Stories about Disaster from February, 2012
Chile: The Role of Public Libraries in Post-Earthquake Reconstruction
Several Chilean bloggers are sharing their thoughts on the second anniversary of the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Chile on February 27, 2010. Enzo Abbagliati [es] looks at how public libraries can help people “rebuild their lives.” He argues that restoring or building people's deep bond with reading is “probably the...
Argentina: The Sarmiento Train Crash, an Accident Waiting to Happen
Simon Kofoed says that the train crash that took place last week in Buenos Aires, Argentina, “is the worst train accident in Argentina since the 1979 head on collision of two trains near Benavidez station when over 140 people lost their lives.” He adds: “Anyone who travels on the Sarmiento,...
Haiti: Students in Sheds
Haiti Grassroots Watch explores the issues surrounding the non-reconstruction of the state university in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake.
Argentina: Train Crash Leaves At Least 49 Dead, Hundreds Injured
A commuter train crashed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, leaving at least 49 dead and hundreds injured according to the latest reports. Netizens are using the hashtags #Sarmiento [es], #Once [es] and #TBA [es] to tweet about the crash.
Peru is Hit by Strong Rains
Juan Arellano reports [es] that the rainy season in Peru has arrived with particular strength this year. He names some areas that have been affected by the rainfall in his blog Globalizado.
Japan: Netizens Cast Doubt on Anti-Nuclear Power Poster
On March 11, 2011, the largest earthquake in the history struck Japan, and the resulting tsunami irreversibly damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. An anti-nuclear power poster has triggered arguments on the multifaceted impact of visual art.
Madagascar: The Aftermath of Cyclone Giovanna in Videos and Photos
Cyclone Giovanna made landfall on February 13 at 20h00 local time. The cyclone is classified as a category 4, with winds of up to 194km (120mph) ripping up trees and electricity pylons. Official reports stated that there are at least 10 casualties as of now.
Honduras: Prison Fire Kills Hundreds
A blaze broke out on Tuesday night, February 14, in a prison in Comayagua. The blog Honduras News has published several posts (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ) on the fire, while Adrienne Pine recommends watching “Oscar Estrada's film El Porvenir for background.”
Hungary: Another Environmental Catastrophe in the Making
In October 2010, a toxic spill from a red sludge reservoir in Kolontár caused the greatest environmental disaster in Hungary's recent history. Atlatszo.hu and Greenpeace are now drawing attention to another hazardous waste reservoir, in the town of Almásfüzitő, which is "leaking like a sponge" and is already causing grave environmental and health damage.
Madagascar : Crowdsourcing Information about Cyclone Giovanna
Cyclone Giovanna was expected to make landfall on February 13th at 23h00 local time in Madagascar. Malagasy Bloggers have set up a citizen reporting platform to crowd source information during the storm. If you have any relevant information regarding the cyclone, you can share those with mutliple channels: via SMS...
Macedonia: Coping With Ice and Snow in Skopje
GV Author Filip Stojanovski posts pictures of Skopje's snowy and icy streets and reports on his blog: “[…] the pavements and the side streets in the municipality of Centar remain icy. Some are covered by layers of ice or re-frozen slush, by old frozen snow, or an unevenly hardened mash...
Brazil: Is the Weather Wacky?
Talking about the weather may be mere elevator chit-chat but, come rain or shine, there is no honest conversation that does not make some reference to the weather. Obviously the online community could not remain silent on the issue. Especially not in the face of Brazil's readying for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20.
Cuba: Collapsing Capital?
“For Rogelio, 49, the need for housing is stronger than his fear of losing his life due to a collapse”: Iván's File Cabinet discusses the conundrum many inhabitants of Havana face.
Puerto Rico: Extraordinary Decisions
“What do you say when you meet someone you think is extraordinary? You should say ‘Hi!’ and then start a conversation,” says Gil the Jenius, who profiles the extraordinary Andrea Pérez, a speaker at the recently held TEDx San Juan.
Sahel Region: 1.6 Million Children at Risk of Malnutrition
Afrik.com reports that [fr]: ” because of the low harvest and an increase of 60 to 80 % in cereal pricing, 10 millions people across Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Chad will be affected by food security issues, including 1.6 million children.”
Cuba: Fatal Collapse in Downtown Havana Stirs Online Debate
Over the last three weeks, two buildings have collapsed in downtown Havana. Bloggers from Voces Cubanas and Havana Times saw the incidents as clear evidence of state officials' negligence of housing conditions in the city.
Bulgaria: Severe Flooding Emergency
GV Author Ruslan Trad is tweeting – here, here, here, and here – about the severe flooding in southern Bulgaria, which was caused by heavy rainfall of the past few days and has killed at least eight people in the village of Bisser. The latest tweet came about an hour...
Balkans: Online Platform Tracks Reports From Areas Hit by Record Snowfall
Since last week, the Balkans have been hit by massive snow storms, the likes of which have not been seen in over a decade, if not longer. Danica Radisic reports on relevant initiatives launched by the region's online community, including the new Ushahidi platform for tracking verified information on road blocks, power outages and other critical points and information in the entire region.
Egypt: Storify on Port Said Clashes
Greek blogger Asteris Masouras compiles a Storify round up of reactions and coverage following Wednesday's deadly Port Said clashes, which left more than 70 people dead in Egypt.
Cuba: Another Building Collapses
“Another occupied building has collapsed in Havana, this time only partially and with no fatalities, but in the same district”: Havana Times reports.
