Disaster warnings can be fast, but how can we also ensure their accuracy and credibility, ask Rohan Samarajiva and Nalaka Gunawardene.

Although the region is not a big polluter, the threat of climate change means it should lead the way on cuts, argues Crispin Maslog.

To engage people in early action we must understand their experience, behaviour and constraints, says disaster policy expert Andrew Collins.

Cuba's early warning approach holds lessons for other countries, write disaster risk reduction specialists Veronica F. Grasso and José Rubiera.

New communication tools get good press but must become part of response systems, argue ICT specialists Jessica Heinzelman and Krista Baptista.

Earthquake science was not on trial in Italy — it was about inadequate information and participation in decision-making, says Carina Fearnley.

We need to understand why some people act on early warnings while others ignore them, says disaster preparedness specialist Sudhir Kumar.

Forecast to be underwater by 2050, the Pacific island states must plan for climate adaptation, with global support, urges Crispin Maslog.

More must be done to prevent damage of ocean data buoys that costs money, vital data — and lives, say Sidney Thurston and M. Ravichandran.

South-East Asia has suffered from neglecting planning for disasters. Governments must heed the warnings and act now, argues Crispin Maslog.

Disaster management needs constellations of satellites with multispectral sensors, says Indian space researcher, Ranganath Navalgund.

We must prepare for climate change bringing more natural disasters that favour mosquito-borne disease, says Jai P. Narain from the WHO.

Investing in detailed maps of potential cyclone damage will save lives in Indian Ocean countries, says Shishir Dube.

Preparing for cyclones can save lives, but to save livelihoods nations must also help people adapt to cyclones' impacts, says Saleemul Huq.

Disaster research can help future interventions, but urgency should never excuse exploitation of survivors, says Athula Sumathipala.

Combining statistical and physical models offers the best hope of predicting changes in local cyclone risks in the Indian Ocean, says Mark Tadross.

Improved forecasting and mitigation strategies are essential to limiting the damage caused by tropical cyclones, says Peter J. Webster.