NEW YORK -- While floods are submerging some major cities in the world, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Friday urged the upcoming Environment Summit in Johannesburg to discuss remedies for natural disasters.

The World Summit on sustainable development in Johannesburg from August 26 to September 4 should "move forward on developing strategies to reduce the effects of natural disasters and to confront the serious challenges affecting our planet", Annan said.

"Such strategies must become an essential component of sustainable development policies and practices," he said in a statement, DPA reported.

Annan sent his "sincere sympathy" for the people and governments of central Europe, Russia, Iran, South Asia, China and the Philippines; all places where floods in recent weeks have caused severe damage to buildings and infrastructure.

He said that the UN stands ready to assist those countries if they need help.