Saturday, May 30, 2009

Slow Saturday Special: Cyclone Strike

What I have noticed is a disturbing pattern of the Globe ignoring weather-related catastrophes lately; must be because global-warming is fizzling.

And yet, when they do present them, its on a Slow Saturday!


"Death toll rises in South Asia cyclone" by Associated Press | May 30, 2009

Pavel Rahman/Associated PressVillagers stood in line yesterday to collect fresh water in Shatkhira, Bangladesh.

Villagers stood in line yesterday to collect fresh water in Shatkhira, Bangladesh. (Pavel Rahman/Associated Press)

CALCUTTA - Hundreds of thousands of people flooded out of their homes by deadly Cyclone Aila crowded government shelters in eastern India and Bangladesh yesterday, and officials said the risk of disease outbreaks was growing. The death toll from Monday's cyclone rose to 264 people in the two countries.

In India, the cyclone left 500,000 homeless, said B.C. Patra, a senior official in West Bengal state's Emergency Relief Department. More than 130,000 are crowded in government-run camps, and relief officials are using aircraft and boats to deliver food, water, and medicine to others sheltering in schools, office buildings, or friends' homes, he said.

Cyclones = concentratioon camps, who knew?

Seems like everything is heading that way in this world, no matter what government, 'er, country, doesn't it?

Of course, they are only there to help.

Bangladesh's Food and Disaster Management Ministry has stopped announcing the number of displaced people, but yesterday said several thousand people were still in shelters. The ministry put the death toll at 147 in Bangladesh, though media reports said at least 178 people have died. Most drowned or were washed away when storm surges hit coastal areas.

Can you imagine the terror, Amurkn?

I guess Gulf Coast folks would:

Big Easy is Booming

Big Easy Goes Bust

Btw, Who Remembers Ike?

The official death toll in India stood at 117, Patra said. Medical teams fear an outbreak of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and typhoid from a lack of clean drinking water. Many village wells have been submerged by salty water, making them unfit for drinking, officials said.

--more--"

Why did it take four days to update us, Globe?

Aren't those people important?

FLASHBACK:

"Cyclone triggers tidal surge, floods in southern Asia" By Reuters | May 26, 2009

CALCUTTA - A cyclone slammed into parts of Bangladesh and eastern India yesterday, triggering tidal surges and flooding that forced half a million people from their homes and killed almost three dozen.

Officials in coastal Bangladesh moved about 500,000 people to temporary shelters after they left their homes to escape huge tidal waves churned up by winds of up to 60 miles an hour.

Bangladesh must be a horror show right now(already one of the poorest nations on the planet and constantly whipsawed by storms and floods) since the government has clammed-up on the displaced.

Btw, When Was the Last Time You Heard About.... Bangladesh?, anyway?

Heavy rains triggered by the storm also raised river levels and burst mud embankments in the Sundarbans Delta, in the neighboring eastern Indian state of West Bengal. The affected area is home to hundreds of thousands of people as well as the world's biggest tiger reserve.

The animals -- if they made it -- must be freaking!

Better watch out, human; they will be hungry.

The cyclone killed at least 33 people, including 18 in West Bengal, officials from the two countries said. Most victims either drowned or were killed in house collapses or crushed under uprooted trees.

Indian Oil Corp. suspended operations of its single-point mooring facility at Paradip port in eastern India, while authorities shut down operations at Bangladesh's main ports of Chittagong and Mongla....

Oh, yeah, you know, the IMPORTANT STUFF!!!

That's OFFENSIVE to even bring OIL into this!!!!!

--more--"

Well, here is one benefit to a printed paper: A photo that makes it nowhere near the web version.

Caption:


"Cyclone Relief Efforts Slowed.... Villagers in Bangladesh awaited help yesterday as heavy rains slowed rescue attempts in the aftermath of Cyclone Alia. The storm destroyed thousands of homes and stranded millions of people in flooded villages before it began to ease Tuesday. The death toll is at least 191 people, and officials said it is likely to rise (Boston Globe May 28 2009)."

Description:
There are at least seven beautiful Bangladeshi women of all ages wrapped in their saris with legions of people behind them. A clip-and saver.

As for America,
the country is damn near underwater and they have ignored it -- save for one day:


"After the flood, two cities need plans for millions of bags of sand"

"W. Virginia mobilizes Guard to help residents after flood"

Also see:

Oh, and don't forget the fires that never go out
:

"Calif. firefighters credit residents for limited losses"

Btw, whatever happened in
Brazil, Globe?

See what I mean about no follow-up while garbage stories are printed (I don't cover the whole paper, folks)?


Also see: Boston Globe Admits Global Cooling... in a Brief!

Sunday Globe Cheek Sneak

What I Found at the Newsstand