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Burma fair to muddling in wake of savage blow
BOGALAY, Burma: Two months after a cyclone savaged the fertile Irrawaddy Delta, in Burma's south-west, the bones of drowned victims still clutter the muddy banks of waterways.
One bamboo stick at a time, survivors in hundreds of flattened villages are struggling to rebuild their homes. For shelter, they squeeze several families into a single tent. For drinking water, they collect monsoon rainwater that trickles off tarpaulin roof coverings into buckets or salvaged ceramic vases. For food, they cook communal meals with rice, beans and oil from hand-outs. Sometimes it is spoiled.
In one village, survivors kept up a steady pace of sawing and hammering at planks salvaged from the wreckage.
"To work is to be busy, and to be busy helps them forget," said Soe, the village leader.
BOGALAY, Burma: Two months after a cyclone savaged the fertile Irrawaddy Delta, in Burma's south-west, the bones of drowned victims st... more -
Des Moines IA Clean-up Underway
Well, the damage has been done and the clean-up has begun. And it is going to be a long time until people's lives return to a semblance of normal. You can see examples of how much was destroyed and the magnitude of the destruction from even a "small" flood. Our hearts go out to the hundreds of refugees downstream from us. And we visit with the leaders of a fund raising effort, the 2008 Iowa Disaster Fund, to learn how individuals throughout the world can send help that will go to individuals suffering from not only 500 year flooding but lethal tornadoes destroying entire towns in 2008.
If you'd rather not watch the video but you'd like to make a contribution to the 2008 Iowa Disaster Fund, please visit www.EmbraceIowa.com to conveniently donate. Well, the damage has been done and the clean-up has begun. And it is going to be a long time until people's lives return to a semblan... more -
Doomsday Vault ...on 60 Minutes
the new area 51 zone lol
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Sweden donated twice more relief money than US?
"Sweden is donating SEK 500 million (USD 75.6 million) in relief aid, reported the Swedish paper Aftonbladet. The US is donating USD 35 million. Norway has decided to increase its donations by doubling the original amount and has now allocated NOK 100 million (USD 16.5 million) to the survivors of the disaster.
The amount the US decided to donate has created reactions. The Norwegian UN Undersecretary Jan Egeland, who is in charge of UN’s emergency relief coordination, stated Monday that rich countries are too stingy when it comes to emergency aid.
"I don’t understand why they are so stingy. If a country donates 0.1 or 0.2 percent of GDP in foreign aid, I don’t think that is particularly generous," Egeland said at the press conference Monday.
Egeland was forced to modify his statement when President George Bush became furious. Bush claimed Egeland was "very misguided and ill informed" and claimed that the amount allocated was only the beginning. However the American institution, the New York Times, completely agrees with Egeland’s statements. In an editorial under the headline "Are We Stingy? Yes" printed Thursday, the New York Times states that "Mr. Egeland was right on target." "Sweden is donating SEK 500 million (USD 75.6 million) in relief aid, reported the Swedish paper Aftonbladet. The US is donating USD 3... more -
A heart-breaking video about the shakiest and deadliest earthquake in the century.
Less than two weeks after the monster earthquakes hit Sichuan, China, the Western media have significantly cut back on, if not forgotten, the disaster coverage. Many have seen the horrific images of dormitory buildings shaking, people running for lives and soldiers digging rubble for signs of life. But this earthquake, along with its thousands of aftershocks, is very very different, and so much more brutal than any earthquake in recent history.
To present the disaster's visual destructiveness and ruthlessness isn't the most difficult job, as there are thousands upon thousands of video clips and images available on English and Chinese portal sites, TV network web pages, among other online entities. But how to get the viewers to understand the full magnitude of the destruction and, more importantly, the extreme challenges for refugee resettlement and reconstruction in less than 10 minutes is no easy task. (Most people nowadays don't have more than 10 minutes online for things they don't care much about any more.)
I set out to tell the earthquake story in a powerful video in a few minutes to the English speaking audience. By picking through over a thousand photos and dozens of video clips found on Chinese web sites, I managed to weave out a narrative of some major highlights with the help of a few Chinese classic tunes in the background. Strong components of this presentation includes:
The opening factoids - babies becoming orphans, parents grieving souls, 7,000 school buildings collapsed and one survey in a school found 90% students lost their friends.
