By ASHTOSH SINGH
According to the Sub Regional Coordinator Pacific United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Timothy Wilcox; Fiji is one of the five Pacific Island countries that falls in the top 15 disaster risk countries in the world.
According to Wilcox the risk profile of Fiji indicated that an average of USD$79 million per year, was to be incurred through losses due to earthquakes and cyclones which in sense is about 206% of the country’s GDP.
“In the next 50 years Fiji has 50% chances of experiencing a loss exceeding USD$750 million and with casualties reaching greater than 1,200,” said Timothy Wilcox.
Meanwhile, a new integrated Disaster risk Management and Climate Change strategy for the Pacific will be in place by 2015 which will be the first in the world to be ready when disasters do strike.