The latest on the quake in Nepal

More than 1,800 dead as magnitude-7.8 quake rocks Nepal

A powerful earthquake — the country's worst in 80 years — rocked mountainous Nepal on Saturday, killing more than 1,800 people and leveling buildings and centuries-old temples. Dozens if not hundreds remained trapped under mounds of rubble.

Hospitals in the capital of Katmandu were so crowded that many of the injured were treated outside in the open, according to local media. The magnitude-7.8 quake, which shook a wide swath of northern India, Bangladesh, Tibet and Pakistan, also triggered avalanches in the Himalayas, killing at least 10 people on Mount Everest.

Nepal police said at least 1,805 people were killed. Given the scale of the destruction, the death toll was expected to rise. An emergency Cabinet meeting designated 29 districts as crisis zones, the Home Affairs Ministry said.

I was very sorry to see the horrible tragedy unfolding in Nepal

due to an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected.

Nepal quake kills more than 1,000 and spreads terror on Everest: Hundreds die in Kathmandu rubble, while avalanches on Everest trap tourists and climbers

More than a thousand people were killed by a powerful earthquake that struck Nepal on Saturday. The earthquake – which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale – wrecked houses, levelled centuries-old temples and triggered avalanches on Mount Everest. At least 18 people were killed on the mountain, and hundreds of tourists and guides are now trapped or buried in snow and ice there as rescue parties struggle to reach them.

One climber, Alex Gavan, tweeted that he had to run for his life after an avalanche struck Everest’s base camp and reported that many had died and many more were badly injured. He appealed for urgent help to save those hurt. Mohan Krishna Sapkota, a government official, also appealed for help for Nepal. “We are facing a tremendous crisis here and it is hard to even assess what the death toll and the extent of damage could be,” he said.

Still a bleak outlook, one year later

Japan’s 3/11 Triple Catastrophe Endures in Broken Families, Divided Towns

Chikako Abe’s desk is decorated with flowers and candy at her school in Minamisoma, a reminder of a 17-year-old life cut short a year ago. Instead of attending a graduation ceremony this month, her family will pray tomorrow at the ruins of a house where the sea snatched away the lives of Chikako, her father and two grandparents.

It's hard to believe that a year has gone by since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster hit Japan. Oeconomic, cultural, and bureaucratic issues are hampering recovery, but on the other hand, can we really expect any nation to bounce back quickly with such a triple disaster, especially given the lingering uncertainty of radiation?

My thoughts tonight are with the people whose lives were changed forever by this disaster, people who lost family, homes, and livelihoods, and also trust of their government to protect them.

Japan marks 1 year since quake, tsunami disaster

Japan on Sunday was remembering the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck the nation one year ago, killing just over 19,000 people and unleashing the world's worst nuclear crisis in a quarter century.

Along the tsunami-battered northeastern coast, in Tokyo and elsewhere, memorial ceremonies were planned to mark 2:46 p.m. — the precise moment the magnitude-9.0 earthquake hit on March 11, 2011.

The quake was the strongest recorded in Japan's history, and set off a tsunami that towered more than 65 feet (20 meters) in some spots along the northeastern coast, destroying thousands of homes and wreaking widespread destruction.

Today, some 325,000 people rendered homeless remain in temporary housing. While much of the debris has been gathered into massive piles, very little rebuilding has begun.

I think people are forgetting about Haiti

Haiti still under rubble 18 months after quake

According to an interview with anthropologist, physician, and author Dr Paul Farmer, 600-700,000 people are still living in settlement camps, rubble still needs to be removed, rebuilding is a long way from happening, and cholera is taking an awful toll on the country.

Wish I wasn't as big or they were bigger

Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, who is Japanese-American, has designed a couple of T-shirts to benefit the people who went through the Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami. One says 'Not Alone' with the colours of the Japanese flag in the letters and the Linkin Park symbol done small to the right. The other has a white origami butterfly on a black t-shirt with the Linkin Park symbol underneath. I particularly like that one. Unfortunately, they only go up to extra-large. I do best in a 2X-3X.

If you're a fan of Linkin Park and would like to donate to Music for Relief, the t-shirts are $25.00. You can view them here.

The following song plays on that page, the exact song that came to my mind when the earthquake and tsunami happened.

Are you ready for the Central US ShakeOut?

Central U.S. plans earthquake drill

It happens at 10:15 CDT (that's 11:15 for those of us in Eastern) and lots of schools and other organisations will be participating. Unfortunately the hospital won't, but then I think they're a little wearied seeing as they spent over an hour in the safe halls during two tornado warnings yesterday, so maybe it's just as well. I did pass it on. I think it's an excellent idea.

