· October, 2010

Stories about Disaster from October, 2010

Haiti: Cholera Outbreak

  29 October 2010

Dying in Haiti says: “Port-au-Prince and its slums do not need a cholera epidemic. I can't hardly think of a worse nightmare. Haiti is beyond fragile at this point and the people are suffering more than I have ever seen.”

Madagascar: Village Burned Down by Highwaymen during Cattle Robbery

  28 October 2010

The villages of Ampasimbe and Ankaenihenibe in Madagascar were attacked by gangs of highwaymen [Fr] (Dahalo in Malagasy) that made away with 18 and 15 zebus respectively. As the Ampasimbe villagers retaliated against the robbers, their village was burned down entirely, partly because of the powerful wind guts at the time.

Barbados: Another Fire

  28 October 2010

The Bajan Reporter posts footage of yet another fire in Barbados, saying: “Something is going on… Apart from Campus Trendz…in the last 21 days there was the Lighthouse in Silver Sands…Cafe Sol…then Sam Lord’s Castle…and now in Bridgetown with a business in broad daylight…is the DPP going to make a...

Haiti: MINUSTAH

  26 October 2010

An experience during a recent protest against the UN peacekeeping mission prompts Mediahacker to say: “Makes you wonder how ordinary Haitians are treated, day in and day out, in places where there are no cameras.”

Flooding disaster in Thailand

  26 October 2010

More than 40 people are now confirmed dead due to rising floodwaters in the northeast and central parts of Thailand. Parts of Bangkok, the country’s capital, are now flooded too. Netizens provide disaster updates through blogs and twitter

Myanmar: Cyclone Giri death toll rises

  26 October 2010

More than 30 died or have been declared missing when Cyclone Giri struck the western coast of Myanmar. The state media claimed that government officials visited the affected region but other reports also mentioned the failure of the government to respond to the relief offer of the international community.

Benin: How to help flood victims

  25 October 2010

How to help flood victims in Benin: “So people are homeless, kids aren’t going to school, and disease is rampant. What can we do from our armchairs? I checked with the USAID director and several other international donors to find out what they’re doing. The relief effort is being lead...

Haiti: Cholera!

  22 October 2010

As a cholera outbreak hits Haiti, bloggers discuss this latest assault on the already besieged country.

Haze envelops Singapore

  22 October 2010

Haze in Singapore and south Malaysia! They blame it on the burning of trees in Sumatra, Indonesia where farmers are preparing for the crop planting season. Residents are coughing and complaining. The haze makes everyone dizzy and the web is buzzing about it

Cyclone Giri hits Myanmar

  22 October 2010

Cyclone Giri struck Myanmar's west Arakan State. The cyclone is stronger than the deadly Cyclone Nargis which hit Myanmar two years ago.

Taiwan:Typhoon Megi Breaks Rainfall Record

  22 October 2010

Zhong Sheng-siung (鐘聖雄) on citizen media “88news.org” is now reporting and uploading first-hand photos from Su-ao in Yilan county where Typhoon Megi has brought more than 1400 mm in just two days. In his post are photos of flooded Su-ao town and rescuers trying to find missing people in a...

Haiti: A Dangerous Balance

  21 October 2010

The Signifyin’ Woman is “intrigued” by Haitian writer Edwidge Danticat's latest “collection of essays on writing (mostly) from the stance of exile, or immigrant”; The Caribbean Review of Books publishes an essay excerpted from the book.

Thailand: Worst flooding in decades

  21 October 2010

Heavy rains in the past weeks produced the worst flooding in many decades in the rural northeast of Thailand. Since October 10, flooding also hit 13 provinces of Thailand. Netizens share their stories and reactions

Brazil: Day by Day in a Favela School

  20 October 2010

Follow Tia Dag's stories on violence, poverty and drugs, in a school in one of Sao Paulo's favelas, Casa do Zezinho, where she educates children, aiming to prevent them from joining Brazilian criminal gangs.

Haiti: Heavy Rains

  19 October 2010

Repeating Islands reports that “ten people have been killed and three others are missing after heavy rains battered Haiti.”