Stories about Disaster from September, 2012
Nepal: Another Plane Crash Dips Optimism
Lex Limbu used to share his optimism and hope for the domestic airlines industry of Nepal. But the recent Sita Air crash, and the death of 19 people on board,...
Guatemala: Profiting from Catastrophes
Kevin from the Guatemala Solidarity Network blog points readers to an article by Danilo Valladares published in Inter Press Service about “‘big disaster business’ – profiting from catastrophes.” In a...
Japan: Citizens Respond to New Nuclear Power Policies
Individuals with vested interests in nuclear power have been named to lead a regulatory commission of the Japanese government that will play crucial role in determining whether to phase out nuclear power during the 2030s and how. While environmental groups welcome the government's statement of intent to end nuclear power, citizens are calling for commission members with a conflict of interest to be declared ineligible.
China: Are Overloaded Vehicles to Blame for Harbin Bridge Collapse?
On August 24, a highway bridge in China's Harbin city suddenly collapsed, leaving three dead and five injured. Yesterday the investigation report came out which stated that the collapse was caused by overloaded vehicles, but netizens are not so sure this is correct.
Japan: Fukushima Nuclear Cleanup Worker Dangers Revealed
A citizen media news video has revealed the dangerous conditions that cleanup workers in Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant are finding themselves in. The plant was damaged by last year's devastating earthquake and tsunami.
Japan: Radio Airs Story of Fukushima Province Evacuee
Multilingual community radio station FMYY in Kobe has aired a radio drama titled “Under Invisible Clouds” [ja], the story of Yasuko Sasaki, one evacuee from the town of Namie in...
Russia: Religiosity & the Murdered U.S. Ambassador
Responding to the attack on U.S. embassies across the Muslim world (specifically the murder of Ambassador Christopher Stevens in Libya), Russian bloggers have addressed the perceived growth of religiosity in their own country, and used the incident as an opportunity to discuss the wider consequences of political unrest.
Burkina Faso, Niger: Cholera Kills 80 after Floods
Bark Biiga writes on Fasozine [fr] that following the floods that plagued Niger and Burkina Faso, 80 people have succumbed to Cholera in the Western Region of Niger. The disease also threatens to...
Iran: Quake Survivors Battle Cold
Several bloggers including Tohirow say [fa] that East Azarbaijan's earthquake survivors are now battling bitterly cold weather conditions.
India: Koodankulam Nuclear Plant Starts Amidst Protests
The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, India started operations recently despite protests to stall it. Police cracked down on some 8,000 people from nearby villages who assembled at the beach and stood in sea water to protest moves to load uranium fuel in one of the two reactors of the plant.
Belarus, Ukraine: No More Gratis UK Visas for Chernobyl Children?
According to this online petition, bringing Belarusian and Ukrainian children affected by the 1986 Chernobyl disaster to the UK for recuperative charity-sponsored visits will soon cost an additional £86 per...
Cuba: Blackout Leaves 5 Million People in the Dark
An interruption of an electrical transmission line left five million people from Pinar del Río to Camagüey, including the Cuban capital, Havana, in the dark. Various Twitter users residing in Cuba used the battery life they still had on their laptops and dial-up connections to report what was happening.
Mayotte, Comoros: Tensions Rise After 36 Refugees Disappear at Sea
We cannot be part of the Indian Ocean Community and be indifferent to these tragedies. The solution must involve both countries Saïd Larifou reacts to the recent drowning [fr] of refugees...
Brazil: Mapping Fires in São Paulo Favelas, Land Values
After crowdsourced research on fires in São Paulo's slums and informal settlements, known as favelas, Patrícia Cornils and a group of São Paulo citizens are mapping the fires at a site called...
Video: San Cristobal Volcano Eruption in Northern Nicaragua
YouTube's Citizentube has a playlist of user submitted videos showing the dramatic volcanic eruptions of September 8th in Nicaragua. The San Cristobal volcano, the tallest in this Central American country, erupted at 9:02 am on Saturday, releasing steam and ash and causing authorities to evacuate more than 3000 people from Chinandega.
Myanmar: Increase in Insurance Buyers Due to Natural Disasters
Ko Ko Aung blogs [my] about the increasing number of insurance policy buyers due to natural disasters in Myanmar, although numbers remain relatively small compared to other countries.
India: Standing Neck Deep in Water to Protest
Fifty one residents of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh have launched a ‘Jal Satyagraha' protest by standing neck deep inside the backwaters of Omkareshwar dam on Narmada river. The protest is against the government decision to raise the water level of the dam pending rehabilitation.
Venezuela: Is a Natural Disaster Looming Over Mata Redonda?
Neighbors of the Mata Redonda community, in the Venezuelan city of Maracay, are using citizen media to denounce a possible natural disaster if the contention wall that separates the zone from Lake Valencia were to collapse.
Nepal: Hydro-power Sector Marred by Politics
Nepal is experiencing a huge power (electricity) deficit and despite this fact no additional power stations were commissioned in recent times to meet the growing demand. Hydroelectricity has a great...
Costa Rica: Shaken Bloggers Share Earthquake Stories
Now that the shaking after Costa Rica's 7.6-magnitude earthquake on September 5, 2012 has stopped, Costa Rican netizens are using their blogs to share their experiences during the quake.
Japan: Fukushima Women Gather Against Nuclear Power
Former United Nations worker Kaori Izumi called for a “Vote for Solidarity” [ja] in order to change Japan's policies around nuclear energy at a gathering of Fukushima women on August 29,...