People don't really realise it, but several states in the Central US (including Kentucky) may be affected by a strong earthquake from the New Madrid fault. At one point, a quake from New Madrid made the Mississippi seem to run backwards.

The 1811 and 1812 earthquakes centered in the New Madrid, Mo., area caused little damage because the area was sparsely populated then, says Michael Blanpied, associate coordinator of the U.S. Geological Survey's earthquake hazards program. The largest of those quakes probably was about magnitude 7.0, he says.

A similar quake now "will cause damage and will cause disruption," he says. The New Madrid zone is "the most active seismic area in the continental U.S. east of the Rockies," he says. Over the next 50 years, the likelihood of a magnitude-6.0 quake is 25%-40% and the probability of a magnitude-7.0 or greater temblor is one in 10, Blanpied says.

Participants in today's drill include businesses, schools and residents of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee. Indiana conducted its drill April 19. They are modeled on California's annual ShakeOut, which began in 2008, says Brian Blake of the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, a non-profit group that coordinates earthquake planning.

There is also the Wabash Valley Seismic zone on the border of Indiana and Illinois. So between them, we have potential earthquake activity to consider. Given the recent quakes in places like Japan, Haiti, and New Zealand, it's important to remember how to respond to quakes and seek cover.

The Great Central US ShakeOut page has more information. You've got about 2 1/2 hours to prepare. That's more than most people get. Remember, it's hard to react well in a disaster without some forethought. Yesterday I couldn't find the flashlight/radio that I'd had sitting out just in case of a tornado warning, and I couldn't get the FM radio on my phone for some reason. It's always good to have a backup plan.

A blessing after 9 days

80-year-old Japanese woman and grandson rescued from rubble

An 80-year-old woman and her 16-year-old grandson were rescued Sunday after being buried under rubble for nine days after the worst recorded earthquake in Japanese history and a massive tsunami toppled their home.

Thinking of Japan...

Please help.

Please don't be a triple disaster

Earthquake, tsunami, and now fears of a nuclear meltdown...

In Japan, fears of a threat no one can see

Meltdown fear after nuclear plant blast

Reactor not damaged in Japan nuclear plant explosion

Radiation leaks from Japan's quake-hit nuclear plant

Also...

9,500 unaccounted for in Japanese port city: report

More than 9,500 people are unaccounted for in Minamisanriku, a town of some 17,000 people, Japan's Kyodo News agency reported Saturday.

Horrific

Daybreak reveals huge devastation in tsunami-hit Japan

Japan confronted devastation along its northeastern coast on Saturday, with fires raging and parts of some cities under water after a massive earthquake and tsunami that likely killed at least 1,000 people.

Daybreak revealed the full extent of damage from Friday's 8.9 magnitude earthquake -- the strongest in Japan since records began -- and the 10-meter high tsunami it sent surging into cities and villages, sweeping away everything in its path.

Words fail me. I've been monitoring the story on and off throughout the day, but I can't imagine just how destructive the earthquake and tsunami were, and what things are like for the Japanese people at the moment. May those still alive be rescued, the nuclear reactor cooled without further harm, and there be everything there needs to be to help them recover from this disaster.

Here are some ways to help:

How To Help Japan: Earthquake Relief Options

It's bad when you fall asleep in the middle of a post

Yesterday evening I was writing and received a phone call, talked for a bit, and went to return and found that I was very sleepy and thought I might 'lie down for just an hour'. How many times have we heard that one? That was at 8 pm. I got up briefly at 2:30 am to take my insulin, but stayed asleep for the most part till 8 this morning. And I feel so much better, because I got real rest. So here's what I was writing....

I got home an hour early because of a snafu with the system I use for data entry. I waited around an hour to see if it would come back up and then a co-worker took me home through the wind and the snow (the ground's too warm for it to stick, but it's a little stinging on the face). I didn't manage to pay my rent this morning, so I dropped it off at the office, albeit after they closed. I'll check tomorrow to make sure they got it--there was a bit of a tailwind when I put it through the slot. But it's a cashier's cheque made specifically out to them by the bank, so if it's cashed I should have proof of payment. I got the cashier's cheque free instead of paying the $5 for a money order because the teller was visiting with her co-workers and was so mortified that I'd waited since she had not seen me. I was fine with everything, and didn't feel put out, but I'll gladly take the discount.

