Disaster Central

Build a Bug-out Box – Just in Case

Find yourself facing a disaster at home with a stocked fridge and chances are you’ll not be overly worried. However, find yourself stranded in your car at least 100 miles from anywhere hospitable and it won’t be long before you wonder whether you can eat the upholstery and drink the windscreen-washer fluid. The answer? Build yourself a bug-out to keep in the car at all times, with a few basics such as water, canned meat, chocolate, first aid supplies, a torch, batteries and the like – you’ll pray you’ll never need it, but boy will you be glad if you do!

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Emperor Penguins on the Brink of Disaster

Emperor Penguins on the Brink of DisasterAs millions remain tied up with their own concerns as to how global warming may affect the human race and the supply of contemporary designer jewellery in the centuries to come, a certain feathered and truly adorable species is well and truly on the brink of disaster already. Fans of “March of the Penguins” take not, as the iconic Emperor penguin is facing an increasingly bleak future if current trends continue, according to leading scientific groups. Indeed, if you though the penguins already had it tough after watching the movie, the prospect of imminent extension suddenly makes the cold winters pale in comparison.

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Disaster Brazil: all pull together

In early January in Brazil, the usually happy and cultured atmosphere of dance and flamboyance was attacked with a disaster that will never be erased from the peoples'consciousness. At first it seemed like just any other period of heavy rain — something the country has long since been able to deal and generally cope with — but quickly it became clear that a massive tragedy was taking place; something unstoppable that hadn’t been predicted. Rio de Janeiro bore the full force of this horror, and before the time was up as many as 500 people had been killed.

As well as killing people, the heavy rain washed the land away, including many peoples livelihoods and jobs. All kinds of employment were affected, including technology related companies like data cleaning services and more traditional forms of employment. Virtually overnight, Brazil became a mass grave where people lie buried in mud and life as they country knew it ground to a stand-still.

The government urged all those unaffected to donate blood to worthy causes…

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Natural Disasters: Turkey

There is absolutely no doubt to the fact that natural disasters have become more common in the past few years, may it be in the form of earthquake, landslides, floods, hurricane or draught. Thousands of people are dying every year due to natural disasters. Unfortunately, even with the help of all the developments we have made with science, we are absolutely helpless when natural disasters strike. The only difference technology can make is providing relief features after the tragedy has struck. However, avoiding death is impossible.

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Short Term Relief – Not Enough When Disaster Strikes

It is a sad truth that we never sustain the sense of sympathy and the desire to do something for those who have been hit by natural disasters for a long time. Who talks of the Japanese earthquake anymore? Have all the problems gone away? There is usually an outpouring of aid and assistance from the masses immediately after a natural disaster. However, we go back to our jobs and tasks without bothering about the long term consequences of the disaster.

Japanese companies are still facing power cuts because they are not getting sufficient power from the nuclear plant. Does this mean we should send power to Japan? Well, it is not that we lack the technology to transmit electricity over long distances. By simply reducing our consumption and selling the excess to Japan, we can make a difference. Whether this is feasible or not is irrelevant because we choose not to. Beyond a certain level, we are not prepared to give up our luxuries and amenities for others.

On the other hand, there are those who leave their well established jobs and that take up care jobs in places that have been hit by natural disasters. Some are motivated by religious reasons while others see the futility of trying to live a life where a big wave from the ocean can destroy everything.

We have been tinkering with the natural system and we will have to bear the consequences of the same. Huge cities at the coast are particularly susceptible to this problem. In such a scenario, we should learn to give more in the consistent and sustainable manner to those who suffer from natural calamities.

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Disasters – Relying On Media Is Not Wise

I think it is a mistake to rely on visual and print media for information about the various disasters affecting our planet. When I was taking a holiday in one of the best hotels in Looe, I was horrified by the repeated images of the Japan disaster. The nuclear plant in Japan had suffered a catastrophic due to the earthquake and the tsunami.
However, I now see news channels focusing on the volcano eruption in Chile. Nobody cares for the problem that continues in Japan. Nobody is interested since there is no scope for a massive explosion that will cause nuclear material to be propelled into the atmosphere.
The Japanese have got a semblance of control over the crisis and are slowly trying to overcome the problem. There is no big story waiting to happen for the newspapers and that is why they do not care. This does not mean the disaster has ended, right? It is now that the Japanese need our support more than ever. To ignore it simply because you don’t see images on the television would be a very insensitive act.
Thankfully, the internet serves as a medium where people can interact directly with each other without any intermediaries. This is a smart move because it will help focus the concern and convert the same into action. This will provide real relief to all those who were affected by the crisis. Contacting people who are in need of assistance and providing the same through the internet will be a great way of doing something tangible to tackle the crisis.

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Is it all our fault?

As someone who has been involved in aid-work off and on for the last fifteen years, probably the first question I get asked – after “is there any money in aid-work, then?” – is “so is it all our fault that the planet hates us?”

