Disasters affect multiple facets of human life. Therefore, disaster risk management (DRM) requires multiple mechanisms across different silos in order to prepare for and deal with all types of disasters. The multiple mechanisms will most definitely require collaboration at the international or regional level, and coordination with government at the national and local levels, with community organizations and with individuals. In all these instances, effective communication is critical. As a result, information and communication technologies (ICTs) are vital for dealing with calamities, and functioning ICT infrastructures are essential both pre- and post-disaster. Services provided over ICT infrastructures can play a decisive role in the early warning of natural disasters, and there is much research documenting the role of ICTs in early warning. The role that can be played by resilient ICT infrastructures in the immediate aftermath of a disaster has been documented in a previous ESCAP report.