The shadow money is on its way out of my account; the reversal is pending. That leaves me enough for the IRS (I'm afraid to make the cheque out for the 25th but send it earlier without the money to cover it; I don't get paid until the 24th, so I'm making sure I have enough in the bank in case it goes through early--they want me to send it by the 15th so it gets there in time), and my phone bills. There's not enough to pay my cable bill until the 24th, and that may be iffy, but they won't cut it off entirely so I may just have restricted services for a few days. I'm on time with everything else.

Now that I know how much I'm making (roughly, as I get a shift differential, too) with the new raise, I'm working out a budget. It's a tight budget, leaving me with, well, about $30 a month discretionary income. I've been spending too much money on food at work and need to start bringing my lunch. The most other obvious cut would be my Vonage phone, but my cell phone can only handle so long of a conversation or so many calls before recharging and I also like having a phone for things like doctors' reminders so I don't get bothered when I'm out and about. Plus I can call anywhere at anytime and it's not extra and uses no minutes. The one drawback is that if my electricity or cable is out, so is my home phone. But Vonage has been very good to me; they once gave me a free month when I couldn't pay them a few years ago, rather than letting repeated attempts to debit from my account cause multiple overdraughts.

Now back to this morning. I checked, and everything's fine rent-wise. It's sunny and supposed to stay so today, although cool. When I went to the Weather Channel's site just now, I saw the story for the massive earthquake in Japan and the accompanying tsunami.

Here's what one seismologist said about the quake:

The magnitude 8.9 earthquake that struck Friday off the coast of Japan "is going to be among the top 10 earthquakes recorded since we have had seismographs," said seismologist Susan Hough of the US Geological Survey in Pasadena. "It's bigger than any known historic earthquake in Japan, and bigger than expectations for that area."

At least Japan is one of the most earthquake-prepared countries. I hope that minimises the impact and damage, although it looks like it's still just incredibly big and therefore destructive. Plus there are tsunami warnings all around the Pacific, so this has the potential to be quite deadly, and although the last figure I heard was 60 for deaths in Japan, that number is obviously going to go up as the damage is assessed and more buildings are searched. My thoughts go out to the people of Japan and those in the path of the tsunami.

Remembering

Today marks the first anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. Please take a few moments from your busy day to remember those who were killed, those who struggle today, and those who are in country to help.

One year out and things are kind of grim--an not just because of the cholera epidemic. According to Wikipedia:

A few days before the January 12, 2011 anniversary of the quake Oxfam published a report on the status of the recovery. According to the report, relief and recovery are at a standstill due to inaction from the government and indecision on the part of the donor countries. Robert Fox, executive director with Oxfam Canada, said, "The dysfunction has been aided unabated by the way the international community has organized itself, where pledges have been made and they haven't followed through [and] where they come to the table with their own agendas and own priorities." According to a UNICEF report, "Still today more than one million people remain displaced, living in crowded camps where livelihoods, shelter and services are still hardly sufficient for children to stay healthy". The Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, set up in April 2010 and led by former US President Bill Clinton and Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive to facilitate the flow of funds toward reconstruction projects and to help Haitian ministries with implementation, have, so far, started no major reconstruction. Only 2% to 4% of the rubble has been cleared, and then likely just moved to the road in front of the property. Amnesty International reports that armed men prey with impunity on girls and women in displacement camps, worsening the trauma of having lost homes, livelihoods and loved ones.

There's still such a long way to go, but it can only be accomplished by us all working together. Check out the American Institute of Philanthropy's ratings for groups with an established presence in Haiti, which includes 'grades'. The two I donated to last year, the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders//Médecins Sans Frontières (USA), were both listed. The Red Cross has an A- and MSF-USA has an A.

The AIP also includes links to how to donate safely, information on scams, etc.

They say misfortune comes in threes--pray for Haiti

Earthquake...cholera...tropical storm

Tropical storm Tomas taking torrential rains to Haiti

Apparently there is a saying in Haiti: 'We are bamboo. We bend, but we don’t break.' I see proof of that every day, but as one UN official put it (and I may be paraphrasing--I don't have the quote at hand), 'Can't this country get a break?'

My thoughts and prayers are with them. I think another donation to MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières)/Doctors Without Borders is in order.

