The global economic losses from natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, droughts and cyclones and have continued rising to reach an average of $250 billion to $300 billion annually, according to a U.N. report released Wednesday. The report, produced by the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, estimates that an investment of $6 billion annually in measures to reduce the risk of disasters would save the world from losses of $360 billion over the next 15 years. "The report is a wake-up call for countries to increase their commitment to invest in smart solutions to strengthen resilience to disasters," said Margareta Wahlstrom, the U.N. special representative on disaster risk reduction.
