Russian Bloggers React to Haiti Earthquake

A powerful earthquake in Haiti became the first global disaster of 2010. Russian bloggers, although far away from the cataclysm, rushed to express their support [RUS] for the earthquake victims. Before long, Haiti tragedy became one of the most discussed topics on RuNet. Although many bloggers were simply reciting the latest news related to the disaster [RUS],  a few went beyond the headlines of news agencies. GVO provides some highlights from Russian blogosphere.

LJ user dainik [RUS] wrote:

Потрясен новостями с Гаити, чтобы так разворотило страну… Видел кадры в новостях, правительство не справляется с бедствием. Говорят, что это самое сильное землетрясение в регионе за последние двести лет. 7 баллов.

I'm terrified with the news from Haiti, the country is torn apart… I saw the news, the government doesn't cope with the disaster. They say this is the most devastating earthquake during the last 200 years. 7.0 magnitude.

Twitter user playpausenstop admitted [RUS] that he was too terrified to look at all the pictures from Haiti.

Blogger mgsupgs compared [RUS] Haiti earthquake to the one in Spitak, Armenia, in 1988 [EN]. He argued that a huge number of casualties must be due to poor building standards. The blogger calls for natural disasters preparedness long before they occur while paying particular attention to the quality of buildings. Poor building standards in former Soviet republics also became a hot topic on the blog of an LJ user germanych [RUS].

For some bloggers the earthquake gave a reason to contemplate the power of nature. LJ user Hilarios, for example, wrote [RUS]:

Как бы человечество не старалось бы обуздать капризы природы, все эти попытки заканчивались провалом. Огромный багаж знаний, колоссальные средства – ни что простив разбушевавшейся стихии.

Humanity can try as hard as it can to overcome whims of the nature, but these attempts always fail. Huge knowledge base and colossal resources are nothing against a raged disaster.

Other bloggers highlighted terrifying surreality of the happening. Vladimir Milov (a.k.a. LJ user v-milov) wrote [RUS]:

Картинка разрушенного президентского дворца в Порт-о-Пренсе – как будто сошедший с экранов голливудский апокалиптический фильм. Помните, по-моему, “Крепкий орешек” четвертый, где они симулировали разрушение вашингтонского Капитолия? А тут – всё в реальности.

Image of the destroyed presidential palace of Port-au-Prince is like another apocalyptic Hollywood movie gone off the screens. Do you remember, I think, “Die Hard 4″ movie where they simulated the destruction of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.? And here – it is real.

Anton Maliavski (a.k.a. LJ user maliavski) rightfully notes [RUS] that people tend to think about Haiti only when something bad happens there:

Среди современных государств Гаити, пожалуй, рекордсмен в области плохих новостей. Вообще новости из Гаити приходят редко, но всегда только плохие. Все последние десятилетия человечество вспоминает об этом тропическом острове с веселым населением исключительно по причине каких-то происходящих там кошмаров. То диктатура мрачных Дювалье (сначала папа Док, потом бэби Док), потом правление бесноватого попа Аристида, военный переворот, резня, перманентные беспорядки и т.д. И все это параллельно с тотальной бедностью местного населения. Теперь вот еще землетрясение. […]

Кино про Гаити тоже всегда с плохим концом. “Комедианты” с Бартоном и Тэйлор, “На Юг” с Шарлоттой Рэмплинг, – везде failed love, смерть и насилие.

Жалко их. И ведь даже непонятно, чем можно помочь этой стране. Хотя, по большому счету, ведь и России непонятно чем можно помочь… Заколдованы.

Among contemporary states, Haiti, I think, beats the record for the bad news. In general, news from Haiti is seldom, but always bad. Through recent decades, people remember this tropical island with joyful population only because of the terrifying events that happen there. At first, it was dictatorship of gloomy Duvalier (at first Papa Doc [EN], than Baby Doc [EN]), than the reign of possessed Aristide [EN], coup d'etat, massacre, permanent civil unrest, etc. And all this combined with total poverty of the people. Now, there's an earthquake. […] Movies about Haiti are also without a happy end. “The Comedians” [EN] with Burton and Taylor, “Heading South” [EN] with Charlotte Rampling – failed love, death and violence are everywhere.I'm really sorry for them. And it's unclear how one can help this country. However, in general, it's unclear how to help Russia, as well… Spellbound

Mail.ru user elekorostele thoughtfully commented [RUS]:

Ужасно…Вот когда понимаешь,насколько смешны наши повседневные капризы.

Terrifying… This is the time when you understand how ridiculous are our everyday whims.

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