Friday, October 9, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Not Having the Best Week Ever: Countries on the Pacific
If there's a side of the world one should avoid right now, it is anything that lies on and along the Pacific Ocean. What's going on? Is 2012 coming sooner than expected or is this a marketing ploy from Sony Pictures? Both ideas are stupid and I'm sorry that I even brought them up.
Since last Saturday, three natural disasters have hit several countries in the Asian-Pacific and South Pacific regions and have claimed, about 1,000 lives (with more missing).
September 26 - Typhoon Ketsana/Ondoy which hit the Philippines on September 26, leaving behind the worst flooding in Metro Manila in the last 40 years. It went on to wreak havoc on Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Septemeber 29 - An undersea earthquake (8.0 magnitude, approx.) trigerred a powerful tsunami which devasted the islands of Samoa and American Samoa in the South Pacific.
September 30 - A 7.6 magnitude earthquake off Indonesia's Sumatra island in the coastal city of Pandang. Indonesia has been a hit by another quake earlier in the month and several lesser quakes have been reported since the 7.6 hit the island.
To a quick lesson on tectonic plates, click here.
Growing up in the Philippines, I have experienced typhoons, earthquakes and a major volcanic eruption. We were lucky enough to be living in an area that was not devastated by any of these natural disasters. I could hardly imagine living in Cainta or Marikina right now and my thoughts and prayers go out to those affected in the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Samoa, American Samoa and Indonesia.
Since last Saturday, three natural disasters have hit several countries in the Asian-Pacific and South Pacific regions and have claimed, about 1,000 lives (with more missing).
September 26 - Typhoon Ketsana/Ondoy which hit the Philippines on September 26, leaving behind the worst flooding in Metro Manila in the last 40 years. It went on to wreak havoc on Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Septemeber 29 - An undersea earthquake (8.0 magnitude, approx.) trigerred a powerful tsunami which devasted the islands of Samoa and American Samoa in the South Pacific.
September 30 - A 7.6 magnitude earthquake off Indonesia's Sumatra island in the coastal city of Pandang. Indonesia has been a hit by another quake earlier in the month and several lesser quakes have been reported since the 7.6 hit the island.
To a quick lesson on tectonic plates, click here.
Growing up in the Philippines, I have experienced typhoons, earthquakes and a major volcanic eruption. We were lucky enough to be living in an area that was not devastated by any of these natural disasters. I could hardly imagine living in Cainta or Marikina right now and my thoughts and prayers go out to those affected in the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Samoa, American Samoa and Indonesia.
Thanks AlJazeera!
A lot of fellow Pinoys have been complaining about the lack of coverage (in the US media) on the Manila floodings. Unless you have TFC or have access to the interwebs, you don't really hear much about it. I am always on Google News and the media outlets that have been covering about the unfortunate disaster comprised mostly of non-American news outlets, well except for CNN and AP. Anyway, if Pinoys want to read more about the typhoons and the devastation it left/will leave the Philippines, they should just head over to AlJazeera.
Snarkiness aside, please help out and donate however much you can. Here are just a couple of sites you could go to send in your help:
Thank you.
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