The Pakistan 2005 earthquake occurred on October 8. It can be called 10/8 after the naming tradition of the 9/11 disaster.
BTW, the 2004 Tsunami happened on December 26. We can call it 12/26.
Here's an update on 10/8:
"First batch of quake survivors leave relief camp
Web posted at: 3/11/2006 2:1:37
Source ::: AFP Kashmiri earthquake survivors participating in Friday
prayers outside the destroyed Sayed Ahmed Jamia Mosque in Balakot, some
30km from Muzaffarabad, yesterday.
MUZAFFARABAD: More than 250 Pakistani quake survivors left a tent camp
to return to their village homes yesterday, the first major batch to do
so since October's disaster, officials said.
Some 29 families who had been living for months in Bela Noor Shah camp
in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, set off
for the Neelum valley, camp management commissioner Sardar Muhammad
Nawaz Khan said.
"This is the first ever batch to leave for their home towns since they
were sheltered in tented villages after the catastrophic October 8
earthquake,' Khan said.
The massive 7.6-magnitude temblor left at least 73,000 people dead and
displaced 3.5 million people in northern Pakistan and Pakistani
Kashmir. At least 1,300 also died in Indian Kashmir.
The families being repatriated consist of 251 people, 45 per cent of
whom are women and children, Khan said after seeing them off.
"We have provided them with transport facilities so they can carry
items provided by the government and by non-governmental organisations
for rebuilding their respective areas,' Khan added.
"We are leaving voluntarily so that we can rehabilitate our home towns
once again,' 0said Syed Bilal Shah, 45, before heading for the remote
village of Serli Sacha. But some survivors said they still faced an
uncertain future.
Bibi Nusrat, 42, said she lacked the necessary construction materials
to rebuild her family home in Bandi Sacha village.
"We are leaving the tents but we should be provided with corrugated
sheets for building shelters in our native towns.' The exodus from
Muzaffarabad comes shortly after the United Nations said that a feared
second wave of deaths following the quake had been averted, partly due
to a mild and dry winter.
The UN said the initial phase of providing immediate relief for
earthquake survivors was drawing to an end and that the "reconstruction
phase' would begin in April."
Just for the archive, this article talks about the problem of now housing the 5 million instant homeless.
Dick
====================
China freezes some steel prices for quake rebuilding
6 Jun, 2008, 1415 hrs IST, REUTERS
BEIJING: Nine Chinese provinces have temporarily frozen prices of certain construction steel and other products as the country scrambles to build emergency housing in quake-hit Sichuan, but analysts said the move is unlikely to seriously distort China's steel market. A 7.9-magnitude earthquake on May 12 destroyed a swathe of Sichuan province, leaving more than 80,000 dead or missing and 5 million homeless.
China has launched a massive relief effort, and local and central government officials stress that housing is now the most urgent concern. Prices of colour-coated steel sheet, hot-rolled steel coil, steel tube, steel strip, polystyrene and tent-making materials have been frozen at pre-quake levels in areas including Liaoning, Hubei and Shanghai, the China Iron and Steel Association said on its website this week. The areas are home to some of China's largest state-owned steel mills, which are expected to contribute to the effort. Relief teams are expected to build 1.5 million homes by August 10, with government construction bureaus across China contributing to the effort.
Mills should supply directly to the bureaus, limiting the opportunity for the price controls to be abused. "The real construction hasn't even begun. This seems like a lot but pre-fab housing doesn't really use much steel," said Henry Liu, of Macquarie Research.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Guest column -- Burma and Cyclone Nargis: Is Anybody There? By Nora Rowley
Is anybody there, does anybody care?”
Line from musical play 1776.
The secondary death toll from the Burmese junta’s blocking Cyclone Nargis survivors from receiving abundantly offered and supplied international humanitarian aide goes beyond negligent homicide or laissez-faire/passive extermination.
Cholera outbreaks have been confirmed in areas devastated by Cyclone Nargis. A report is circulating that the Myanmar military made an announcement that all aid has been delivered and therefore, relief efforts are done. The UN says that only 25 % of cyclone victims have received the most rudimentary of aid rations. Reports and photos document the rotten rice being handed out to starving cyclone victims by Myanmar’s military. At the same time, photos document government workers loading sacks of good quality rice for shipment to Bangladesh for the ruling military’s profit.
The military has handed out plain biscuits to starving survivors while the high-energy biscuits donated by the UN’s World Food Program remain in storage.
