Ayan Kumar's Blog

Morocco Earthquake

Picture the calm certainty of solid ground suddenly loosing that certainty, starting to shake and roar. That is how the people of Morocco feel. Earthquakes are nature’s powerful reminder of our planet’s restless, ever-changing nature.

Currently, Morocco is facing its most deadly earthquake in the century with the number of dead surpassing 2000, thousands more slept outside to avoid their damaged homes, and more than 2400 people are injured/wounded. Stretching across the entire country, the earthquakes were able to severely damage lots of the Moroccan infrastructure, even if the damage to one area was less than that of another. Building collapses across the country consisting of homes, offices, and historic mosques are significantly impacting the state of the country at the moment. Homes are especially vulnerable to these events as they are often built with clay or mud brick. The 6.8-magnitude earthquake not only flattened homes, but also sent rocks crashing down onto mountain roads, making them impassable. There are many pictures of the certain circumstances, and they seem just truly awful. Rubble everywhere, children scared, and people striving for their lives is what is seen in the common eye.

King Mohammed VI ordered the government to provide shelter and rebuild houses and called on local authorities to stockpile tents, food, beds and medicine to prevent a catastrophe. The military took the lead, with state television showing soldiers in fatigues picking through rubble. Rural hospitals were quickly overwhelmed with casualties, which were taken by ambulance and in some cases by helicopter to urban centers.

A common conception for the causes of earthquakes originates in climate change. The melting of glaciers due to rising temperatures and climate change can relieve pressure on the Earth’s crust. This process, known as glacial isostatic adjustment, can sometimes trigger seismic activity, including earthquakes, as the crust readjusts to the reduced load.

The people of Morocco are in a life or death situation, and something needs to be done about it in order to establish order and security. Dozens of countries and foreign-aid groups said they were offering manpower, equipment and other assistance to Morocco, but as of Sunday, the kingdom’s government had only accepted rescue workers from the U.K., United Arab Emirates, Spain and Qatar. Although this may seem like a lot, even these responses were delayed and not on a timely measure. Official and appropriate acts are necessary to help all those in need in times of crisis. Other countries need to respond on time to provide the most effective help to suffering countries. Additionally all countries should maintain their efforts of preserving the Earth to slow down climate change and mitigate its possible implications.

Escaped Convict

Danelo Cavalcante, a 34 year old Brazilian national and former agricultural worker, has recently escaped prison in Pennsylvania. Cavalcante was convicted of first-degree murder on August 16 2021 for fatally stabbing Deborah Brandao (his ex-girlfriend) 38 times in front of her two young children in Schuylkill Township. He was captured in Virginia after Brandao’s killing and authorities believe he was trying to return to his home country. Cavalcante was also wanted for a 2017 murder of a 20-year-old man over a car repair debt in his native country. This man is a serious threat and has proven to be one through his actions. In response to this, he was placed in prison in Chester County and was awaiting transferring to a state facility.

However, recently he somehow escaped on Thursday August 31 2023. It is still unknown how he did it, but the one thing known is that there is a dangerous criminal on the loose. He has been spotted at multiple locations in Pennsylvania and it seems he is quite resourceful. He is able to evade the cops despite the intense search for him. He has even shaved his facial hair to become unrecognizable.

This issue of a man escaping prison is quite concerning on a broader scale. Is the prison system not strong enough? Is there a lack of guards? Lack of security? If prison is meant to keep criminals away, how do we ensure that? The government is going to need to consider all the different possible questions that may rise from this situation. It is important to broaden the scope to prevent this from happening again.

Jacksonville Racist Shootings

In todays day and age, it feels like there is a new shooting everyday, a sad reality that the United States is now facing. Just recently, there was a racially motivated shooting in Jacksonville, Florida. The shooter was identified as Ryan Palmeter – a 21 year old known racist through his writings he left on his desk before leaving to go to the store – killed himself right after killing three African American people in the local Dollar General (a discount retailer store). Palmeter has a history in the field of being a criminal as he had been involved in a 2016 domestic violence incident that although it did not lead to an arrest, he was committed for a 72-hour mental health examination the following year. The killer was armed with an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun (both bought legally) and just merely walked into the store. As he was in the store, Palmeter was targeting as many people as he could, open firing on many innocent civilians. Luckily, many people were able to escape through the back door, but unfortunately, there were still three victims.

The three victims were Angela Michelle Carr, 52, was shot in her car outside the Dollar General; store employee AJ Laguerre, 19, was shot as he tried to flee; while customer Jerrald Gallion, 29, was shot as he entered the store.

