Stories about Disaster from March, 2012
Mexico: 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles the Country
On March 20, around midday, a strong 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the south and central part of Mexico. Many turned to the Internet to contact family and report the situation on the ground. Here are some reactions on the web.
Mali: Facing Secession and Food Crisis as Elections Loom
Mali is currently facing critical challenges while preparing for the presidential elections on April 29. After the fall of Gaddafi in Libya, returning Tuareg armed groups posted there threaten to seek secession for the Azawad territory, or Northern Mali.
Mexico: Videos of the 7.8 Earthquake Felt in Mexico
On 20 March, an earthquake struck off the coast of Acapulco in Mexico, reportedly between 7.6 and 7.8 on the Richter scale. So far, no casualties have been reported. Following, some videos of how the quake was felt in different regions of the country. All audio is in Spanish.
Video: Surfers, Fishermen and Radiation in Post Earthquake Japan
Journalist Lisa Katayama and filmmaker Jason Wishnow are documenting the lives of people dealing with radiation in a post-earthquake Japan. In We Are All Radioactive, they are including 50% footage made by themselves in the areas around Fukushima Power Plant, and 50% footage made by residents who were given waterproof digital cameras.
Peru: Abancay Under Alert Due to Heavy Rainfall
Juan Arellano gathers [es] photos, tweets and reports on the state of emergency in Abancay, the capital of the Apurímac region in southern-central Peru, due to heavy rainfall.
Barbados: Could Bus Accident have been Prevented?
“Why are we so cynical and critical when it comes to mass-casualty bus accidents? We’ve learned to be because there are never any satisfactory answers as to cause or remedial actions taken afterwards”: Barbados Free Press blogs about the country's latest road accident.
Brazil: Mihoko Satou, a Bridge-Blogger After the Japan Earthquake
A year after the earthquake in Japan, we publish an interview with Mihoko Satou, a Japanese blogger who was born and raised in Brazil. Mihoko tirelessly posted translations on her blog as the events unfolded around her.
Poland: Szczekociny Train Crash, Yet Another Tragedy
Polandian writes about the reactions to the March 3 deadly train crash in Szczekociny, Poland: “When the comments were gathered from the prominent politicians, one that stood out was [PM] Donald Tusk saying something like ‘…This is the worst disaster since… the last such tragedy’.”
Haiti: Criticizing the UN
The Haitian Blogger calls the cholera outbreak in Haiti “criminal negligence” by the United Nations and goes on to say that the “UN occupation of Haiti is illegal, criminal and based on lies.”
Haiti: Nowhere to “Go”?
“The draw-down of hundreds of non-governmental organizations which have been in Haiti since the disastrous 2010 earthquake was inevitable. But with their departure, so, too goes their purse and the millions earmarked for cleaning latrines”: Haiti Grassroots Watch examines “what…that mean[s] for the half a million displaced still living in...
Republic Of Congo: After the Blasts, Anger and Solidarity
One day after the March 4 blasts in the ammunition depot in Mpila near Brazzaville, the time has come to assess the number of victims. Recent assessments vary from 150 to at least 200 people killed and 1,500 wounded.
Republic of Congo: Ammunition Depot Blasts Stir Panic in Brazzaville
On Sunday, March 4, 2012, at 8 am local time, an ammunition storage caught fire in the Mpida area of Brazzaville, near the Presidential Palace, causing at least four explosions. Houses in the neighborhood collapsed, creating an atmosphere of panic in the city.
