Dhaka, Oct. 21 -- Nearly half of all countries lack early-warning systems for extreme weather events, leaving millions - especially those in developing nations - vulnerable.

As it released a new report on Monday, the UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) called for gaps in global monitoring and forecasting networks to be plugged.

Timely alerts are crucial to saving lives as extreme weather events multiply due to climate change, it warned.

"Many millions of people lack protection against dangerous weather, which is inflicting an increasing toll on economic assets and vital infrastructure," said a statement by the WMO, noting that disaster-related deaths are six times higher in countries without early-warning systems.

The organis...