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German Committee for Disaster Reduction e.V. (ger.: Deutsches Komitee Katastrophenvorsorge e.V.)

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hurricane Melissa in Jamaica

hurricane Melissa in Jamaica

In Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa reached wind speeds of almost 300 kilometers per hour. Melissa is a Category 5 hurricane, the highest category, which moved towards Jamaica. It was to be the strongest hurricane ever recorded over the Caribbean state. The UN Office for...

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Neues Traineeprogramm für #Raumfahrt! Das German Graduate Trainee Programme ermöglicht ab 2026 Masterabsolvent:innen den Einstieg bei der #ESA. Start: Herbst 2026. Mehr: dkkv.org/karrierestar...
15.04 2026 - 09:51
#Reminder: In zwei Wochen endet die Bewerbungsfrist für den #DKKV-Förderpreis 2026! Mehr: dkkv.org/nur-noch-zwe...
15.04 2026 - 09:20
#Bewerbungsstart für den Master „Katastrophenvorsorge und -management“ an der #Universität Bonn: 15.04.–15.07.2026. Berufsbegleitend mit Präsenzphasen an der BABZ. Mehr: dkkv.org/bewerbungsph...
15.04 2026 - 07:51
UBA: Neue Treibhausgasdaten zeigen – #Klimaschutz braucht dringend neuen Impuls. Fortschritte reichen nicht aus, vor allem in den Sektoren Verkehr und Gebäude. Mehr: dkkv.org/treibhausgas...
14.04 2026 - 07:54
#UNDRR veröffentlicht neues Framework für Katastrophenstatistiken: bessere Daten für bessere Vorsorge, #Resilienz & Risikomanagement weltweit. Mehr: dkkv.org/undrr-veroef...
14.04 2026 - 07:31

What is disaster risk reduction?

Storms, natural hazards and extreme events can quickly become a danger to people and the environment. But climate change, extreme urbanisation, power outages and fires also offer potential hazards.

A disaster occurs when the functioning of a community or society is impaired or interrupted and, as a result, high human, material, economic and ecological losses occur that cannot be managed alone.

Precautionary measures can help to reduce the consequences and impact of the disaster. Depending on the hazard and personal circumstances, the precautionary measures to be taken may vary.

Find out more about potential hazards and individual precautionary measures on our topic pages.