There is a mystery about this whole situation though. Right before going to the Dollar General, Palmeter visited to the local Edward Waters University, a predominantly black university in a predominantly black environment. However, he didn’t do anything at the university he just walked by and then got suited up in his car, preparing to attend Dollar General. This mystery makes it unclear what his motive was and what he was trying to accomplish.

Despite this mystery, it is still a tragedy for those three lives that were lost and the whole community that was impacted by this. This shooting also raises many questions that should be considered by the government. Considering the fact that this man has a history of being involved in crimes and a questionable mental health state, it is surprising how he was still able to legally buy a gun. With this background, you would think he wouldn’t be able to buy one. The standards to buy a gun should be raised as many negative implications can rise from people buying guns. Background checks could be an effective way to do this as storeowners can recognize if a person could be a threat to society or not.

Hawaii Wildfires

It seems like there has been so many wildfires recently across the world. This prevalence is a concerning issue and has many implications. Wildfires are caused by a variety of ways– some of which are human activities, lightning strikes, heat sources, or even hurricane winds. In the case of the current wildfires in Hawaii, hurricane winds are responsible. Hurricane winds can cause wildfires in many different ways. Some are that hurricane winds can down power lines, leading to electrical sparks that may start fires, and can then spread if they ignite dry vegetation or other flammable materials; cause trees to fall, resulting in debris which can act as fuel for fire; carry burning embers over long distances; or interact with other weather systems ,such as thunderstorms, that produce lightning.

The Hawaii wildfires have primarily been in Maui, resulting in six people dead and destroying much of the popular tourist town Lahaina. Additionally, many homes, businesses and other structures have been destroyed/damaged. Three wildfires caused the damage and are continuously burning; more than 1,000 acres of the island’s Upcountry, an agricultural inland area that includes Haleakala National Park, have been charred. Evacuations have been ordered in 13 communities and towns and many roads closed around Maui, while roughly 2,100 people have taken refuge in shelters. Maui airports have remained open and at least 2,000 people stayed in them overnight because they couldn’t get flights out. An additional 4,000 visitors were trying to leave the island.

In all, these wildfires in Hawaii are resulting in lots of damages to the people and entire area as a whole. To battle this, Hawaii in particular could adopt comprehensive forest management policies, including controlled burns and defensible space requirements, to reduce fuel loads and limit wildfire spread. Strengthening building codes to enhance fire-resistant construction in vulnerable areas can help protect structures. Early warning systems, community education, and evacuation plans would improve preparedness. Additionally, investing in natural barriers like windbreaks and vegetative buffers can help prevent hurricane winds from causing wildfires by reducing the spread of embers and ignition sources.

Although wildfires have many different cause (and in this case it is hurricane winds), wildfires themselves originate from climate change. Climate change can contribute to wildfires by intensifying hurricane winds, which can knock down power lines and create sparks, while also generating dry and windy conditions after the hurricane passes, increasing the risk of ignition and fire spread in affected areas.

Thailand Warehouse Explosion

A firework warehouse in Southern Thailand recently went through an explosion. Before you may think that the fireworks are the root cause of the explosion– it is currently unknown what truly caused the explosion. However, what isn’t unknown, is the mass implications of this explosion.

At least 12 people were killed and 121 injured in this event. At least two of the victims were children, including a four-year-old boy and a eight-month-old baby girl. The incident was in the village of Mu No and reduced the warehouse and surrounding area to rubble. Over a hundred of nearby houses were damaged as well. According to Narathiwat Provincial Police Commander Anuruth Imarb, he claimed in a press conference on Sunday that police plan to charge the owner of the warehouse with a criminal offense for “causing the explosion and resulting in people’s deaths and injuries and property damage.” As the police continues to pursue the warehouse owner and tries to determine the root cause, there are many policy approaches that could be in place to assist those in crisis.

Emergency Response and Medical Care: Mobilize emergency services and medical teams to provide immediate assistance to the injured and transport them to medical facilities; ensure that hospitals and medical centers are adequately equipped to handle the influx of patients and have sufficient medical supplies.

Infrastructure Restoration and Rehabilitation: Develop a comprehensive plan for the repair and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, including roads, utilities, and buildings; prioritize critical infrastructure repair to restore essential services to the affected areas.

Zoning and Land Use Regulations: Reevaluate zoning regulations and land use policies to prevent hazardous facilities from being located too close to residential areas, schools, and hospitals; enforce zoning laws to prevent the establishment of hazardous facilities in inappropriate locations.