Foreign aid workers are refused entry to areas where the most destitute and needy survivors are. Burmese laymen and aid workers have been stopped, harassed, arrested, turned back and robbed of their truckloads of relief goods by the military and its allies.
Traumatized and economically devastated cyclone survivors are forced to leave refugee camps. They are ordered to go back where their homes were before cyclone Nargis, without food, clean water, money, or materials for shelter, let alone reconstruction. Some rations and supplies can be bought for 5000 kyats in exchange for a vote for the referendum that legitimizes this murderous regime’s rule.
Emergency shelter, generators and other reconstruction supplies are being used by the military rather than distributed to the cyclone survivors.
I am disturbed by these reports and photos, but not surprised.
I spent 6 months in Northern Rakhine State doing medical fieldwork. There was a surge in the already too prevalent human rights abuses. There was no hiding the resulting physical injury, starvation and death from the regime and their thug allies. Too many young boys’ faces told the story of generations of oppression whether carrying a furrowed brow or void of any emotion, i.e. poverty of spirit.
The surge brutality I saw coincides with the numerous international energy and economic development projects that will further enrich the junta, solidify Myanmar’s neighbors as partners in crime and most of all escalate the degradation, starvation, enslavement and death of populations clinging to the hope of survival amidst inhumanity.
The Irrawaddy Delta is the agricultural heartland of Myanmar. Is the active blockade of life saving aid to Cyclone Nargis victims because the Myanmar rulers want these people to die? Do they want to create a population enslaved to the regime for every morsel that passes their lips? Do the Myanmar rulers want to get their hands on this precious land? Is it for profit from the agricultural potential or is something more militaristic in the planning?
I was amazed at the many people in Burma who looked to America as their future heroic rescuer. Pleas from people for information about what the U.S. was doing to help them were difficult for me to face. U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice previously sat on the board of Chevron, which brings in billions of dollars to the Myanmar regime, despite the 2003 U.S. embargo against Myanmar. The role of mega-corporations in the conflicts which are alive and well in the world today is astounding. Is that what is holding up rescuing the 2.5 million Cyclone Nargis survivors, let alone the rest of the 56 million people of Burma?
Whatever the reason, it is EXTERMINATION BY BLOCKADE OF HUMANITARIAN AID.
Nora Rowley is a Burma focused human rights activist and medical doctor.
Posted by Kyi May at 8:02 PM
Here's a long newsletter from the people in the USA .gov who are interested in ending homelessness. It has lots of good lead for like minded people.
I figure the _12/26 and 10/8_ bfi forum location is as good a place as any for archiving material like this, especially on Katrina's anniversary.
Dick
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness e-newsletter )
Reporting on Innovative Solutions to End Homelessness 8.29.07
In this issue . . . IN THE CITIES AND STATES: ST. LOUIS AND MISSOURI IMPLEMENTATION MOVES FORWARD
IN THE CITIES AND STATES: LITTLE ROCK AND ARKANSAS MOVE AHEAD WITH SOLUTIONS AND PARTNERSHIP
IN THE CITIES: NORFOLK WELCOMES HOMELESS NEIGHBORS AT CITY'S FOURTH SUCCESSFUL PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT
IN THE CITIES AND COUNTIES: TUCSON AND PIMA COUNTY FOCUS ON PARTNERSHIP IN FORWARDING 10-YEAR PLAN
IN THE STATES AND CITIES: HHS CONVENES MIDWESTERN STATES TO FOCUS ON NEEDS OF HOMELESS YOUTH
IN THE CITIES: NEW DATA EMERGES ON RESULTS AND COSTS
IN CANADA: MUNICIPALITIES OF ONTARIO FOCUS ON RESULTS-ORIENTED 10-YEAR PLANS
INTERAGENCY COUNCIL TO FEATURE FAMILY CONNECT IN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE
ENDING HOMELESSNESS THROUGH THE USE OF FEDERAL PROPERTY UNDER MCKINNEY-VENTO TITLE V PROGRAM AND BASE CLOSURE INITIATIVES
Partners In a Vision
IN THE CITIES AND STATES: ST. LOUIS AND MISSOURI IMPLEMENTATION MOVES FORWARD
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI." The new Horizon Club Safe Haven, which creates a path off the street for the most vulnerable and disabled is good for homeless people, good for hospitals, good for police, and is also good for the taxpayers," stated United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, as he participated at the invitation of St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay at the ribbon cutting ceremony of the first of four Safe Havens to be developed under the City's 10-Year Plan. "In creating its 10-Year Plan, St. Louis recognized that doing business as usual on homelessness was not getting the job done, not for the community, not for your streets or hospitals, not for homeless people."
