The United Nations General Assembly has, by resolution, designated the second Wednesday of October of every year as the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction. Accordingly, since 1990, the global disaster management community commemorates this day. The promotion of disaster reduction and disaster preparedness are the main objectives of the Disaster Reduction Day.

Indonesian rescue workers remove a body from the Amberchang Hotel which collapsed in Wednesday's earthquake, in the Sumatran Island city of Padang, Indonesia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. [China Daily via Agencies]