I have the greatest sympathy for the thousands of Texans and Floridians affected by the havoc that hurricanes have brought to them and their economy. But, we must also be made aware of the devastation floods have brought to the countries of Asia and Africa, news you won’t see on local or national commercial channels.
To put things in perspective, here are some statistics taken from a CNN internet report: An estimated 137 million Asians are at risk due to flooding. In Bangladesh, over 41 million are affected, and much of the entire country is under water. In India, 71,200 people have been killed during the monsoon season in August alone, the worst flooding in 40 years. Thousands more have been killed or displaced in Mumbai, Sierra Leone, Benue, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Karachi. In all of these places, the Red Cross estimates that some 500,000 homes have been lost.
Little of this news has been reported on mainstream American media because it’s bad for business, particularly that of the biggest corporate polluters. If we knew more about what was happening outside our national borders, we might have to consider that humans are, in fact, contributing to global warming.
It’s heart-warming to see how many Americans are coming to the aid of those Americans who have had their very lives uprooted. But in flood-devastated Asia and Africa, there is no FEMA, no homeowners’ insurance, no millionaire celebrity and corporate contributors.
There are numerous agencies through which we can help American victims. But we should also consider helping the millions of others in the world through such sources as the International Red Cross and mercyrelief.com.
Richard W. Lewis, Jr.
Glenville
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