Present for the City's celebration of its 10-Year Plan milestone were other local champions Director Mangano recognized for their partnership and commitment to the city's goals: Bill Siedhoff of Mayor Slay's office, former Congresswoman Joan Kelly Horn for whom the site was named, Alderwoman Kacie Star Triplett, Dianna Brannan of Horizon Development, and Sergeant Willie Prothro of the Police Department. Director Mangano also noted the key champions at the federal and local level of Senator Christopher Bond and St. Patrick Center CEO Dan Buck. Margaret Barnhart, Senator Bond's Community Liaison, took part in both the ribbon cutting and the tour of the site.
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI. While in Missouri, Director Mangano met with Missouri Governor Matt Blunt in Jefferson City. Governor Blunt, inaugurated in January 2005, was previously Missouri's Secretary of State when former Governor Bob Holden signed a 2003 Executive Order to create Missouri's Interagency Council. Key themes addressed by Director Mangano in the meeting were the successful transitions of other state governments - whether through change of party or across administrations - that have sustained and deepened state government commitments on the issue of homelessness through partnership and investment by Governors.
Director Mangano encouraged the Governor to continue to support the revitalization of the Council and discussed with the Governor the successful results-oriented business model at work in other state 10-Year Plans, as well as the importance of cost benefit analysis to ending homelessness. The Governor's Director of Policy, Bill Anderson, and Council Regional Coordinator Team Leader Michael German also participated.
DOD maintains a web site of [http://www.defenselink.mil/brac/ ] resources that can assist a variety of community partners in understanding and participating in the upcoming process, including accommodations to the needs of homeless people in the community. DOD's Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) is the primary source for assisting communities that are adversely impacted by such changes, including base closures or realignments, base expansions, and contract or program cancellations. To assist affected communities, OEA manages and directs the Defense Economic Adjustment Program, and coordinates the involvement of other Federal agencies. Under the 1994 Base Closure Community Redevelopment and Homeless Assistance Act, DOD, in a joint process with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), also plays a role in the community's base reuse planning process and future homeless assistance.
The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (NLCHP) has recently produced a toolkit to assist local non-profit organizations in the BRAC process. " Utilizing the Base Closure Community Redevelopment and Homeless Assistance Act" is available on-line at www.nlchp.org According to the Center, the toolkit includes an overview of the law (including eligible uses), the application process, and timing. It also discusses how to find available property, make a successful application, address Not- In-My-Back-Yard (NIMBY) issues and effective negotiations.
Quick Links . . .
USICH Mission USICH Council Members
National Project Homeless Connect Good . . .to Better . . . to Great: Innovations in 10-Year Plans
Jurisdictional Partnerships in States and Cities Innovative Initiatives
email: usich@usich.gov
web: http://www.usich.gov
Billions unspent! That's either because of politics or people don't know what to spent the money on. Here's Anjali. She could be the poster child of Bucky's unrealized dream of universal shelter for the year 2007.
http://tech.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/cosmography/photos/view/f054?b=3
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/photo/22122006/24/photo/photos-n-world-sri-lankan-tsunami-survivor.html/print
There's not much about shelter in this report but ther's a ton of important info about lots of tsunami things and events. It's two years later and we need new shelter designs.
http://www.tsunamispecialenvoy.org/pdf/Post-Ts_Update.pdf
I haven't figured out if the 550,000 shelters IOM built include the tents or not. I'll look into it. I don't know what they do with the cgi exactly but I guess it is traditional construction.
I think BFI might want to connect with IOM if we haven't already. I know there are many relief orgs operating in various places such as Engineers-Without-Borders, but IOM sounds like one of the older ones. It's 56 years old, lots older than even BFI. Interestingly, IOM's domain is .int. I've haven't seen that yet. Very encouraging. Maybe BFI should have international status, too!
Domain .int
------------------------------------------------------
*****Pakistan - Sitara-i-Eisaar Award for IOM Relief Work in Quake Zone*******
"After having set up five humanitarian hubs in Bagh, Balakot, Batagram, Mansehra and Muzaffarabad, IOM, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and the government of Pakistan delivered 520,102 tents, over 5 million corrugated galvanized iron (CGI) sheets, 6.4 million blankets, 2.2 million tarpaulins/plastic sheets and hundreds of tonnes of non-food items such as tools, stoves, mattresses and kitchen sets. The shelter cluster also built 549,872 temporary shelters."
