October 16, 2026: Early warnings can help save lives during disasters, but receiving an alert does not guarantee that people can take protective action according to new findings from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll 2026 report “Alert to Agency,” highlighted by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
The findings show that four in five people who experienced a disaster in the previous five years reported receiving at least one warning beforehand. However, only 64% of those who received a warning said they were able to act on it, highlighting a significant gap between early warning and effective response.
The report underscores the theme of the 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, “Resilience Starts at Home,” which calls for stronger homes and better household preparedness, including access to information, resources and practical plans to respond to emergencies.
According to the report among every 100 people affected by a disaster approximately 51 received a warning and were able to act, 29 received a warning but could not take action and 20 did not receive a warning.
The number of communication channels used to deliver warnings also influenced whether people could respond. Among those who received warnings through a single channel, 37% were able to act. This rose to 51% among people reached through two channels and 64% among those reached through three channels.
Household preparedness and confidence in personal ability to respond were also associated with a greater likelihood of taking action. Among disaster affected people who received advance warnings, 83% of those with both a household disaster plan and confidence in their ability to protect themselves or their families were able to act.
By comparison, only 27% of those who had neither a preparedness plan nor a sense of personal agency could take action. The proportion was 50% among people with a household plan but no sense of agency, and 60% among those who felt capable of protecting themselves but had no household plan.
The 56 percentage point difference between the most and least prepared groups highlights the importance of combining effective warning systems with household planning and the confidence to respond.
The World Risk Poll assesses resilience at four levels: individual, household, community and society. Its findings, available through the Early Warnings for All Dashboard, indicate that global resilience remained unchanged from 2023, while Africa recorded the largest regional improvements, driven largely by stronger household resilience.
Between 2021 and 2025 household resilience increased by 13 points in Algeria, nine in Nigeria, eight in Kenya, seven in Egypt and six in Uganda.
The report measures household resilience using factors such as financial resources, the ability to meet basic needs, household disaster plans and access to communications, including the internet and mobile phones. Improved connectivity can help people access warnings, risk information, essential services and social support, although access alone does not guarantee preparedness.
Information about potential hazards and local exposure can help households make decisions about where to live, how to construct or reinforce their homes and what steps to take when warnings are issued.
However, the ability to respond also depends on economic circumstances. Only 48% of respondents in low income countries and 47% in lower middle income countries said they were able to take action following a warning. The proportion was significantly higher in upper middle income and high-income countries, at around 71% to 75%.
These differences indicate that preparedness cannot be treated solely as an individual responsibility. Financial constraints and practical barriers can prevent households from evacuating securing their homes or accessing emergency assistance even when warnings reach them in time.
UNDRR emphasised the role of governments in creating conditions that enable people to prepare and respond. This includes investing in reliable and inclusive early warning systems, making risk information accessible and actionable, supporting household disaster planning and addressing financial and practical obstacles to protective action.
As countries work towards the Early Warnings for All initiative the report stresses that success should not be measured only by whether warnings are issued or received. It should also be assessed by whether people can use those warnings to protect themselves and their families.
The findings reinforce the central message of the 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction: resilience begins at home but effective household action depends on the wider systems, services and support that make preparedness possible.