The DKKV is…

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

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Predicting soil moisture for increased resilience

Predicting soil moisture for increased resilience

The moisture content of the soil is crucial for flood protection, as soil that is already moist can absorb little water and soil that has dried out needs time to absorb moisture. The German Weather Service (DWD) now offers soil moisture forecasts free of charge,...

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EU civil protection exercise in Germany

EU civil protection exercise in Germany

European civil protection is becoming increasingly important as the number of disasters increases and often exceeds the capacities of individual countries. Since 2010, large-scale exercises have been regularly planned and carried out throughout Europe in order to be...

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BBK Participation Campaign

BBK Participation Campaign

As part of the "With you for all of us" campaign launched by the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) in summer 2019, the BBK is looking for exciting stories from volunteers. The aim is to give the commitment of volunteers the attention...

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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 urbanization, 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.