Unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) in residential areas

Unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) not only lead to significant fatalities and casualties, but also incur high socio-economic and political costs for the surrounding area and the state in which they occur. The Small Arms Survey’s UEMS database monitors incidents that have occurred globally since 1979. This Fact Sheet reviews UEMS trends over the past decade (2010–19) and analyses the effects of UEMS on human lives, including their gendered implications, over the entire period covered by the database (1979–2019). While the risk of UEMS cannot be entirely eliminated, measures can be taken to reduce their negative consequences.