International Preparedness Network

By Aton Edwards, I.P.N. Executive Director

New reports about the early morning earthquake in eastern Turkey state that 51 people have been killed by falling debris. Several homes in six villages across the area have also been destroyed.  Many of the area’s farms sustained a great deal of damage.  Barns collapsed, burying & killing farm animals.

The area that sustained the most damage was the village of Okcular. 19 people were killed.  13 died in Yukari Demirci, a nearby village.  According to Yadin Apaydin, an administrator for the village of Yukari Kanatl  ”Everything has been knocked down, there is not a stone in place” 

Turkey’s prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the people in the area to say out of damaged homes that could be destroyed by aftershocks.  He blamed the brittle mud-brick buildings for the deaths & injuries and assured the people in the area that medical assistance, food, supplies & shelter is being sent, and will arrive soon.  

The Red Crescent is sending tents and blankets.

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By Aton Edwards, I.P.N. Executive Director

At 02:32 GMT on Monday Eastern Turkey was hit with a magnitude 6.0 earthquake that has killed eight people (four children) in tthe village of Okcular in the Elazig province near the town of Karakocan.  A number of injured were taken to area hospitals for medical treatment.  

The Elazig governor, Muammer Erol spoke to representatives of the Anatolia news agency to inform them that a home was buried underneath rubble after the quake ended.  In another nearby village, two children are trapped underneath rubble.

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By Aton Edwards, I.P.N. Executive Director

Another large earthquake has rocked our planet, this time across the Pacific in southern Taiwan.  The 6.4 magnitude rumbler swayed buildings, injured nearly 70, sparked one large fire, disrupted communications and rattled nerves.  It struck in rural Kaohsiung, an area that was recently devastated by a typhoon that killed over 700 people in August of 2009.

Canadian Press Photo

Some of the emergency housing that was constructed for the Typhoon survivors was destroyed by this quake, and the subsequent aftershocks, some topping 5.7 on the Richter scale.

The office of President Ma Ying-jeou has reported that the Taiwanese authorities have  been briefed on all developing situations and are prepared to do whatever they can to help any who are injured or displaced by it.  

Earthquakes are common in Taiwan.  Most are small, but in 1999 a 7.6-magnitude in central Taiwan killed nearly 24oo people and injured thousands more.  

If events worsen, we’ll post info here.  Otherwise, stand by for more Shelter For Haiti NOW! info.

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By Aton Edwards, I.P.N. Executive Director

At 10:34 pacific standard time a massive 8.8 magnitude (nearly 500 time more powerful than the recent Haitian earthquake) struck off the coast of Chile, many people were killed, and structures suffered severe damage.  The quake also triggered a Tsunami alert for Hawaii with the first waves expected to hit the area at approximately 11:19 PST.  Residents living near the coastlines of California, Alaska, Oregon have also been warned by the authorities to move to higher ground.

Reuters Photo

The quake’s epicenter is one of the most seismically active regions of the world, the junction point of the Nazca and South American tectonic plates.  Every year, they collide and move nearly 80 millimeters, releasing enormous amounts of energy in the process.  

AP Photo

The largest earthquake ever recorded with modern equipment struck this region in 1960.  It generated a Tsunami that killed nearly 100 people scattered throughout, the Philippines, Hawaii & Japan.

More information will be posted as we receive it.

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By Pamela Everett, GMSC Events & I.P.N. Media Director 

The N.Y.C. area radio program Village Square Collective, hosted by health & wellness expert Junior Jawara Blake will present a special program, featuring I.P.N. Executive Director Aton Edwards Sunday morning at 2AM-3AM, 93.5 WVIP-FM (www.wvipfm.com)  that will outline the Shelter For Haiti NOW! agenda, and operational plan.  

Village Square Collective host Junior Jawara Blake

Blake believes that the Shelter For Haiti NOW! operation, World Shelters.org, Pacific Domes offer the most practical solution to the enormous logistical problems associated with housing the 1,000,000 homeless people scattered across the devastated ruins of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding rural areas. He is also aware of the destructive potential of the upcoming rainy season.  

Blake was highly active in providing relief supplies & materials to his homeland Jamaica after the 2008 Hurricane Gustave and knows first hand just how much damage storms can inflict on a tropical island, especially one that is still in the beginning stages of recovery after the earthquake.

While speaking with the I.P.N. Executive Director Aton Edwards yesterday, Blake commented that “we must do all we can for the people of Haiti” and that he was committed to helping the effort in every way that he can.   The program will include many guests and supporters of the effort including the R&B star Davina, who will be hosting a Shelter For Haiti NOW! concert/fundraiser.

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By Aton Edwards, I.P.N. Executive Director

It’s been three weeks since my last post, and not without good reason.  I’ve been insanely busy developing the many different  mechanisms (funding, technical and, logistical) that the I.P.N. needed to put in place to create a large-scale geodesic domebuilding operation that can provide the Haitian earthquake survivors with geodesic shelters that can withstand the high winds, torrential rains and mudslides that come with the rapidly approaching rainy season.  

This will begin in less than six weeks, so there is literally no time to waste.  When the rain and wind comes, the makeshift shelters that hundreds of thousands live in today will be destroyed triggering another disaster & exacerbating a crisis that is already quite severe.  

The time to take action to minimize this tragedy from occurring is right now.  I say minimize, because at this point in time, it is physically impossible to provide safe shelter for all of Haiti’s homeless, but incredible things can be accomplished with the time we do have left.  It’s simply the right thing to do … as Americans & much more importantly, as human beings.    

Before I begin laying out the specifics of how to get involved– I need to address the following issues briefly.

I’ve been getting emails from many of you readers who believe that we’ve done enough for Haiti already! 

I take major issue with that sort of static — so, I’m gonna’ grit my teeth & give you an answer!

Please keep the following facts in mind.  Several of Haiti’s problems that existed before the earthquake have been made much worse over the past few weeks, specifically the containment of infectious diseases.    For example, Haiti has the highest rate of tuberculosis (TB) in the Americas.  

Many of the patients that were living in hospitals & sanatoriums destroyed by the quake are now living in the “tent cities” sleeping head-to-head in the densely packed communities.  Some will spread this disease to their neighbors.  In addition, they are no longer taking medication to control the disease because there is none available.  

This heightens the chance that a drug-resistant strain could develop.   If it does, you can be certain it will eventually make its way into the U.S. Decent shelters & homes will provide the extraordinarily resilient Haitian people to not only protect themselves from the elements, but infectious diseases of the airborne (pneumonic) type and, even those spread by insects (malaria, dengue fever).  

Continuity of treatment is the name-of-the-game and without it, this situation could rapidly grow beyond anyone’s ability to contain it.

So, providing shelter for the Haitian people will also help us here in the U.S.  Not only as a protection against infectious diseases, but also as a means to help restore social & economic stability.  The Haitian people are fiercely independent and look forward to the day they are self-reliant again.  

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