How very...odd

NASA: Chile quake shortened earth's days, bumped planet off axis

No, it's not crackpot science--it's from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at NASA. Give a bunch of engineers a 'what-if' scenario and they calculate things. In this case, we're talking microseconds and milliarcseconds, but it should be measurable over time. Anyway, I did learn what the Earth's figure axis was in all that. :)

More on the uphill battle amputees will face in Haiti--and the people who are trying to help them

Haiti amputees face dire quest for prosthetics: Prosthetics groups promise help in a land where disability can mean death

I'm intrigued by this:

An engineering professor, Gonzalez has created a durable, easy-to-make artificial leg that is fashioned of hard plastic and can be repaired with nuts and bolts from a hardware store. It costs about $15 to make, compared to about $2,000 for the cheapest leg in the U.S., and it can withstand the rugged geography and the dirt, heat and humidity of a place like Haiti.

“You have to have a knee that’s pretty robust,” says Gonzalez, who already operates programs in Sierra Leone, Bangladesh and Senegal.

Prosthetic legs in America can cost upwards to $4,000. For a child, legs must be made over time as he or she grows. I read somewhere that the average wage for a Haitian is about $1 per day. They will need these groups to help the estimated 4,000 amputees who were fortunate not to lose their lives, but face the possibility of being abandoned as pariahs or burdens in their community.

The Haitian chaos continues, but there is hope

A Haitian's Quest to Save His Family


Man Rescued Alive After Haiti Calls Off Searches

More on Haiti:

Just in case you're one of those people that think Twitter is useless

Twitter used to help land plane with aid for Haiti earthquake victims

Doctors without Borders has a Twitter account, and they tweeted their frustration that one of their planes had been turned away (carrying a collapsible field hospital) and had to land in the Dominican Republic to try to make it over land, and another plane was in the air and in danger of being turned away as well (there were problems with planes crowding the available space on the ground).

Their followers picked up and retweeted the info, and a lot of them tweeted to the United State Air Force Twitter account, demanding that the plane be allowed to land. The Air Force replied that it was working on the problem. Eventually the plane, carrying vital medical supplies, was allowed to land. So as far as I'm concerned, go Twitter!

Obviously, I've been thinking of Haiti a lot lately

This political cartoon depicts how the Haitian earthquake reminds us of the things we have that they do not--clean, potable water on demand, health care, loved ones, and let's not forget the money that can help provide the necessities of life to the island nation and its people.

If you haven't given yet to the cause, please consider a small amount to an established charity. Food, water, and medical supplies are desperately needed, and getting the aid to the people who need it is improving. It is one thing to have so many thousands die in the quake. It is another that additional deaths will happen due to infection, dehydration, hunger, or being trapped too long. We need to do everything we can to prevent that which is preventable, to minimise this tragedy as much as humanly possible, and to reach out to our sisters and brothers in this time of need.

For more on the current state of the Haitian crisis, read:
Help steps up, but so does scale of Haiti tragedy: Authorities estimate 200,000 dead, 1.5 million homeless

Going through my Google Reader feeds

Dozens of elderly closer to death than rescue: Nursing home is near airport but also deep inside a maze of angry refugees

Senegal offers land to Haitians

Nine cameraman sorry for missing Haiti girl rescue footage: An Australian television cameraman apologised to his news director for missing images of a baby rescue in Haiti because he had put his camera down to help the infant, it has emerged

Haiti's voodoo priests object to mass burials

Stop using the word “looting!”

What constitutes “looting” in an area that has been reduced to rubble? Not waiting in front of a collapsed grocery store for the cashier to return? I suppose people should not eat until they have the opportunity to pay someone for food? Is that what “civilized” people would do?

Girl killed, 4,000 homeless in Manila slum fire: Blaze guts hundreds of shanties near Philippines capital

Mauritania fatwa bans female genital mutilation

Were mixed Christian-Jewish marriages possible in late medieval Poland?

NASA: Options dwindling for Mars Spirit rover: NASA exploring Mars rover options, including making Spirit a static lab

Is it really doomsday for books? Not while English casts its spell: Economic and technological changes have freed the English language from the shackles of empire and expanded its reach still wider (Thanks, birdie)

Iraq reclaims a Jewish history it once shunned (Thanks, Steven)

Science project prompts SD [San Diego] school evacuation
(On Slashdot: garg0yle writes:

"Police in San Diego were called to investigate an 11-year-old's science project, consisting of 'a motion detector made out of an empty Gatorade bottle and some electronics,' after the vice-principal came to the conclusion that it was a bomb. Charges aren't being laid against the youth, but it's being recommended that he and his family 'get counseling.' Apparently, the student violated school policies — I'm assuming these are policies against having any kind of independent thought?")

Nor is the danger over

Aftershock Shakes Port-au-Prince

A short while ago a 4.5 magnitude aftershock briefly interrupted rescue efforts as rescuers had to withdraw from shaky buildings and then return to voices they'd heard in the rubble.