The past year alone has brought an unprecedented number of disasters throughout the world, with millions of people having been affected. We've seen floods in Queensland and Victoria, floods in Pakistan, Brazil and the Philippines, an earthquake and tsunami in Japan, as well as earthquakes in New Zealand and China.

Many of us have had first-hand experience of the tremendous amount of turmoil, disruption and heartache associated, with the after effects lasting not just a few weeks, but rather years and sometimes even decades.

In the past ten years, disasters have killed an average of 98,000 people each year and destroyed the homes and livelihood's of millions more. When there is a loss of infrastructure, a lack of drinkable water, roads are destroyed, families are displaces without shelter, with many at risk of malnutrition and diseased such a cholera and malaria, the enormity of the task at hand can seem overwhelming.

So what happens when the cameras stop rolling? What happens in the wake of disasters and what can we do to help mitigate the impact of these? And what are the potential obstacles when it comes to rebuilding not just homes, but people's lives?