World Disasters Report 2004:

In the hours and days after an earthquake or flood, most lives are saved by the courage and resourcefulness of friends and neighbors. During slow-onset crises such as drought, many indigenous societies have developed extraordinary capacities to cope and bounce back. How can humanitarian organizations, which seek to bring aid to disaster-struck communities, strengthen rather than undermine this local resilience? And can the capacity of communities to cope with crisis be directed toward trying to prevent or mitigate the impacts of disasters? These are the questions addressed in this volume of the World Disasters Report, an annual publication that compiles the latest trends, facts, and analysis relevant to contemporary crises—whether "natural" or human-made, quick-onset or chronic.