Pakistan earthquake.

[Kim]

I know it's far away from diving but watching the news over the last few days my heart has to go out to the poor folk there. over 24,000 people dead (and counting) of which around 15,000 are children killed in their schools which collapsed on them.

2005 has been a very heavy year for natural disasters - probably the worst in my lifetime. I just give thanks that my family hasn't had to go through anything like the people involved have had to.

[MikeC]

Not to get weird but do you sometimes think Mother Nature just decides that there are too many of us and takes matters into her own hands??? Nature maintaining a balance.

The only thing that kept the death toll "low" in the Gulf Coast region of the US was technology. (radar for early warnings, radios and helicopters for rescues, etc...)

[chip104]

I agree, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, landslides...what a year it's been.

[raya]

I know what your saying, when I think about it, daily we are changing the planet, and doing damage..we are constantly building, chopping down trees, polluting waters and the air..then a disaster like hurricanes and tsunamies happen, and we wonder why. I think though, that we have all come so far and have changed so much, that theres no going back.We can´t mess with nature, its something that will always have the upper hand. I´m sat in the office here at the dive centre in Spain, usually at this time of year, the sun is still shining and we´re all going to the beach every lunch time, for the past 3 days we have had terrential rain, the town is under water, people are going around in small ribs!
My heart goes out to the poor people who have lost lives, and homes and families due to these disasters, all we can do though is try and help, and hope that we are not going to be the next unfortunate ones.

[chip104]

And then is it just me or have their been an increase in airplane mishaps?

[raya]

Ide rather not talk about that I have to spend 16 hours on them, on the 20th of november!Its scary enough as it is, now you walk into the airports and you are made instantly into a paranoid freak, and really uncomfortable. What is the world coming to?