. Earth Science News .
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
UN to quake-proof schools, hospitals in Nepal

Indonesia quake toll passes 1,000
The official death toll from the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that jolted Indonesia last month passed 1,000 on Wednesday, after buried villages were declared mass graves. The disaster management agency's website put the toll from the quake that struck near the city of Padang on September 30 at 1,115, compared to just over 800 the day before. The figures match earlier United Nations' estimates that about 1,100 people were killed. Indonesian authorities declared seven villages mass graves on Tuesday after relatives gave up all hope of recovering the bodies of their loved ones who were buried alive in landslides. Around 100,000 houses are estimated to have been destroyed, leaving about half a million people homeless.
by Staff Writers
 Kathmandu (AFP) Oct 14, 2009
 The United Nations said Wednesday it would help to protect Nepal's schools and hospitals against earthquakes as it launched a scheme to reduce the impact of natural disasters in the country.

The UN said the risk of natural disasters in Nepal was growing as the population grew and climate change increased flooding and landslides.

Last week, dozens of people died in landslides and flash floods in rugged Nepal, which is also the world's 11th most earthquake-prone country.

"This new initiative is proposed to respond to the increasing risk of natural disasters that, along with growing population densities, will exacerbate the vulnerability of thousands of inhabitants," the UN said in a statement.

The plan is forecast to cost around 135 million dollars, with most of the money coming from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

It will focus on preventing schools and hospitals from collapse during earthquakes, and boosting the country's emergency services and flood prevention.

In 1988, an 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Nepal, killing more than 700 people.

Experts say a major earthquake in the capital Kathmandu, home to around two million people, would be catastrophic, with about two thirds of schools likely to collapse.

Share This Article With Planet Earth
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit
YahooMyWebYahooMyWeb GoogleGoogle FacebookFacebook



Related Links
 Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
A world of storm and tempest
When the Earth Quakes


Memory Foam Mattress Review
SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS
 Solar Energy Solutions
Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ...
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Indian Ocean nations conduct mass tsunami drill
 Ulee Lheue, Indonesia (AFP) Oct 14, 2009
 Sirens wailed and crowds fled across Indian Ocean nations Wednesday in a mass drill simulating a giant tsunami similar to the 2004 disaster that killed about 220,000 people. The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and the Japan Meteorological Agency sent out bulletins for a 9.2-magnitude quake and tsunami to kick off the UN-backed drill, dubbed "Exercise Indian Ocean Wave 09". ... read more






The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2009 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement