Stories about Disaster from October, 2008
Jamaica, Haiti: Blogging about Poverty
“One of the remarkable consequences of blogging is that people of like minds can join together to raise the global consciousness about a particular issue”: Jamaican Geoffrey Philp uses his blogging powers to draw attention to the poverty in Haiti.
Ukraine: Chernobyl Sarcophagus 2006 Video
Chernobyl and Eastern Europe posts a Stern.de's 2006 video from inside the Chernobyl Sarcophagus.
Haiti, Jamaica, T&T: Thoughts on Haiti
Haiti Innovation wonders what's next for the hurricane-ravaged town of Gonaives, while Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp focuses on a new book about Haiti.
Azerbaijan: What Goes Up…
Herron Family News comments on the construction boom in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, but notes that the quality of work leaves much to be desired. Situated in an area of seismic activity, the blog wonders if such an issue can be used by the opposition in the country.
Indonesia: Views on the U.S. Financial Crisis
Americans are afraid of another Great Depression as the Wall Street crisis continues to worsen. Meanwhile, many Indonesians are afraid that the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis will happen again if the U.S. economy continues to deteriorate.
Afghanistan: Hitch on heroin
Joshua Foust examines some of the issues surrounding opium eradication in Afghanistan, and argues that focusing on opium itself misses the point.
China: Lifan Landslide
ESWN translates a Guangzhou Daily report which explains how a reporter blog post about Lifan Landslide incident has managed to turn from a “natural disaster” into a “major incident with accountability”.
Nepal: Plane crash in Lukla
Bimal Gautam, a photojournalist from Nepal posts some photos of the crash of an Yeti Airlines plane in his photoblog. 18 persons died in the air crash in Lukla today including 14 Germans, 2 Australians and 2 Nepalis.
Tanzania: When Eid ul-Fitr came with tears
What do Tanzania Swahili bloggers think about the tragedy that hit Tanzania recently? 20 people died in a stampede while celebrating Eid El Fitr at a special disco for young people in Tabora, central Tanzania. Approximately 400 young people aged between 7 - 18, twice the recommended number for the hall, gathered for the celebrations.
Palestine: Rafah Tunnel Collapse
Palestine Free Voice reports about a tunnel collapse outside Rafah.
Egypt: The Fire Series Continues
After the iconic Parliament building and the National Theatre, the fire monster is at work in Egypt's textile district in El Mahalla El Kobra, reports Nermeen Edress. Egyptian bloggers are asking: are all those fires a coincidence or are there other factors at play?
Jamaica, Haiti: School Term Delayed
Jamaica's Abeng News Magazine reports that schools in hurricane-ravaged areas of Haiti are struggling to re-open after the storms.
China milk scandal and Southeast Asia
Like the rest of the world, the China milk scandal has shocked Southeast Asian countries. China is the major trading partner of Southeast Asian nations. How did governments, consumers, and bloggers from the region react to the issue?
China: Giving a hand to rescue U.S?
Now, the financial crisis originated from U.S is going to sweep the globe. As the closest trade partner of U.S, China is struggling over the question: should it give a hand to help America out of the abyss? Or are we able to? But some netizens are thinking even further.
Cuba: Helping the Victims
Yoani Sanchez takes a road trip to help some of the most severely affected Cuban hurricane victims and says: “I returned and confirmed that the recovery will take years, that hope is scarce and that the worst may be yet to come when the enthusiasm for helping fades.”
Vietnam: Typhoon during harvest time
Typhoon Hagupit killed more than 40 persons in Vietnam. Economic losses are huge especially in agriculture since it is rice harvest time.
Cuba: To Catch a Thief
“With Gustav and Ike, Cuba’s proven civil defense system once again demonstrated how well Cubans can organize. Despite the hurricanes’ enormous destruction, only seven people died. However, the storms have greatly magnified the shortcomings in the island’s economy…” Circles Robinson thinks that one of those shortcomings is workplace theft.
Iran hit by Sandstorms
In recent weeks several Iranian cities in the south and southeast of country faced sandstorms. Several bloggers say that Iranian media did not cover these events, but they provided films and photos in their blogs themselves. Vatanema has filmed a sandstrom in the southern city Ahwaz in the oil rich...
