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

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Flash floods in Pakistan and India

Flash floods in Pakistan and India

Heavy rainfall has caused flash floods and landslides in northern India and Pakistan. Pakistan reports at least 344 deaths, with the number likely to rise. Around 200 people are still missing [1], while the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the north-west is...

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DLR reveals high heat stress in German cities

DLR reveals high heat stress in German cities

The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) has systematically evaluated the surface temperatures of over 70 major German cities for the first time. The results show clear heat islands, especially in highly sealed, densely built-up urban areas, with temperature differences of...

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Heatwave and wildfires in Spain

Heatwave and wildfires in Spain

The heatwave that hit Spain on 3 August is still going strong. Heat warnings are in place across almost the whole country. In many places, temperatures reached 40°C to 42°C, with Tuesday marking the hottest day so far at 45°C. Even at night, minimum temperatures of...

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CEDIM legt DFA Task Force Report zur Hitzewelle im Juni vor: Der vorliegende Bericht untersucht die meteorologischen Ursachen der Hitzewelle und beleuchtet ihre Auswirkungen auf verschiedene natürliche und sozioökonomische Bereiche. Mehr: www.cedim.kit.edu/download/CED...
08.07 2026 - 12:59
DKKV Vorsitzender Leon Eckert MdB (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) zu Besuch im Zukunftslabor Sicherheit: Im Mittelpunkt stand die Frage wie vorausschauender Bevölkerungsschutz auf die unterschiedlichen Bedürfnisse einer vielfältigen Gesellschaft eingehen kann Mehr: dkkv.org/dkkv-vorsitz...
08.07 2026 - 10:16
Vulkan Ätna auf Sizilien ausgebrochen Mehr: dkkv.org/vulkan-aetna...
08.07 2026 - 10:02
Fokusgruppengespräch mit Seniorinnen in Buxtehude: Erfahrungen, Austausch und neue Perspektiven für die Katastrophenvorsorge Erasmus+ Projekt Resilient Voices Mehr: dkkv.org/fokusgruppen...
08.07 2026 - 09:31
Schwere Unwetter in China: Tote nach Fluten und Erdrutschen Heftige Regenfälle haben in mehreren Regionen Chinas verheerende Überschwemmungen und Erdrutsche ausgelöst. Mehr: dkkv.org/schwere-unwe...
07.07 2026 - 07:24

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.