· November, 2011

Stories about Disaster from November, 2011

Bangladesh: Climate Change to Increase Hunger and Malnutrition

  28 November 2011

As governments gear up for COP17, which starts today, experts are warning that among climate change's greatest consequences in developing countries are the risks to the agriculture sector, including an increased risk of food insecurity. Bangladesh is among the top five most vulnerable countries.

Thailand: Survival and Creativity During Floods

  24 November 2011

The situation in Thailand is improving as floodwaters are receding but the death toll is now more than 600. The flood disaster is the worst in the past five decades but it also showed the creative and inventive ways of the people as they coped with the floods.

Map of Cambodian Flooding

  24 November 2011

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has uploaded a map showing the extent of flooding in Cambodia this year. 18 of the country's 24 provinces are affected by the worst flooding in a decade.

Trinidad & Tobago: Water Not the Only Problem

  23 November 2011

Jumbie's Watch comments on the recent flooding in Trinidad: “This is a country with 3 desalination plants…flashy skyscrapers, newly built motorways – and they can't solve a ‘water problem’.”

Brazil: Maximum Fine After Silence on Chevron's Oil Spill

  23 November 2011

On 7 November, an oil platform operated by Chevron-Texaco and located 350km off coast from Rio de Janeiro, began spilling crude oil. Two weeks after, the spill is believed to be under control and Chevron has been fined the maximum amount allowed by Brazilian environmental authorities. But not all is clear concerning the intricacies and coverage of the environmental disaster.

Bulgaria: New Protest Against Shale Gas Planned

  22 November 2011

A new protest is being planned for Nov. 26 in Sofia, part of a series of protests against Chevron's shale gas extraction in northeast Bulgaria. On Nov. 20, nearly 500 people attended a rally in the coastal city of Varna, which didn't receive adequate media coverage. Several Facebook groups have...

Trinidad & Tobago: Flood Damage

  22 November 2011

B.C. Pires comments on the flood damage in northern Trinidad over the weekend: “Somewhere between asking God for strength and not throwing rubbish in the river, there is a lesson to be learned.”

Peru: Rain Causes Flooding in Iquitos

  21 November 2011

Rains have once again caused flooding in the city of Iquitos in the Amazon Rainforest. The blogger behind De la Selva [es] attributes the flooding to sewage works and posts Facebook pictures of the flood.

Thailand: Impact of Flooding on Colleges

  19 November 2011

Suluck Lamubol writes about the impact of the Thailand flooding disaster to the country's higher education system. Aside from damages in facilities, many schools are postponing the start of the new school semester.

Brazil: Suspicious Fires in Slums of São Paulo

  14 November 2011

Brazilian teacher and urban planner Raquel Rolnik writes [pt] about a wave of suspicious fires in slums of the city of São Paulo. Allegedly, a few days after the last fire, a construction company had already turned the aftermath into a building site for new developments.

Photos of Thailand Flooding

  12 November 2011

A Flickr group has been created, Thailand's Great Flood 2011, to gather photos of the flooding in Thailand. The flood disaster is the worst in the country in the past half century.

Thailand Flooding Disaster

  8 November 2011

The death toll in Thailand’s worst flooding disaster in 50 years has reached more than 500. Government authorities said 25 provinces are still suffering from the flooding. More than one million families have been affected and the flooding has damaged 4.4 million acres of agricultural land in the country.

Japan: Using videos to explain basics of nuclear power

  6 November 2011

MOJO [ja] creates 2-3 minute videos that explain the basics of radioactivity monitoring and decontamination, via conversations between illustrated characters and interviews with officials and experts. Their most recent video [ja] answers the question, “What is decontamination?”.