"Natural Disasters Displaced More People Than War in 2013, Study Finds"

"Norwegian Refugee Council finds ‘mega disasters’ such as typhoons and hurricanes drove 22 million people from homes"

"Natural disasters displaced three times as many people as war last year – even as 2013 was a horrific year for conflict – with 22 million people driven out of their homes by floods, hurricanes and other hazards, a new study has found.

Twice as many people now lose their homes to disaster as in the 1970s, and more people move into harm’s way each year, the study by the Norwegian Refugee Council found.

“Basically, the combination of mega natural disasters and hundreds of smaller natural disasters massively displaces people in many more countries than the countries that have war and conflict,” said Jan Egeland, the secretary of the Norwegian refugee council.

He said he hoped the findings would prod leaders meeting at a United Nations climate summit next week to work to protect populations from more disaster-prone future under climate change."

Suzanne Goldenberg reports for the Guardian September 17, 2014.

SEE ALSO:

"Rising Sea Levels a 'Sleeping Giant' That Could Cost $226Bn, Report Says" (Guardian)

"Floods, Storms And Quakes Uproot 22 Million in 2013, Numbers To Rise" (Reuters)