protective vegetative that serves to guard against natural disasters such as typhoons. Furthermore, deforestation can result in an increase of surface runoff concentrations, resulting in flooding and landslides. Proper land planning practices and the use of forecasting techniques can better help to prevent the loss of life that disasters unleash.