Natural Disasters Displace More People Than Conflict, Trend Is A 'Direct Result' Of Urbanization

The number of people displaced by natural disasters around the world has doubled since the 1970s, a startling trend that scientists say will only get worse as Earth's population continues to balloon. In 2013, some 22 million people were driven from their homes by seasonal floods, earthquakes, typhoons and other natural disasters - almost three times as many people as were displaced by conflict or war, according to new research presented Thursday at a conference in New York City.