Welcome to our first issue of Asian Disaster Management News this year. With the Indian Ocean Tsunami’s 10th anniversary fresh in our minds we should once again remind ourselves of the necessity of effective early warning systems in preparation to natural hazards. In such a disaster-prone region as the Asia- Pacific, the development of early warning systems is a crucial part of disaster preparedness. Effective early warning systems can safeguard human lives from hazards, whereas ineffective ones can turn hazards into disasters.