India ranks 77th on World Risk Index

India has been ranked 77th on the World Risk Index, topped by Island state of Vanuatu.

The World Risk Report 2016, published by the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) and Bundnis Entwicklung Hilft, analyses the role that infrastructure plays in shaping a country’s disaster risk.

The Index, calculated by the University of Stuttgart, ranks 171 countries according to their risk of becoming a victim of a disaster as a result of natural hazards such as floods, cyclones, or earthquakes.

The Island state of Vanuatu has been ranked no 1 on the index. Pakistan ranks 72th while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at 63rd and 5th position respectively. China and Nepal are in a better position than Indian on 85th and 108th position.

Inadequate infrastructure and weak logistic chains substantially increase the risk that an extreme natural event will become a disaster, the report said.

"When it comes to aid measures following extreme natural events, the challenges mostly lie in the ‘last mile’ of the logistics chain: organising transportation despite destroyed streets or bridges and ensuring fair distribution when there is a shortage of (for example) water, food, and shelter," explained Peter Mucke, Project Director of the World Risk Report and Managing Director of Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft.

"Crumbling transport routes, unreliable electricity grids, and dilapidated buildings not only hinder humanitarian aid from overseas, but also delay crucial aid for those affected in the event of a disaster."

"The international community must invest more in development and maintenance of critical infrastructure even before disasters occur," said Dr Matthias Garschagen, Scientific Director for the report and Lead Scientist at the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security(UNU-EHS).