events like this puts the world in perspective for me…people die and suffer without humans doing it to themselves, which i forget sometimes and assume the only menacing thing in the world is humanity. i feel for the displaced and drowned thousands, but also for the loss of ecosystem and natural beauty in those areas. in more prosperous countries like Japan people avoid these areas (why do you think half the country is left empty?)
on the other hand, the effects of the flooding is exasperated by the intensive farming and shoddy buildings which are due to economic instability and malpractice which is in part inflicted by the west, especially World Bank and the Inernational Monetory Fund, which “we” have control over. so its not just mother nature flexin her muscle.
bet you are well releived, general. it must be horrific for the thousands not so lucky.aye – my family are lucky that they all have fixed and mobile telephones, computers with net connections and can keep in contact, unlike the fishermen and those living in the shanty-towns 🙁
however these quakes have happened for hundreds of years, its only recently due to population growth and unsustainable building and industry (mostly to satisfy the demand worldwide for cheap consumer goods) that people have been living in these areas. in some other countries like Japan they just do not live in the worst areas (people don’t all huddle together in small spaces for the fun of it!)
And although we don’t get earthquakes very often in the UK (there are a few minor tremors though) I could show you loads of housing estaes and other places in Reading that are in the Thames flood plain….
its also really gonna effect the economy as its hit the tourist areas badly – but perhaps some good can come of it if people finally realise they can’t keep on rinsing the environment?
