Stories about Disaster from May, 2008
China: Be Humble
In reflection upon the earthquake, Huyong said that Chinese people should learn to be more humble and fearful of the nature in its developmental model [zh].
Myanmar: Through the eyes of a mission worker
The Obnoxious 5xmom uploads an email of a mission worker in Myanmar: “It is a sad sight. Nature unleashed an orgy of death and mayhem, wounding an already suffering population. Yesterday, with tears in their eyes, women explained how the waves snatched their babes from their bosoms. A mighty tidal...
Myanmar: Situation in Laputta
ko-htike received an email from a friend who had seen the situation in Laputta, Myanmar: “More than ten thousands victims are staying, sleeping on the wet ground under the miserable roofs in the camps of the monasteries and pagodas; and some victims are staying outside in the rain. They have...
Myanmar: Report from Yangon
New Mandala received a report from a correspondent based in Yangon, Myanmar. An excerpt of the account: “The stories from the night of the cyclone that the villagers shared with me were gruesome. I was told how streets were turned into rivers through torrential rainfall and storm surges of over...
Earthquake in Malaysia and Indonesia
An earthquake was felt in Indonesia and Malaysia yesterday. nicster^ rants v.3 wrote: “Barely a couple of hours ago, I suddenly felt nauseous. At first, I thought that it was just a reaction from the bad tummy I’ve had all afternoon.” Read also some Twitter posts about the tremor in...
Armenia, Russia: Shavarsh Karapetyan
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about Shavarsh Karapetyan, the man who saved 20 people in the trolley bus accident in Yerevan in 1976.
China: Red Cross China Questioned
China Red Cross refused to give public account to 163.com ‘s donation to Sichuan earthquake (about RMB1.8 million, about USD 0.2 million). The portal website made a public announcement yesterday that they would stop the cooperation with Red Cross China and many netizens criticized Red Cross China’ bureaucratic attitude in...
China:国殇; survival stories in QUAKE
No pen could suffice to write out all those happened and happening in where the quake struck. But undeniable, numerous common people created one after another legends of life,survival and sacrifice on this unprecedented crisis, transcending even the most formidable disaster. They are record-worthy. In memory of this trauma of China.
China and Taiwan: Cement Board Partition
In the Sichuan earthquake, many new school buildings had fallen apart. Thousands of school kids lost their lives. Hsueh, a taiwanese blogger, explained in details, the danger of cement board partition in modern construction [zh].
Myanmar: A survivor's story
Myat Thura wanted to cry after translating a Burmese blog. Nyi Lynn Seck quoted a survivor of the Cyclone Nargis: “Most of the dead were women. Many suggested they died not because of drowning, but because of injury during flooding…When I climbed to the boat pier, I saw a corpse...
Storm batters north Philippines
Pine for Pine and My Journal wrote about the strong typhoon which battered north Philippines last weekend
Singapore: Green campaigns
Simple Jean thinks it is apt to launch green campaigns with so many natural disasters hitting the Asian region today.
Macau: Wave of solidarity with Sichuan, China
Laocardo [pt] reports that 13 tonnes of supplies offered by the Red Cross of Macau were donated today to the relief of Sichuan victims, in China. The blogger reminds readers to be generous but cautious “Make sure that donation collectors are well identified, because – and unfortunately it is normal...
Japan: Earthquake aid starts healing process
The largest ever dispatch of aid to China from Japan took place last week when Japanese rescue teams were dispatched to Chongqing. Thanks expressed by Chinese in bulletin boards made it back to articles on the Japanese-language Internet and sparked hopeful reactions among many bloggers, some finding a common understanding in a shared history of earthquake disasters.
Myanmar: “A wonderful place in the wrong hands”
A Filipino journalist writing for pcij.org was in Myanmar when a powerful cyclone hit the country early this month. The writer comments: “Burma struck me as a rich country with so many poor people. It is a wonderful place in the wrong hands.”
Myanmar: Invasion is counterproductive
Commenting on the proposal to invade Myanmar, Accumulating Peripherals believes that “An actual invasion or an attempt to seize and secure the entire hurricane-affected area for relief efforts would be wildly counterproductive”
El Salvador: The Capital City's Vulnerability to Earthquakes
Tim Muth links to a report that found the San Salvador, El Salvador is the 7th most vulnerable city to earthquakes and that a 6.0 rated quake could cause 11,500 deaths.
China: Right Time to Question
Many comments said that the whole nation should focus on rescue and put aside criticisms. Garbledtext from Bullog pointed out that it is a right time to question in order to avoid further mistake during the earthquake rescue [zh].
China: Time to pray
‘Pray for the disaster victims, god bless China’ has been the main motif on many main Chinese blogging websites as the country moves past the hundredth hour of mourning, fund-raising and blood donations. The call for prayer has been the theme of coverage at new media and blog service provider...
Myanmar: Citizen videos in Cyclone Nargis’ aftermath
Despite restrictions on journalists imposed by the Burmese junta who govern the country, people have been going out and recording what is really happening to the victims of this natural disaster. On May 2nd, 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar (Burma), generating massive damage and tens of thousands dead or missing.
China: Seismologist Claims Sichuan Earthquake Was Predicted
Li Shihui, a researcher of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, exposed in his blog that the Sichuan earthquake was predicted at an earlier time. In spite of the various rumors of earthquake omens, Li's specialty and systematic statement have helped him gain many people's confidence, even after his controversial articles are deleted by the network administrator.