Images of an anchorwoman running away from studio scared of shaking, continuous sound a minute's worth of studio desk trembling, and a clip of a security tape capturing people fleeing the building and sunshade umbrella shaking.
An emotional short conversation of an intact family describing how the father saved the daughter and what the daughter was thinking in the three hours buried under rubble. The daughter was so grateful for her survival that she kept saying "thank you" to her father, and the father kept telling her "don't mention it, stop crying." (This may not be something unusual for most Western viewers, but for those who understand Chinese culture, people often don't express emotions explicitly and saying thanks to parents or children is something rarely heard.)
Contrast photos of communities before and after the quake, photos of landslides, leveled landscapes, successful and failed rescues, satellite imagery, and a climactic string of photos that present a whole variety of difficulties for those who deal with the earthquake destruction, from 4 million Chengdu citizens sleeping on the streets to babies crying for parents.
At the end, I chose to have a moment of silence and, during this moment, open some thoughts about some of the questions journalists and many Chinese raised about shoddy buildings for schools, concerns about safety of many dams in this earthquake prone region, so on and so forth. As these will be some of the very important questions for China to address to rebuild stronger and better houses, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure projects.
This production is the most heart breaking piece I have done. But as a powerful video presentation, I hope it can help my nation and millions of those affected in their reconstructions by getting continued attention from outside China even though people here tend to forget about a most devastating earthquake in this century on the other side of the planet. Less than two weeks after the monster earthquakes hit Sichuan, China, the Western media have significantly cut back on, if not forgott... more -
Saudi Arabia gives $50 million aid for China quake victims!
Saudi Arabia has given $50 million and delivered 260 tonnes of relief aid to help China deal with the aftermath of the devastating May 12 earthquake, the official SPA news agency said Saturday.
The 4th airplane carrying aid arrived in southwestern Sichuan province on Saturday as part of an airlift ordered by King Abdullah following a quake that has killed more than 60,000 people.
Abdullah had also provided $ 50 million "to cater for the humanitarian needs" of quake victims, SPA said. In total Saudi Arabia has delivered 260 tonnes of foodstuffs, tents and blankets for survivors, SPA added.
More than 5.47 million people have been made homeless by the quake and more than 11 million people are expected to be housed in refugee camps as dangerous areas in the quake zone are evacuated.
Many other Muslim countries such as Turkey have given aid for the Chinese earthquake victims.
Saudi Arabia has given $50 million and delivered 260 tonnes of relief aid to help China deal with the aftermath of the devastating May... more -
Chinese government plans to build 1.5 million temporary homes in three months.
After the relief and rescue effort pulled 84,000 survivors out of the rubble in China's Sichuan province, the Chinese government is setting up a 70 billion yuan (~$10 billion US) fund to pay for the reconstruction in the disaster area. The "quake-resistant" homes are built to last three years and will help shelter the 5 million people left homeless. After the relief and rescue effort pulled 84,000 survivors out of the rubble in China's Sichuan province, the Chinese government is se... more
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Would you attend a concert to celebrate Bush's departure from the White House?
Visit y2w.org
After eight long years of suffering, change will arrive and disaster relief will begin. Everyone is asking, 'What is Y2W?' You've heard of Y2K. Well, Y2W is the countdown not to an anticipated disaster, but to disaster relief and W's final day as President of the United States on 01.20.09.
Join the Y2W campaign - Y2W is looking to find 1,000,000 supporters who want to celebrate George W. Bush's exit from the White House. 01.19.09 on the eve of Bush's last day, there's going to be a need to celebrate, kick back and have a few drinks. Y2W will be the event for America to celebrate change, but we need you to support our grassroots effort. Visit y2w.org and on MySpace and Facebook and become a Y2W friend today. Visit y2w.org ... more -
NEW... NEW ORLEANS.
Years after the devastating Hurricane Kitrina, a group of university students travels to New Orleans to help the continuing rebuilding efforts. This is NOT a look back but a step forward as this once amazing city welcomes the volunteers who will help rebuild her.
