Governments, aid agencies and humanitarian actors must spend twice as much on disaster preparedness activities that could save millions of lives, the British Red Cross has urged.

Almost two years on from the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami, risk reduction remains low on the international agenda despite encouraging progress in tsunami-affected regions themselves.

"The tsunami highlights the importance of proactively preparing for disasters and this lesson must be learnt and risk reduction must become a high priority in all disaster-prone areas," said David Peppiatt, British Red Cross head of policy.According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, global spending on disaster preparedness is currently estimated at around four per cent of the  £500 million (US$10 billion) spent annually on humanitarian aid. But this must rise to at least ten per cent to protect the lives of people in vulnerable communities.

Around 52 pence (US$1) spent on prevention can save up to £5 (US$10) on recovery, says the Federation.

Now branches are just a radio call away, especially in times of disaster

Felly Ankida, Indonesian Red Cross volunteerRisk reduction involves minimising the effects of natural hazards such as landslides, earthquakes and hurricanes in communities prone to disaster.

It can mean first aid or educating school children in what to do if an earthquake strikes through to more complex work, including coastal protection, earthquake-safe construction and urban planning.

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) recently launched an Aceh-wide radio network to transmit a government early warning alert to vulnerable communities.

According to Red Cross volunteer Felly Ankida, this network is of vital importance in a country as disaster-prone as Indonesia. "This kind of early warning system is something that the Red Cross in Aceh never had before. Now branches are just a radio call away, especially in times of disaster."

1.7 million helped

The British Red Cross has been working throughout Indonesia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka to promote disaster preparedness, including working with the Sri Lankan Red Crescent to provide basic first aid to communities, building high quality, earthquake resistant houses in Indonesia, and promoting greater awareness of local hazards and how best to prepare.

By the end of 2007, the International Federation will have spent nearly £82.8million (US$160 million) out of its budget of around £290 million (US$560 million) (about 28 per cent) on emergency relief and disaster management across the region, with disaster preparedness at the core of Red Cross Red Crescent long-term recovery efforts.

Across the world, the British Red Cross has been putting disaster preparedness at the centre of many of its projects - including in Nepal which has led to improved flood response; in Bangladesh to help people better prepare for cyclones; and the Caymen Islands to reduce vulnerability in communities at risk from hurricanes.

The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, including the British Red Cross, has helped more than 1.7 million tsunami survivors take significant steps along the road to recovery. The British Red Cross is in the process of building more than 2,700 homes and has distributed cash grants to 20,000 people across Indonesia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

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