October 16, 2026: Housing accounts for 43% of the direct economic losses from disasters reported by countries, highlighting the urgent need to invest in safer buildings and household preparedness, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) said on Tuesday.
Marking the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, observed on October 13 under the theme “Resilience Starts at Home,” the UN agency called on governments, businesses and communities to make housing resilience a priority. It emphasised the importance of building homes in safer locations, enforcing resilient construction standards and helping families prepare for disasters.
Data reported by countries through the Sendai Framework Monitor show that around half of the people reported as affected by disasters experienced damage to or destruction of their homes. Beyond financial losses, damage to housing can force families to leave their homes, disrupt livelihoods and affect their physical and psychological well-being.
Global risk modelling by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) further highlights the scale of the problem. Its Global Infrastructure Risk Model and Resilience Index estimates that residential buildings face average annual losses of approximately $228 billion from cyclones, floods, tsunamis and earthquakes under current climate conditions. This represents 53% of the estimated annual losses across the world’s building stock from these four hazards.
Eleven years after the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, progress in reducing disaster related deaths has not been matched by comparable improvements in reducing the number of people affected or the economic costs of disasters.
“Until housing becomes safer and more resilient, we will not be able to significantly reduce the number of people affected by disasters and their cost,” said Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction and head of UNDRR.
Resilience must be built into homes
UNDRR said the global shortage of adequate and affordable housing presents an opportunity to prevent new disaster risks by incorporating resilience into housing development from the outset.
The agency urged governments to integrate disaster risk considerations into housing policies, urban planning and investment decisions. Key measures include selecting locations based on risk assessments, adopting and enforcing resilient building standards, and upgrading existing homes and infrastructure.
Buildings must be designed to withstand the hazards they are likely to face, including earthquakes, floods, cyclone winds and extreme heat. Planning must also account for future climate conditions rather than relying solely on historical risk patterns.
UNDRR stressed that recovery after disasters should prioritise housing because safe homes are essential to wider social and economic recovery. Damaged or destroyed homes should be rebuilt to higher standards to avoid repeating existing vulnerabilities, while affected households should be involved in decisions about reconstruction.
Household Preparedness remains critical
The agency also highlighted the importance of ensuring that families understand the risks they face and can take protective action when warnings are issued.
Findings from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll 2026 show a strong association between household preparedness, confidence and the ability to act on early warnings.
Among people who had experienced a disaster and received an advance warning, only 27% of those who had neither a household disaster plan nor confidence in their ability to protect themselves or their families were able to act. The proportion rose to 83% among those who had both a plan and confidence in their ability to respond.
The findings also reveal differences between income groups in their ability to act on warnings. UNDRR said governments must ensure that households have access to reliable risk information, early warning systems and the financial and practical resources needed to protect themselves.
Call for collective action
The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction aims to encourage cooperation among governments, communities, businesses and households to make homes safer and strengthen preparedness.
UNDRR said reducing disaster impacts requires action on two fronts: constructing homes that can withstand hazards and empowering households with the knowledge, plans and resources to respond when emergencies occur.
The agency emphasised that resilient housing is not only a matter of stronger construction. It also depends on risk informed planning, effective enforcement of building standards, inclusive recovery policies and support that enables families to prepare for and recover from disasters.