Aid crisis: impact of media neglect on disaster zones

DISASTERS killed 100,000 people throughout the world last year and much of it came about through severe neglect.

The World Disaster report released by the International Red Cross today warns that tragedies which attracted huge media attention left a shadow over those who were caught up in catastrophes which failed to capture as many headlines.

The Indian Ocean tsunami dominated television screens as did Hurricane Katrina in the United States in 2005. But other disasters were neglected, such as the food crises in Niger and Malawi, warned Irish Red Cross chairman David Andrews yesterday.