OneWorld.net (U.S.)

WASHINGTON, Nov 2 (OneWorld) - As natural disasters ravish the Caribbean and Central Africa, the United Nations has announced the launch of a new office that will use space technology to reduce and prevent disasters around the world.

Tropical storm Noel descended upon the Dominican Republic and Haiti one week ago, killing dozens of people and leaving tens of thousands displaced.

President Leonel Fernández of the Dominican Republic and several local emergency relief groups have dispatched rescue, health, and other emergency teams to the afflicted areas. Despite these efforts, the situation in the country surpasses local response capacity, prompting the UN to offer support by, among other things, responding to major needs such as food, shelter materials, mattresses, sheets, mosquito nets, brooms, water and sanitation, personal hygiene supplies, medicine, security, and fuel for search and rescue in the field.

Meanwhile, in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo, the heaviest rains in 50 years were followed by flash floods that wreaked havoc in Kinshasa and Brazzaville, the respective capitals of these neighboring countries.

"Inadequate drainage systems and poor urban planning in Kinshasa are believed to have exacerbated the effects of the rains," which have affected hundreds of people, reports a UN humanitarian agency.

Coinciding with these devastating natural disasters, the UN has opened what will be the first of several United Nations Outer Space Affairs offices "tasked with utilizing space technologies to respond to all stages of disasters globally."

The new commission will employ various technologies to cover all stages of disaster, including the risk reduction phase, and will also grant universal access to these technologies to all interested nations and organizations.

According the UN, this initiative could greatly reduce the loss of lives and physical damage brought on by events such as those that just came to pass in the Caribbean and Central Africa.

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