Earthquake in Japan "Quakes" us up

">Link http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070325/wl_nm/quake_japan_dc

In the Noto Pennisula in Japan, a strong earthquake killed 1 persona and injured at least 160 victims. The quake struck central Japan today leaving behind demolished houses, messed up roads, landslides, and no water supplies for thousands of homes.

The focus of the quake was 11km(7 miles) below the seabed off of the Noto peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture.More than 100 aftershocks jolted the area, officials warned the area that more could follow.

More than 1,300 people evacuated and were placed in shelters. 44 houses collapsed and about 200 other homes were severly damaged. Most of the other residents and elderly people were taken to find shelter in the civic center.

"Residents called in but they were calm and there weren't many serious injuries," said Hiroshi Tanaka, a fire department official. Most of the injuries were from falling debris and people falling when the tremor struck.

About 30 troops arrived in the area and to help with the damages left behind by the quake. Yuko Ikawa, 38, fled to the Monzen evacuation center with her family said "The biggest worry is there is no tap water."

Faulty Pumps Cause False Actions

Defective flood-control pumps were installed last year in New Orleans. Despite the warnings given that the equipment would fail during a storm, The Army Corps of Engineers still installed the flood-control pumps.

Although the pumps were never put to action in the 2006 hurricane season the Corps and a connected manufacturer are struggling to get the equipment to work properly.

Randy Persica, the Corps resident engineer for New Orleans three major drainage canals, and Col. Jeffrey Bedey, overseer of levee control, think that the installment of the flood-control pumps is very much needed for the state of New Orleans.

Randy Persica said "Let me give you the scenario: You have four months to build something that nobody has ever built before, and if you don't, the city floods and the Corps, which already have a black eye, could basically be dissolved."

Persica is saying with time issues that they were put under alot of pressure and that you have to consider the well being of the people of New Orleans in the situation.

"We didn't have the luxury to go through a two-, three year design and planning phase," Bedey said. "We had to get closure structures in place."


">Link
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070314/ap_on_re_us/katrina_faulty_pumps

Dr. Jekyl and Mrs. Hyde

A doctor and two nurses were arrested and accused of murder after a grand jury began investigating the deaths of four patients.

Dr. Anna Pou and nurses Lori Budo and Cheri Landry were arrested last summer after the state attorney general said they gave patients lethal injections after Hurricane Katrina hit last August.

Due to no electricity in the hospital, temperatures rose to as high as 110. Which leaves questioning for many, what is the temperature before one passes out?
This story was very brief and had few details supporting some of the information. I think that this is one of those articles where they come back and add a little more info.
">Link
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070307/ap_on_re_us/katrina_hospital_deaths;_ylt=ArNAflg.IxEss0Esna3lrwloWrEF

Bush makes it out of his office to aid

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070304/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_tornadoes

Suprisingly, President Bush made it to Alabama and Georgia to view tornadoes damages and offer words of encouragement to families of victims.

Bush finally made it to the South Saturday to view sites in Alabama and Georgia that were heavenly damaged by the tornado storms that hit and killed 19 people on Thursday. Apparently Friday, after quickly being put together Bush and his administration decided that it was time that they promote the administration's new "stepped-up efffort."

After recieving harsh criticism based on their sluggish efforts of relief in New Orleans, Bush visited tornado sites and even took the time to release federal dollars to aid for recovery and individual assistance.

Enterprise resident's say that they are unsure of what kind or type of federal assistance to expect but let me be the first to say "None!" I am suprised that Bush responded so quickly. I think had it not been for the promotion of this new effort that efforts of relief probably would have been held off for another week or so.

At least the people of Alabama are kind of aware that assistance might not come soon. They have begun to help each other with relief and most of them have made their way in to town to help other members. Way to go Alabama.
">Link

Storm Disaster leaves death toll of 20

Imagine waking up one morning and getting ready to go to your typical day of classes. As students we tend to never know what the day might have in store for us. Well, students at Enterprise High School had no idea that there usual Friday classes would let out early due to a tragic storm ripping apart half of their school.

Eight students were killed when the school took a direct hit on one of it's wings. Blowing out the walls and collapsing the roof was just some of the small demages the storm had to offer, it took with it eight innocent people with it.

As students scrambled for shelter and blood dripped from their faces, debris from the school was being thrown around leaving the mayor and officials unsure about where students would finish the year. At least one other person was killed in Enterprise, Alablama, another died across the state in a ferry.

However, the tragic storm doesn't stop here. It went on later to hit South Georgia and leave its mark there as well.

As the storm swept into Georgia it appeared that a tornado had apparently already touched down and claimed two more lives. The tornado touched down near the Sumter Regional Hospital in Americus, south of Atlanta, where it caused people and even patients to evacuate the area.

I think that has to be the worst part of this story. People that are already in bad conditions, end up being in even worst ones despite the fact they can't control it. Six more lives were claimed later when the storm headed for Newton, Georgia.

The main hospital recieved some storm damage and officials aren't sure whether the injured and the dead were inside the hospital when it was struck or not. So in other words, Mrs. Blank saw the tornado (who might have looked like the Grim Reeper) coming and said "Screw this, I'll take my life before I let a storm sweep me off my feet."
">Link http://http://www.weather.com/newscenter/topstories/030207_tornadoes.html?from=wxcenter_news