World shocks and disasters on the rise

Food shocks, or sudden loss of crops, livestock or fish due to extreme weather conditions and events such as war, increased from 1961 to 2013, said University of Tasmania researchers in a report released this week.

The report said measures were needed to avoid future disasters. It studied 226 shocks in 134 countries over the past 53 years and said 56-million people now in conflict zones need food and assistance.