Montenegro boosts action on disaster resilience
Major efforts are underway in Montenegro to reduce the risks from disasters with the launch of a national disaster loss database to mark the 40th anniversary of a major earthquake.
On April 15 1979, at 07:19 in the morning, a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Montenegro. The earthquake, which lasted 10 seconds, was concentrated on the coast of Montenegro and Albania, and severely damaged the old towns of Kotor, Budva, Herceg Novi, Bar and Ulcinj. It resulted in the tragic loss of life and injury. 101 people were killed, more than a thousand injured and around 80,000 people were left without their homes, with 27 300 housing units damaged. The economic damages at the time totaled approximately 10% GPD of what was then then the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, representing around 4 billion euros in today’s values…
Montreal Emergency Workers Warning People Against Taking Flood Selfies
Montreal first responders are warning against so-called disaster tourism after noting a spike in selfie-seekers in neighbourhoods threatened by swollen rivers.
An operations chief with the Montreal fire department says his teams have seen many people who don’t live in the affected areas milling about makeshift dikes and other flood-relief infrastructure, snapping photos and selfies.
The fire department’s Martin Guilbault says all they’re doing is getting in the way of emergency workers who are trying to keep the areas secure.
Guilbault says he personally observed the phenomenon, and people have been asked politely to leave….
