· August, 2008

Stories about Disaster from August, 2008

Trinidad & Tobago: Flood Waters

  29 August 2008

As flooding plagues parts of Trinidad and Tobago, Jeremy Taylor says: “It’s odd that a country with a TT$45 billion budget, and a desire to become a ‘developed nation’ by 2020, can’t figure out how to fix its drains.” Jumbie's Watch posts photos.

Venezuela: Yukpa Indians, Chávez and land disputes

  28 August 2008

Citizen media videos have been uploaded informing of the situation arising in Venezuela between the Yukpa Indians of the Perijá Mountains, landowners and President Chávez. This dispute over land limits is 30 years in the making, when military forces displaced the Indigenous communities of the Yukpa by force and established landowners who have cattle ranches and have been working the lands ever since.

South Ossetia: Tskhinvali Photos and Reports

  22 August 2008

On Aug. 21, Columbia Journalism Review published Julia Ioffe's overview of several Russian journalists' blogging from the war in South Ossetia. Featured in her piece are reports by LJ user krig42 (Komsomolskaya Pravda reporter Dmitry Steshin) and LJ user ep-news (Evgeny Poddubny, correspondent for TV Center). Below are a few more blog posts from Russian and North Ossetian journalists, with photos and accounts of what they've seen in the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali over the past week.

Pakistan: In tears again

  22 August 2008

All Things Pakistan is in pain after yet another suicide bomb blast in Pakistan that killed more than 70 people: “In what continues to be war on and in Pakistan, Pakistanis continue to die. Pakistan continues to cry.”

China: Earthquake 100 days

  21 August 2008

Aug 19 is the 100 days of Sichuan earthquake, Wang Ning posted photos of Beichuan earthquake zone for memorizing the deaths.

Morocco: Tragedy Strikes

The View From Fez reports the tragic story of a family that drowned near Tangier, Morocco last week. The accident occurred when two young girls were playing near the dam and were sucked in. Three family members who tried to rescue them also drowned.

Egypt: Parliament on Fire

Egyptian bloggers are in a daze, after the country's iconic Parliament Building, went up in flames earlier today. And while an official reason has yet to be announced for the cause of the fire in the 19th century palace, which houses the lower parliament or Shura (consultative) council, bloggers are seething - though not lost for words.

Georgia, Russia: Feeding Looters and Refugees

  19 August 2008

A number of Tbilisi residents gathered in front of the Russian embassy Saturday for a protest prank against looting. LJ user oleg-panfilov posted photos of the items left by the protesters for the Russian army; LJ user tony-geo called to Georgians to take care of the refugees' needs first, before getting involved in the "information war."

Hong Kong: Fireman

  19 August 2008

Recently two Fire fighters died in a fire accident, a fireman blogger pointed out that the fire teams have been suffering from inadequate facilities and staffs back up that puts their life at risk.

Peru: One Year After the Pisco Earthquake

  17 August 2008

One year after a powerful earthquake struck the southern part of Peru, many bloggers look back and note the lack of progress. Most of the blame falls on the local, regional, and national governmental officials that often promised a lot, but delivered very little. However, other bloggers remember the mobilization by Peruvians at home and abroad.

Lebanon: Terrorist Attack in Tripoli – II

The terrorist attack that took place in Tripoli, Lebanon, is the most fatal since the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Al Hariri in February 2005. The place and the target of the attack are of serious implications and may have grave consequences on Lebanon as a whole. This may be one of the reasons why the media and the blogosphere is giving it so much coverage, writes Moussa Bashir, who brings us more reactions from Lebanon.