Dutch heatwave fourth deadliest disaster
The Netherlands has come fourth in the Top Ten deadliest natural disasters of last year. Around 1,000 people, mostly the very old and the sick, died during the heatwave which struck the Netherlands in July. The chart is compiled by the United Nations. Top of the list is Indonesia, where the Jogyakarta earthquake claimed nearly 6,000 lives. The Philippines is in second and third place with a typhoon and a landslide.
The UN organisation International Strategy for Disaster Reduction is calling on countries around the world to take better precautions against natural disasters. The ISDR says the recent storms in western and central Europe show that even countries with excellent alarm systems can still be in danger.
Source: Radio Netherlands, 30 January 2007