We will travel to the part of town where water was up to the rooftops, we will look at a levee and do some roofing in the lower 9th ward. We will watch this group take the molded walls out of a house while preserving the studs and framework and watch as the same group gets into a heated argument about something as trivial as an ice cream run.
NEW... NEW ORLEANS will put you on ground level with the hope and triumphs of the volunteers!
RUN TIME: 05:10
BY: Kelly King
Years after the devastating Hurricane Kitrina, a group of university students travels to New Orleans to help the continuing rebuilding... more -
Myanmar Day 2: Operation Blessing Brings Relief
MYANMAR (formerly Burma) - Operation Blessing International is one of the only international NGOs on the ground, bringing relief to the victims of Cyclone Nargis. In this first-hand report, OBI staff travel deep into a remote village to deliver rice and water purification tablets.
MYANMAR (formerly Burma) - Operation Blessing International is one of the only international NGOs on the ground, bringing relief to th... more -
Nike to release Panda Shoe for earthquake victims
Japanese designer, artist, and producer, Hiroshi Fujwara, has announced that he will be releasing a "Panda Pack" the proceeds of which will be given to the victims of China's deadly earth quake. Japanese designer, artist, and producer, Hiroshi Fujwara, has announced that he will be releasing a "Panda Pack" the proceeds of which... more
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"Chinese Government Responds Quickly"
Al Jazeera and agencies reports:
"The Chinese government has responded quickly to Monday's massive earthquake, sending tens of thousands of troops to help rescue efforts and setting up round-the-clock medical stations.
Wen Jiabao, China's premier, was on an aircraft to the worst-hit area less than two hours after the quake hit.
State-run Xinhua news agency quoted Wen as saying on the aircraft to Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, that the government had called on 'officials at all levels to be at the frontline of fighting the earthquake and lead the people in their rescue work'.
The toll from the 7.9 tremor that struck the country's southwest on Monday afternoon has risen to around 10,000 and is the country's deadliest quake since 1976."
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Full story at link.
Al Jazeera and agencies reports: ... more -
First U.S. aid plane lands in Myanmar (Burma)
Finally!
Relief comes more than a week after powerful storm killed thousands.
The first U.S. relief airlift arrived in Myanmar on Monday after prolonged negotiations with the country’s isolationist junta, which considers Washington its enemy and has restricted international aid to as many as 2 million cyclone victims.
The unarmed military C-130 cargo plane, packed with supplies, flew out of the Thai air force base of Utapao and landed in Yangon. Two more air shipments are scheduled to land Tuesday.
Finally! Relief comes more than a week after powerful storm killed thousands. ... more -
Boat carrying Myanmar aid sinks; toll climbs beyond 28,000
YANGON, Myanmar - A Red Cross boat carrying rice and drinking water for cyclone victims sank Sunday, while the death toll jumped to more than 28,000 and aid groups warned of a humanitarian catastrophe.
The boat was carrying supplies for more than 1,000 people and was the first Red Cross shipment to the disaster area, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said. All four relief workers on board were safe, it said.
"This is a great loss for the Myanmar Red Cross and for the people who need aid so urgently," said Aung Kyaw Htut, the distribution team leader of the Myanmar Red Cross.
The sinking was the latest setback for distribution of aid following Cyclone Nargis. Though international aid has started to trickle in, almost all foreign relief workers have been barred entry into the isolated nation. The junta says it wants to hand out all donated supplies on its own.
The boat was making the 12-hour journey from Yangon to Mawlamyinegyun when it hit a submerged tree trunk and began taking water near Bogalay town, which was extensively damaged by the cyclone, the IFRC said.
The boat was carrying 100 bags of rice, 1,300 gallons of drinking water, 10,000 water purification tablets, 30 boxes of clothes and other goods. The organization said it was unable to say how much of the cargo has been lost. But it said the food supplies saved were contaminated by river water.
The International Federation's disaster manager in Yangon, Michael Annear, described the sinking as "a big blow."
"Apart from the delay in getting aid to people we may now have to re-evaluate how we transport that aid," he said.
