Remembering Victims In Texas, Puerto Rico, Mexico Etal...

Hit me with music that’s one of my craves. You may hit me with love that’s the fulcrum of my life. But I pray you don’t hit me with a disaster. Please don’t hit me with an earthquake, landslides and floods. Please don’t hit me with hurricane, tornado or volcano. Please not by a car, not by a gun, not by a tree and not by a building. I hate drowning, I hate poisoning, I hate lynching.

I know Death will come rain or shine. I know the undying Death is no respecter of Man. That everyone knows. And everyone perhaps prays and wishes s/he dies in her sleep. Perhaps everyone prays that s/he makes the no return journey in peace and not in pieces.

However, they all seem to be nothing other than wishful thinking. Yes, as humans we pray any disasters must pass us by without causing harm to us. But it appears we’ve no control over these disasters or catastrophes whenever they strike.

Today, to all the victims in the hurricanes and the earthquake in Mexico, I just want you to know that the world hasn’t forgotten about you. We share your pain and agony. We share your loss and the trauma. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. And we will continue to pray for /with you in these hard times.

The swath of devastation across the Caribbean nations-- Dominica, British Virgin Islands, America Virgin Islands, Barbuda, Anguilla, Cuba, St. Martin, Guadeloupe and Puerto Rico, no doubt gives credence to the fact that we’ve no control over them when they aim at us.

According to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA) 99 per cent of all buildings in Barbuda were destroyed. It adds that virtually ‘the entire population of the Island (which is 100, 963 as of 2016) was evacuated to nearby Antigua.’

Isn’t that mind blowing?
I heard about hurricane Jean for the first time, on my way from London, UK to the U S in September 2004. My flight had to be re-routed through Chicago to Atlanta Georgia instead of Miami Florida. Jean, the hurricane with a Hebrew name ---meaning gift from God had pounded the southern state including some Caribbean nations.

Since Jean’s destruction in 2004, there’d been Katrina 2005, there’d been Sandy 2012 and most recent names-- like Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria have popped up. And what did they do? They’ve brought an untold hardship and immeasurable damage--loss of lives and property. Of course they’ve never been kind to Mankind in any way whatsoever.

Often their names may sound nice and romantic but there’s nothing good about their acts. They’ve always been devastating and always been destructive. A few hours ago as I sat down to write this piece Maria was slamming Puerto Rico--- the US territory with a landscape of mountains. According to reports about 90 per cent of the population is currently without power. One headline read: ’Puerto Rico Goes Dark.’ City managers believe the 1.3 million nation is totally destroyed and has to be rebuilt from the scratch. The category 2 storm is expected to cause more danger in the coming days.

When hurricane Harvey hit US state of Texas last August 2017, it also caused huge damage to its people and infrastructure. Professor Samuel Adu-Prah of Sam Houston State University -- a great friend of mine was one of many Texans that faced the wrath of Harvey.

Mexico Earthquake
On Tuesday 19 September 2017 Mexico witnessed one of her deadliest natural disasters since 32 years (1985). At least 30 people, mostly children, died at a primary school which collapsed in Mexico City during the Tuesday's earthquake according to news reports.

The 7.1 magnitude quake is reported killed at least 225 people in total and caused major damage across states in the centre of the country. It’s feared the number would increase as I monitored RT, CNN and BBC news concurrently at 8pm Pacific Time. Rescuers are still pawing through rubbles in search for survivors. Dozens of buildings were toppled; much of the electricity supply was cut and broken gas mains sparked fires, says the reports.

The tremor struck shortly after many people had taken part in an earthquake drill, exactly 32 years after another quake killed thousands in the capital.

Mexico is prone to earthquakes and earlier this month an 8.1 magnitude tremor in the south left at least 90 people dead. Though it struck a similar region, Tuesday's earthquake does not appear to be connected with the quake on 7 September, which was at least 30 times more energetic, the BBC's Jonathan Amos writes.

It is now known that as many as 37 people - 32 children and five adults - died when Enrique Rébsamen primary school collapsed in Mexico City's southern Coapa district, Efe news agency reports, quoting local media.

According to Mexican news site Reforma, 30 bodies have been found at the school and 22 people are missing. More than 500 members of the army and navy, along with 200 police officers and volunteers, have been working at the site, Mexican newspaper Milenio says.

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto visited the collapsed school earlier in the day where sniffing dogs were helping to find survivors. "Some voices have been heard. In the time I have been here, I have seen how at times they have asked for total silence, solidarity to listen for the voices,” hesaid after visiting the rescue operation.

At least 209 schools are reported to have been affected by the quake, 15 of which have suffered severe damage. The epicentre of the latest quake was near Atencingo in Puebla state, about 120km (75 miles) from Mexico City, with a depth of 51km, the US Geological Survey says. The prolonged tremor hit at 13:14 local time (18:14 GMT) on Tuesday and sent thousands of residents into the streets.

Also it is reported 15 people were killed when a church near Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano collapsed during Mass. The volcano itself had a small eruption as a result of the tremor. On Wednesday schools were closed as it had been announced by the governor of the state of Mexico Alfredo del MazoMaza. The governor also ordered all public transport to operate services for free so that people could travel home.

Remember, you’re still in our thoughts and prayers!