My answer is usually very brief for 2 reasons. 1) I don’t honestly know and 2) would my opinion really help?

Well, I have come to the conclusion that actually my opinion might help. Because although it may sound harsh, it may also wake a few people up. So here goes nothing.

In many ways, we have caused these natural disasters. At least in my opinion. After all, we have pumped stuff into the atmosphere for many years, and none of us would ever dream of giving up flying for good. But then again, what you must understand with the world is that it has been around much longer than us, obviously. And it’s due to this fact, and our brevity on Earth, that we just don’t have enough information to really conclude any absolutely bona-fide results. That’s to say that we don’t know yet how much is our fault – what we do know, though, and with clarity, is that we have accelerated any problems that were already there.

Now, that’s possibly a bit vaguer than you hoped, but there it is. It can’t be helped. And that is likely to be how it remains too, until the papers stop printing news about armed forces insurance and the never-ending war in Iraq.

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Tornadoes

Tornadoes struck the southern part of the United States and left disaster in their wake. People have always been fascinated by tornadoes and the damage that it does. It quickly comes destroys and leaves communities homeless to pick up the broken pieces.
A tornado is a dangerous rotating wind of column that comes in touch with the ground, hitting its base from the skies, as it descends beautifully in a circular motion, in the form of a thunderstorm.

Tornadoes often hits the eastern and southern United States during this time of year.
The state of Alabama was brutally hit with this recent storm. Alabama and other southern states have seen the deadliest storms in the last three decades. Over three hundred people have died in the last storm that hit at the end of April. Tornadoes caught on film can look beautiful but it is one of natures most devastating phenomena. So during a tornado you much rather be in an auberges de jeunesse Amsterdam.

There are warning signs that alert us about tornadoes and they should be paid serious attention. When a tornado is coming you must take steps to protect you and your family.
If you have a basement in your home make your way towards it. In case you can’t go to lower ground stay in a closed space away from windows. Do everything you can to stay safe, listen carefully to the radio to hear where the storm is at and the guidelines. After the storm has gone be sure to help others to the best of your ability if they need help.
Tornadoes leave so much damage so be sure it is safe before venturing out.

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Will global economy be Affected by The Japan Disaster ?

After the disastrous earthquake and tsunami in Japan on March 11, 2011, the immediate concern was disaster relief and saving lives. As that effort continues, other questions have begun to be raised, including, “Will the global economy be affected by the disaster in Japan?”

While global stock markets did show a downturn immediately after news of the disaster hit, that is not an indication of the longer term effects of the disaster on the global economy. While there is a risk of a Japanese recession affecting the world economy, economists believe that the reconstruction effort will help the Japanese economy recover fairly quickly, sparing any lasting negative effects on the rest of the world.

The region most affected by the disaster does contain manufacturing and agricultural production, and manufacturing plants further away from the immediate disaster zone have shut down temporarily as well, which could have an effect on the global economy since high-value components such as computer chips and auto parts are produced in Japan. A halt in production in Japan could cause temporary delays in production worldwide since factories around the world may need Japanese components and supplies to operate. These delays are uncertain at this time, but experts predict delays should be fairly short, as the components are produced elsewhere in the world.

The problems surrounding the Japanese nuclear plants are escalating and this has left may wondering how big an impact will this event have on the radiation levels not only in Japan but worldwide. Many are now seeing that maybe an alternative energy source is now necessary. What that means is that cost concerns like those over solar panel prices can no longer be a shackle.

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After the emergency

Unfortunately there are natural disasters occurring somewhere in the world, almost every day. The massive oil spill from the Macondo well has only just been fully controlled, Haiti is still struggling to recover after the devastating earthquake and parts of Australia are currently suffering severe floods. Even the UK has been brought to a standstill thanks to the harsh winter weather that has covered the country.
When the news channels first start reporting that a natural disaster is happening, there is always an initial influx of help; doctors and nurses, rescue teams and food supplies are all rushed into the affected area to try and minimise the impact of the earthquake, flood or volcanic eruption. But once the situation is under control and the TV cameras have left, the country still needs to rebuild its infrastructure and return people to their normal lives, and they can suddenly find that the outside help has dried up.
One of the most important things to get re-established is fuel supplies. Depending on the climate of the country involved, the priorities may be home heating oil or fuel for generating electricity. Without electricity hospitals and government cannot operate, water supplies cannot be cleaned; life generally cannot have a hope of returning to normal unless fuel supplies return to normal.
Emergency help is obviously vital to save as many lives as possible and to give those survivors the best possible chance of recovering from the disaster. But these countries, many of which are poor, still need outside help for many months, and even years, before their lives can be anything like normal again. The western nations need to commit more long-term support to countries affected by national disasters and not just depart when the media decide the story is no longer newsworthy. Just because the cameras leave doesn’t mean all the problems have been solved.

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