Tag: disasters

Waves brought by typhoon Nesat

Big Picture covers the typhoon Nesat that caused havoc in several Asian countries – India, Pakistan, China, Thailand, Philippines.  While most of the pictures there attempt to show the scale of the destruction and suffering, I was mesmerized by this one, which displays the powers of nature.

Texas drought and wildfires

Big Picture, as always, shares some stunning pictures of a natural disaster.  This time Texas drought and wildfires are in focus.  When looking at these images, I can’t stop thinking of people who, instead of running, trying to save their lives, stopped for a moment, set their cameras, framed the image and pressed the shutter button.  I haven’t been in anything even remotely as dangerous as these situations, but even that was enough for me to know that I am not built for journalistic photography.  And I can’t even start to imagine what all those people who’s homes and businesses were in the path of fires feel like.

 

A lesson in geography perhaps, Mr.President?

Cyprus Mail does an extensive coverage of the explosion investigation (several articles, I’m only linking to the one I quote).  The President of Cyprus, Dimitris Christofias, was also questioned and gave a few statements.  Some of his words are rather unbelievable.

Christofias also denied it was him who decided where to put the munitions, adding that he had never visited the Evangelos Florakis naval base at Mari, which neighbours the Vassilikos power station, before the blast. “If I knew the proximity to the power station I would not have accepted them being stored there,” Christofias said.

Say what?  I mean, I can understand that Cyprus is covered with villages big and small, some with duplicate names.  But this place is special.  It is the largest naval base in Cyprus.  And it has the power station that was responsible for about 60% of all power supply. This location must be on every single strategic plan this country has.  This should be one of the things you know before you accept the responsibility of leading this country.  EPIC FAIL.

Pukkelpop festival tragedy in Hasselt, Belgium

Associated Press reports:

HASSELT, Belgium (AP) — The death toll from a fierce thunderstorm that mangled tents and downed trees and scaffolding at an open-air music festival in Belgium has risen to five, officials said Friday.

Hasselt Mayor Hilde Claes said that two more people died overnight. About 140 were injured in the storm, 10 of them seriously, she said.

All the dead were Belgians, Claes said.

Organizers canceled the annual Pukkelpop festival near Hasselt, 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Brussels. Buses and trains were pressed into service to transfer the 60,000 festival goers home.

This is the same Pukkelpop festival that I went to in 2009.  My sincere condolences to the friends and families of the victims.