Also Sunday, Myanmar's state television said that the cyclone's death toll has gone up by about 5,000 to 28,458. The number of missing was reduced to 33,416. International aid groups, however, say that the death toll could eventually top 100,000 as humanitarian conditions worsen.
British aid group Oxfam said Sunday that the death toll could multiply by up to 15 times, or rise to 1.5 million, if people do not get clean water and sanitation soon, which could result in a medical catastrophe.
"It's really crucial that people get access to clean water sources and sanitation to avoid unnecessary deaths and suffering," Oxfam regional chief Sarah Ireland told reporters in Bangkok, Thailand.
The government has refused to let in most foreign experts who have experience in handling humanitarian disasters. It insists it is capable of distributing the aid being pledged by international donors. Meanwhile, aid is piling up in foreign countries, awaiting approval from the junta.
The country's main airport in Yangon is also incapable of handling more than five flights a day, when it should be taking in at least one every hour, said PLAN, a London-based children's aid group.
"Logistically, the situation looks bleak," it said in a statement. "In short, they have one congested airport, ill equipped to deal with the influx of cargo, no port, restricted fuel and no trucks."
The IFRC said its head of delegation traveled to the town of Bogalay in the worst-affected areas on Sunday, accompanied by Myanmar Red Cross managers in an assessment mission. The visit had been approved by Myanmar's ministry of health. It was the first time a senior international aid worker went to the region, the organization said.
Aid group World Vision said it has requested visas for 20 people and received approval for two, while the U.N. World Food Program had one approved out of the 16 it requested. Still, the U.N. was making some progress in aid delivery.
[... more with link] YANGON, Myanmar - A Red Cross boat carrying rice and drinking water for cyclone victims sank Sunday, while the death toll jumped to m... more -
Yangon Music School Is Now Disaster Relief Organization
With the whole city devastated, water pumps out, no electricity and no help from the military regime in sight, local organizations are coming together to support each other and provide relief to homeless families.
Gitameit music school, which is normally a local NGO that provides scholarships to students from all over Myanmar as well as outreach programs both by their teachers and their students to orphanages and monastery schools in poor townships of Yangon, is focusing it's resources on disaster relief and is accepting donations that can go directly to helping the people of Yangon.
Please visit the above site for updates and information from inside Yangon on what is being done and how you can help. With the whole city devastated, water pumps out, no electricity and no help from the military regime in sight, local organizations are... more -
UK pledges £5m for Burma relief effort
Britain today pledged an immediate £5m to help the relief effort in Burma and warned the ruling military junta to allow aid agencies proper access to the country.
Douglas Alexander, the secretary of state for international development, said a team of specialists from the Department for International Development (DfID) would also be deployed.
"By any measure, we are talking about an extremely serious humanitarian situation here," he told the BBC's World at One programme.
"But there is another key issue, which is whether we are able to secure the level of access for the international humanitarian effort that is required.
"That's why … we are urging the government of Burma to allow the international community access both for assessment purposes in the first instance and then to provide the relief - the water, the food, the shelter - that's so desperately required by the people affected." Britain today pledged an immediate £5m to help the relief effort in Burma and warned the ruling military junta to allow aid agencies p... more -
Suffolk Tornado Cleanup Begins
After an unprecedented number of tornadoes struck southeastern Virginia, residents of Suffolk are beginning to recover from the damage to their homes.
Operation Blessing is coordinating volunteer cleanup efforts, collaborating with Samaritan's Purse, United Way, Suffolk city government, Mercy Chefs, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, God's Pit Crew, and other local organizations.
The US Navy also lent a hand by volunteering to remove debris and salvage anything of value for the homeowners. After an unprecedented number of tornadoes struck southeastern Virginia, residents of Suffolk are beginning to recover from the damage... more -
Judge: corps of engineers can be sued over Katrina flooding
Since New Orleans has fallen out of the News coverage (except for basketball), some may have forgotten the historic atrocity that was Hurricane Katrina. Scheduling a September 8th trial is just in time for voters to hear all about it. Hopefully those broken homeowners will receive a whole lot more than just another $600 check. Since New Orleans has fallen out of the News coverage (except for basketball), some may have forgotten the historic atrocity that was ... more
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Disaster Relief
