Staff / TruthdigMay 23, 2008
Americans apparently have a track record of opening their wallets to assist those in need after natural disasters at home and abroad. That was the case, at least, after the 2004 tsunami in Asia and Hurricane Katrina in the U.S. in 2005. But the picture looks different in the wake of the recent cyclone in Burma and the earthquake in China, leaving international trend-watchers asking: What gives? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigMay 19, 2008
China held a national moment of silence on Monday to mark the one-week anniversary of the massive earthquake that may have killed more than 71,000 people. According to government reports, more than 34,000 people already have been confirmed dead while estimates of the total number of casualties have been continually revised upward. The three-minute moment of silence marked the beginning of a three-day period of mourning. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigMay 15, 2008
Chinese state media are reporting that more than 50,000 people could be found dead as a result of the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Monday. That's substantially higher than earlier estimates. The government has already confirmed close to 20,000 deaths. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
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Staff / TruthdigMay 14, 2008
May has already been a particularly brutal month for natural disasters, with the Burma cyclone, tornadoes in the U.S. and, most recently, the devastating earthquake in China, which seismologists say registered at magnitude 7.9. Rescue efforts near the epicenter have been hindered by rain and aftershocks, but with thousands still trapped in the wreckage every minute counts. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigMay 12, 2008
A magnitude-7.8 earthquake in southwestern China has killed more than 8,500 people, a number that could rise as authorities continue to assess the damage. China's Xinhua news agency reported that rescue workers had difficulty reaching the epicenter because of obstructed roads. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigFeb 22, 2008
A member of Israel's parliament has an unusual explanation for the recent spate of earthquakes in his country: It's the gays! Specifically, says Orthodox lawmaker Shlomo Benizri, the Israeli government's acceptance of and tolerance toward homosexuals have incurred God's wrath in the form of tectonic rumblers. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigAug 16, 2007
A massive magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck southern Peru on Wednesday, killing at least 510 people (revised) and injuring more than a thousand more. The disastrous tremors set pavement rippling and lasted for several minutes, followed by four aftershocks ranging from 5.4 to 5.9. Updated on 8/17. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigMar 6, 2007
The Indonesian island of Sumatra was slammed by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, followed shortly by a 6.0 aftershock. The event was felt in Malaysia and Singapore, hundreds of miles away. Authorities were scrambling to cope with downed communication lines, overwhelmed hospitals and shattered buildings. A government official put the death toll at 70 so far. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
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