IOM award
I found what I think are the non-tent shelters IOM has constructed after the 10/8 Pakistan earthquake. I shouldn't be surprised- but I am. This is the 21st century after all. Can BFI do better? I think we can by thinking in the round so to speak. Unfortunately the pictures are now off line.
Good Article here for ppl considering to rebuild in pakistan
from earth based materials that are prone to earthquake collapse.
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/news/pr/95/950516Arc5229.html
Excerpt:
The unreinforced model, which was tested to the point of destruction Wednesday, May 10, at the Blume Earthquake Engineering Center, was a control against which to compare a series of tests performed on an identical but reinforced structure that did not collapse, despite experiencing accelerations comparable to those of a magnitude 8 great earthquake.
it's awfull
Tomas Hellix
mp3 blog
Tomashellix@yahoo.com
10/8 ReliefWeb press release:
"In total, IOM has distributed: 11,768 tents, 21,995 shelter kits, 31,594 winterization kits, 162,222 blankets, 74,390 quilts, 120,614 Corrugated Galvanized Iron Sheets (CGI), 18,989 tarpaulins, and hundreds of tonnes of non-food items such as tools, stoves, mattresses and kitchen sets."
Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Date: 17 Mar 2006
Pakistan: IOM prepares for reconstruction phase with new office in Peshawar
IOM is opening a new field office in Peshawarto begin the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase in the earthquake affected area, working with the North West Frontier Province Government.
IOM report
Here's more on 10/8 and emergency shelter as it stands now; more evidence that we live in the dark ages structurally speaking.
"Helping quake survivors to take shelter
From Laura Donkin for CNN"
"Catholic Relief Services (CRS), a partner of CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) is helping survivors of last year's South Asia earthquake to build warm and durable shelters. Laura Donkin, a 27-year-old British aid worker for CAFOD contributed this story for CNN.com from Pakistan and Kashmir.
TAKIA BANDI, Pakistani-administered Kashmir -- Today, I'm watching the community of Takia Bandi build its first "warm room" -- a shelter designed to withstand the elements and provide both privacy and dignity to its inhabitants.
There is almost a carnival atmosphere in the village. Even the children of Takia Bandi are fascinated by what's going on. They are watching their fathers, brothers and uncles construct a rectangular structure made mainly of timber, corrugated iron and stone.
CRS are providing both materials and training to help communities in earthquake-affected areas build these warm rooms. Our staff are working alongside local carpenters and engineers, to show the men of Takia Bandi, who have turned out in droves, how the shelter should be constructed.
But before they can begin, the community has to decide who among them will live in this demonstration warm room.
After much animated discussion, they decide to offer the shelter to Gulshan Bibi and her family, who are only too happy to accept such an honour. Gulshan tells me that her husband, Safraz, suffers from tuberculosis and hasn't been able to work for some years now. That means Gulshan is the family's main breadwinner.
Before the earthquake she earned a small but adequate wage cleaning in the homes of her friends and neighbors. When the earthquake struck not only was her own home destroyed, so too was her means of earning a living. "I am looking forward to moving into the shelter," she said. "It will be really good for us to have more space. It will be much warmer for all of us and Sufraz will be more comfortable there than in the tent."
Building is begun next to the ruins of the Bibis' old home, which overlooks one of Kashmir's many steep but beautiful valleys. While the men build the structure, women are continuously climbing up and down the mountainside carrying heavy water jugs on their heads to help prepare mud cement and provide refreshments for the workers.
As the shelter takes shape, it is clear building work involves using an innovative mixture of both CRS-provided materials and items salvaged from the villagers' own homes. They build a stone base, in keeping with how their old homes were made and then erect a timber frame on top.
Corrugated iron sheeting is nailed to the roof to ensure protection from the rain and snow. Insulation foam is then added to provide further protection from the elements and door and window frames saved from old homes give the final structure a more homely look. Gulshan has already gathered some essential items -- old curtains, some pictures and a clock -- which, once hung up will make the shelter more comfortable and personal.
The collective response of affected communities is impressive. They are truly excited to learn new skills and use these to build shelters not just for themselves, but for the most vulnerable among them. Tomorrow families will receive tokens to collect materials so they can start building their own shelters.
As the sun sets, men are still hard at work putting the finishing touches to the shelter. If Gulshan is impatient she doesn't show it. She's just happy to know that very soon her family will have a proper roof over their heads."