This week, Natural disasters have been occurring all over the world; from earthquakes in Chile, to storms in Western Europe. Alarm bells are ringing in my head as I cannot help but think these are all related to global warming. How long can we avoid the truth about changes in the temperatures, ozone layers and sea levels? We may not be prone to earthquakes, but what about rising sea levels and flooding?
About two million Chileans are believed to have been affected by Saturday's earthquake, the seventh most powerful on record and the worst disaster to befall Chile in 50 years. The death toll currently stands at 711, but Chile’s president Michelle Bachelet warned that number would rise. There were scenes of destruction in isolated coastal towns engulfed by monster waves that were triggered by the 8.8magnitude quake. Bachelet, due to hand power to, President-elect Sebastian Pinera on 11 March, said "We face a catastrophe of such unthinkable magnitude that it will require a giant effort," Food and vital aid are needed in badly-hit areas, especially those which have been cut off by the quake and are only accessible by plane. Chile did not initially request foreign assistance, but Ms Bachelet has subsequently said some offers of aid would be accepted. She said Chile needed field hospitals, temporary bridges, water purification plants, damage assessment experts and rescuers to relieve those already working to find survivors. The Chilean military is attempting to restore order in the country's second largest city, Concepcion, amid looting after Saturday's devastating earthquake. Looters have targeted food warehouses and supermarkets. A curfew has been imposed and police fired tear gas on thieves to protect supplies until deliveries can get through to the hard-hit area. Concepçion, 40 miles north-west of the epicenter, people used bamboo and plastic tubes to siphon petrol from tanks at closed service stations. A pitched battle erupted inside one supermarket, only ending when police and the owners allowed people to take essential items without paying.
Messages were sent to 53 nations and territories by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii after the magnitude 8.8 quake struck. In Japan, the biggest wave hit the northern island of Hokkaido. There were no immediate reports of damage from the 4ft surge, although some piers were flooded. By the time the tsunami hit Hawaii – a full 16 hours after the quake – officials had already spent the morning sounding emergency sirens and ordering residents to higher ground. In Tonga, up to 50,000 people fled inland and there were reports of a wave up to 6.5ft high hitting a small northern island. On New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, officials also reported a 2m wave.
France has declared a national disaster after Western Europe's worst storms in 10 years left 62 people dead. Hurricane-force winds and flooding battered south-west France, leaving more than a million homes without power. The storm also hit Belgium, Portugal, Spain and parts of Germany. There were 51 deaths in France, about half of which were attributed to the breach of the sea wall off the coastal town of L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer, where ocean waters surged up to the roofs of some homes. In Paris, where hundreds of buildings were damaged, winds of 100mph were recorded at the top of the Eiffel Tower. President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and praised the work of rescuers. He will visit the worst-hit areas. "It is a national disaster, a human drama with a terrible death toll," he said.
The health of the world seems to be in great demise, we have been warned about global warming and its deadly effects for decades- which is beyond man’s control but I do not think enough is being done to reduce or reverse its effects. Is it just me or have you noticed that the Harmattan haze, wet and dry seasons all occur in one month? These climate changes are definitely significant and should not be ignored. The last thing Nigeria needs is to find out that our coastal lines are under threat and on the verge of flooding. It seems everyone is more concerned about the current state of President Umar Yar’adua’s health than the health of our country, which affects us individually.
Recently, US President Barack Obama, urged Yar’adua’s health status to be transparent and disclosed to the public. There may be concerns about Obama’s smoking habit and high cholesterol, but at least the entire world knows his health condition, so if he began to deteriorate, we would all know why. In general Obama’s health is great. Nicotine was the only real blemish in the medical check-up published yesterday which concluded he was in excellent health. Doctors at the White House urged him to continue his ‘smoking cessation efforts’ and said he should consider tweaking his diet to help bring down his cholesterol level, which is borderline high.
I hope we begin to take global warming more seriously; we cannot take for granted our geographical position as a blessing. If we do not look after our country, there may not be a country for future generations to come. Once the ozone layer depletes, harmful sun rays are exposed which can cause skin cancer and increase temperatures to uninhabitable conditions. Once such issues are put into perspective, the health condition of one man does not seem nearly as important.
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