· November, 2012

Stories about Disaster from November, 2012

40,000 Syrian Lives Lost in 20 Months

According to human rights organizations, more than 40,000 Syrians have been killed during the 20 months conflict in Syria. The violence in Syria has caused rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation, where 4 million people expected to require assistance in Syria by early 2013, writes Rami Alhames

30 November 2012

Photos From Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

A freelance photographer Takashi Ozaki published photos from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The plant was the scene of a nuclear disaster following the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. More...

27 November 2012

Bangladesh Protests Against Open Pit Coal Mining in Phulbari

In Phulbari, 350 kilometers northwest of the Bangladesh capital Dhaka, local communities have come together to raise their voices against the proposed Phulbari open pit coal mining project. If implemented, it will evict almost 100000 inhabitants from more than 100 villages within a 59 sq. km radius and will create a long term impact on the environment.

25 November 2012

Coming out of the Water Closet: Haiti on World Toilet Day

Today is World Toilet Day. Of a global population of 7 billion, a staggering 2.5 billion people have no access to clean toilet facilities - that's about 1 in 3 people. Some of them live in the Caribbean; many of these live in Haiti - and the lack of this fundamental human right to sanitation continues to cause unnecessary disease and death.

19 November 2012

What is the Role of the Army in Africa Today?

The army has often played a determining but ambiguous role in the African political process. Between 1950 and 2000, 53 African countries were subject to military coups leading to regime change. After a period of respite in the 1990’s, the African continent was once again the scene of many military coups in the first decade of the 21st century, with 27 attempts at takeover. Being both a factor in the consolidation and the destabilisation of regimes, the army is regarded with suspicion in most countries and does not seem to know how to adapt to changing mindsets.

16 November 2012

Russia's Volunteer Aid Capacity, On Vivid Display in Krymsk, Is Absent in Dagestan

RuNet Echo

In the aftermath of flood in Krymsk, Russia saw an outpouring of volunteer efforts, with civil society and representatives of different political fractions coming together to aid Krymsk's citizens. Perhaps the indifference about Derbent's suffering lies in the fact that Dagestan is a republic plagued by radical Islamist insurgency, where violence and death occurs daily.

9 November 2012

Red Alert in Guatemala After 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake

Reports on the damages caused by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that hit off Champerico on the Pacific coast of Guatemala are coming in quickly on Twitter. Netizens are sharing photos and reports with the hashtags #TemblorGT, #TiemblaenGuate, #TerremotoGT, #FuerteSismoGT, #TiemblaenGuate and more.

7 November 2012

Cuba: “Hurricane” Damage

Notes from the Cuban Exile Quarter calls Fidel Castro “Cuba's longest and most damaging hurricane”, while Through the Eye of the Needle refers to Hurricane Sandy as “‘The Matador,’ —...

4 November 2012

Saudi Arabia: First Reactions to the Riyadh Explosion

A huge explosion rocked eastern Riyadh this morning, sparking a discussion on mainstream media coverage and praising Twitter for being a source of instant news. Initial reports said that a tanker carrying flammable liquid crashed into a flyover in the Saudi capital, leaving at least 10 people have been killed and over 50 were injured. Video footage shared on video-sharing site YouTube shows the charred remains of cars and extensive damage to surrounding buildings.

1 November 2012