Environment / Natural Disasters

Megacities . . .

are prone to megarisk, says German reinsurance company Munich Re in a report presented recently at the United Nations’ World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe, Japan. The firm created a natural hazards risk index to evaluate the potential loss in 50 megacities from such catastrophes as earthquakes, storms, and volcanic eruptions. Not only do urban areas have more to lose from natural perils than rural communities, but in general they are more vulnerable to technological risks and environmental hazards as well. In China, for example, the death rate from lung cancer in cities is six times as high as the national average. Megacities also have far more to lose from disasters than do rural areas. The tiniest mishaps can be devastating.

Risks will only increase as big-city lights draw more people. In 1950 only about 30 percent of the world’s population lived in cities; today the figure is nearly 50 percent. By 2030, the United Nations expects this figure to rise above 60 percent.

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