Beyond Human Control
Puny humans do not control nature. Nature is the ultimate dictator; when in her habitual benign state, giving great value to our lives. Rendering our lives possible in fact, and meaningful. When she's in one of her less amenable moods that's another story altogether. Then we're challenged to maintain the equilibrium of life against often impossible-to-sustain odds. And the dreadful majesty of nature's control over us is revealed, lest we've forgotten.
The historic city of L'Aquila is now a ghost town. The earthquake that shattered lives, killing almost three hundred Italians, destroying both ancient and modern architecture, severely traumatizing the survivors with the immensity of their loss, has been evacuated. There have been additional, follow-on tremors, some of them sufficiently powerful to bring down buildings that were still standing after the initial shock.
Aftershocks made the miserable work of search-and-rescue far more complicated and fraught with danger. The search for survivors will continue for another two days, before winding down. In an area susceptible to violent earth tremors, no one was prepared, although there were attempts to pre-warn and evacuate before the event; spurned by local government.
A forty-year-old building code for earthquake zones had been updated in 1996,gain in 2005 after a school collapsed in neighbouring Molise killing 27 children three years ago, and was due to be upgraded again in 2010. Among modern buildings that partially collapsed were a hospital, city buildings, the provincial seat, and university buildings.
"How is it possible that essential standards were not applied, and why were the necessary inspections not carried out?, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano railed, during his tour of the disaster zone. Blaming "widespread irresponsibility" for the collapse of many of the modern buildings. Building codes ignored, and cheaper methods of construction undertaken; where were the inspectors, signor Napolitano?
Why, to begin with, are towns and cities built in such earthquake-prone areas? The same query that echoes when towns and cities are built on flood-plains and disaster strikes. The government of Italy estimates a $4-billion repair bill. To repair or rebuild roughly ten thousand buildings. There is an estimated 28,000 homeless people in the area.
They are to remain bright and optimistic, says their jovial Prime Minister Silvio Berlosconi; consider it a "holiday" from the same old boring lifestyle. Imagine they're at a beach, sunning themselves, not a worry in the world. Do not, repeat not, succumb as this woman did to despair:
The historic city of L'Aquila is now a ghost town. The earthquake that shattered lives, killing almost three hundred Italians, destroying both ancient and modern architecture, severely traumatizing the survivors with the immensity of their loss, has been evacuated. There have been additional, follow-on tremors, some of them sufficiently powerful to bring down buildings that were still standing after the initial shock.
Aftershocks made the miserable work of search-and-rescue far more complicated and fraught with danger. The search for survivors will continue for another two days, before winding down. In an area susceptible to violent earth tremors, no one was prepared, although there were attempts to pre-warn and evacuate before the event; spurned by local government.
A forty-year-old building code for earthquake zones had been updated in 1996,gain in 2005 after a school collapsed in neighbouring Molise killing 27 children three years ago, and was due to be upgraded again in 2010. Among modern buildings that partially collapsed were a hospital, city buildings, the provincial seat, and university buildings.
"How is it possible that essential standards were not applied, and why were the necessary inspections not carried out?, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano railed, during his tour of the disaster zone. Blaming "widespread irresponsibility" for the collapse of many of the modern buildings. Building codes ignored, and cheaper methods of construction undertaken; where were the inspectors, signor Napolitano?
Why, to begin with, are towns and cities built in such earthquake-prone areas? The same query that echoes when towns and cities are built on flood-plains and disaster strikes. The government of Italy estimates a $4-billion repair bill. To repair or rebuild roughly ten thousand buildings. There is an estimated 28,000 homeless people in the area.
They are to remain bright and optimistic, says their jovial Prime Minister Silvio Berlosconi; consider it a "holiday" from the same old boring lifestyle. Imagine they're at a beach, sunning themselves, not a worry in the world. Do not, repeat not, succumb as this woman did to despair:
"I don't know how many days or months we're going to be here. Where are we going to go?" asked blind 77-year-old Mario Scaramella. "I was all right at home. Now I don't have anything left."
Labels: Environment, Life's Like That, World Crises
posted by Pieface | 6:17 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home