|
19 Dec 99 - 01:37 AM (#151418) Subject: The tragedy of Venezuela From: Escamillo My elder son Mariano (25) is working and studying in Caracas. He is OK, but we talked to him tonight and found him really sad. Thousands of people have died, and thousands are in real danger, with all routes blocked, with no access to food, water and medical assistance. The city of La Guaira (main port), in the northern coast near Caracas, practically is non-existent. 5-star hotels are flooded up to the 2nd store. Coast route and all small towns are covered by 5 meters of mud and rocks. The beaches don't exist any more. Let's ask our national authorities to send some help. Let's help in any way we can, even with a prayer for the beautiful country of the red heron and the joyful people, at least for the rains to stop and allow the rescuers to make their job. Thanks to all - Andrés Magré
|
|
19 Dec 99 - 01:43 AM (#151422) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: DonMeixner Andres, I hope all will be well as soon as possible for you and the people you hold dear in Venezuela. I will write my government officials and ask that aid and assistance be as swift and plentiful as possible. Don. |
|
19 Dec 99 - 01:58 AM (#151427) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: katlaughing Andres, thank you so much and I am so grateful that your son is okay and that you were able to talk to him. Roger's old business partner and his fmaily are on the island of Margarita and we've not heard from them. We don't hear from him too often, but he is always in Caracas for business and we've both been concerned about how he and his family are, plus all of the other people whom Roger met when he worked there. Rog left his heart in Venezuela, with the kindness of the people and the beauty of the country. We are both saddened to hear of this terrible tragedy. I, too, will write to my government officials and ask them to provide all the assistance possible, as well as pray and meditate for aid. All the best, katalina/kat |
|
19 Dec 99 - 12:57 PM (#151535) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: What Happened? |
|
19 Dec 99 - 02:15 PM (#151561) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: Alice Andrés, I saw newsfilm of this last night and this morning. It showed incredible destruction from the floods. For what happened, there is coverage at CNN world news. Tragic. |
|
20 Dec 99 - 09:25 AM (#151883) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: katlaughing Thanks for the link, Alice. We just received an email from our friend down there. He and his family are okay. He says the situation is terrible, many dead and missing. They are waiting out the storm and it continues to rain while they are searching for the missing. kat |
|
20 Dec 99 - 10:32 AM (#151904) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: Peter T. Dear Andres, a lobbying call to Foreign Affairs reveals that Canada is sending a special aid mission down to Venezuela. That usually means a substantial amount of funds (the initial pledges are in the million dollar range). yours, Peter |
|
20 Dec 99 - 12:18 PM (#151948) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: katlaughing Rog just showed me his detailed map of Caracas and the surrounding area. He said it is awesome terrain. There is a huge mtn range between the city and the ocean. Standing on the street in Caracas, one looks straight up to the top of Mt. Avila, all the way to 10,000 feet, from sea level. It is on the almost vertical slopes of that, on the city side and ocean side that so many poor built their shacks and little towns which now no longer exist. Caracas was built there partly for the protection the mountains afforded from pirates. The airport north of there and right on the ocean, where rescues are coming from and where so many rescued are being taken, is available, by land, only by a very long tunnel, from Caracas, around the north end of the mtn. Very tough conditions and such a tragedy. kat |
|
20 Dec 99 - 01:39 PM (#151998) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: Escamillo CNN is showing us only part of the disaster. As they are reaching more deep into the zones, we will see more. Mariano told me that not only the poor people was affected. For example Caraballeda, a small town full of luxury condominiums and residences, (where I dreamed to have a house in front of the sea) was wiped off almost totally. Topography has changed, now the mountain extends up to and covering the beach, some parts of the coastal route and surrounding buildings are covered by 5 meters of mud and rocks. You may see more (in spanish) in the Web of the EL UNIVERSAL newspaper www.eud.com including an incredible record of the calls to 911, with 200 hundred people trapped in a roof, 40 in another roof, 100 in yet another, and approx. 100 similar calls. 25 nations are sending help, and all Venezuelans are helping with all resources available, but many places will be declared graveyards and closed forever, since it is impossible to remove debris. Our prayers have been heared, there are no important rains expected for these days. The La Niña phenomenon (complement to El Niño) is blamed by scientists. Who should be blamed for all these climate disasters ? Thanks to all for your concern.Yours - Andrés |
|
21 Dec 99 - 07:36 AM (#152355) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: katlaughing For more in-depth and accurate reports, here is a link to Venezuela On-line News. There is a picture of the entrance to that tunnel I mentioned which goes to the airport. It was akin to the Eisenhower Tunnel through the Rockies. It is filled with mud and collapsed in some places. They have only managed to open one of the many lanes through, and that only for emergency vehicles. The Venezuelan people are to be commended. From the reports I hear they are rally round to aid and comfort one another in great numbers. Andres, I will be sending your son a New Year's greeting. I am so glad for you that he is okay. luvyakat |
|
21 Dec 99 - 11:03 AM (#152430) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: Peter T. Not to take away from the disaster, Andres, but I suspect that people are building on the wrong places in the coastal area, and cutting down the forest cover. That will probably appear as the days go on. Yours, Peter T. |
|
22 Dec 99 - 12:28 AM (#152761) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: Escamillo That's true, El Pedro. Since the times I lived there (1976 to 1981) I've heard warnings from all universities and government institutions to not build in those areas, but the poor people refused to leave and continued building their rudimentary houses in all the mountains surrounding the cities, every year 10 or 20 houses were wiped off by mud and debris. That's misery and ignorance, because by cutting down the few forests and drilling sanitary pits they were digging their own graves. Not far from them, luxury residences and exclusive clubs and marinas showed off the wealth of the petroleum class. Now everything disappeared. That's Latin America, and that's what leading people don't want to see. Un abrazo - Andrés |
|
22 Dec 99 - 07:15 AM (#152832) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: GeorgeH OK, guys, but let's be VERY careful not to appear to be blaming the victims. The human blame involved lies with those who create and permit the circumstances which MAKE them victims in the first place. G. |
|
22 Dec 99 - 08:19 AM (#152845) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: katlaughing The way I've heard it is where the shacks were built was because the people had nowhere else to go because they were so poor. |
|
22 Dec 99 - 08:52 AM (#152852) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: KingBrilliant Surely no-one intends to blame the victims. That they were effectively digging their own graves is a terrible irony and not an accusation. |
|
23 Dec 99 - 01:00 AM (#153259) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: Escamillo Of course the intention is not to blame the victims, who after all, did not have many alternatives. There is an educational and social problem behind this, a long history of abandonement, and blindness of the governments, now added to a natural catastrophe never expected by the most pesimistic. Now the shacks and the luxury residences, and also part of the Macuto Sheraton Hotel are buried down together. Furthermore, there's the violent climate changes of the last decades, where all mankind is involved. Something must be done. Un abrazo - Andrés Magré |
|
24 Dec 99 - 12:42 AM (#153724) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: paddymac Andres - I'd like to send a message to your lad Mariano, but can't an e-dress for him. Can you give us one? Post it here, or on my personal page if you prefer. Felice Navidad, and all that stuff. |
|
24 Dec 99 - 12:52 AM (#153726) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: katlaughing Paddymac, Andres posted it in the Alone for the Millennium thread, as Mariano will be alone in Caracas that night. kat |
|
24 Dec 99 - 05:53 PM (#153908) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: paddymac Thanks Kat. I'll find it. |
|
24 Dec 99 - 05:53 PM (#153909) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: Escamillo Thank you Paddymac, his address is mariano58@hotmail.com He is 25 years old, and is working and trying to complete his flying hours in Caracas, as the costs are half of those in Buenos Aires where we live. I was planning to bring him home for the Holidays but now it is too complicated to leave and go back to Caracas, due to the flood disaster. Merry Christmas - Andrés Magré |
|
25 Dec 99 - 03:50 PM (#154129) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: Peter T. Felice Navidad, Andres, to you and your family. yours, Peter T. |
|
25 Dec 99 - 10:49 PM (#154201) Subject: RE: The tragedy of Venezuela From: Escamillo Feliz Navidad to you too, El Pedro, and all Mudcatters and thank you for all the great moments we have at the Mudcat Café. Un abrazo - Andrés |