These are some possible policy based approaches that the government could Thailand could consider to mitigate the implications of this current explosion. Foreign aid is a strong way that many of these approaches could be made possible. Overall, this current incident has caused lots of damage onto the people and infrastructure of Southern Thailand, and policy based approaches are necessary to aid those facing struggles.

Israeli Protests

Currently, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets across the country in recent months to demonstrate against a judicial overhaul planned by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. This judicial overhaul ruling by the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) restricts judges from challenging some government decisions. Critics of the package fear that it will weaken the judicial system in favor of the government and the Knesset. Because Israel has a parliamentary system, proposed reforms such as undermining judicial oversight and changing the way judges are appointed will undermine the balance of power between Israel’s branches of government. As a result, opponents argue, the changes underway will destabilize Israeli democracy. Proponents of the reforms argue the opposite, making the case that the judiciary has become an unaccountable branch of government that has usurped the power of the Knesset and the government in setting policy.

In spite of the many conflicting views, many protests have risen. From the northern city of Haifa to Eilat on the Red Sea, protest organizers promoted rallies nationwide in the biggest test of public opinion since the government put a key plank of its reforms to a final vote in parliament on Monday. More than 170 thousand people are participating in these protests.

With all these protests it is uncertain how the fate of these rulings may play out. Throughout history, public opinion has always played a significant role in the government’s decisions across all countries around the world. Generally, public opinion can drive advocacy efforts by various interest groups and civil society organizations. When a significant portion of the public expresses support for a particular policy change or reform, advocacy campaigns can put pressure on policymakers to consider and adopt those proposals. Israel is in a tricky position with its population split in view and one side having many protests. Public policy is a key role in this situation and the prime minister and the Knesset could listen to their people to determine many rulings in the future to maintain peace.

Greece Wildfires

Orange, a color that may seem beautiful but causes scares when it fills the skies. In Rhodes, Greece, which is the largest of the Dodecanese islands of Greece and is their historical capital, there is currently an intense amount of blazing wildfires. The wildfire in the central and south part of Rhodes, a hugely popular island for holiday makers, and has been burning since Tuesday, July 18. It is the largest of a number of blazes in Greece, which is sweltering due to a heat wave that experts say is likely to become the country’s longest on record.

Greek authorities have reported that fortunately nobody has been severely harmed, but nine people have been briefly hospitalized due to breathing issues. These wildfires have forced many residents and tourists to start evacuating from the area– hotels and local buildings all evacuated. Many ancient sites that are viewed and visited by tourists were all closed due to the high temperatures, reaching 113 degrees Fahrenheit, about 45 degrees Celsius. People are being forced to escape the island to safer locations; crowds of people standing on beaches in the dark as officers helped them into rescue boats.

The wildfires on Rhodes are among hundreds to have broken out across Greece in the past week, stoked by tinder-dry conditions as heat waves sweep the country. Many people believe that the tinder-dry conditions are a result of climate change. Climate change is causing global temperatures to rise, leading to more frequent and intense heatwaves. Higher temperatures can cause evaporation of moisture from vegetation and soil, drying them out and creating tinder-dry fuel for wildfires. Additionally, climate change can disrupt precipitation patterns, resulting in more frequent and prolonged droughts in some regions. Reduced rainfall and extended dry periods can lead to drier vegetation and soil, making them more susceptible to ignition.

Overall, these wildfires in Greece are posing many challenges to the people currently there, living or visiting. Many people are forced to evacuate and hope for safety; many are also getting physically affected by the wildfires, causing them to go to the hospital. Climate change is a possible accelerator of these rapid wildfires and to prevent climate change from accelerating further major weather events, the world needs to take the next step to battle climate change. Additionally, during events such as this, neighboring nations could support those in Greece by providing resources to help those to evacuate.

Operation Lone Star

In pursuit of Operation Lone Star, a project designed to control federal border security to prevent illegal immigration, Texas has spent two years and billions of dollars. This project placed razor wire in Eagle Pass, Texas, stretching for miles, lining the riverbank in dangerous coils extending from a barricade of shipping containers. This is used to make it more challenging to illegally immigrate.

This project has filled the U.S.-Mexico border with thousands of Texas state troopers and National Guardsmen. In addition, it has started work on a state-controlled border wall and built a new skeleton justice system with its own courts, judges and jails to lodge misdemeanor state trespassing charges against migrants. This is an explicit challenge to the national government’s control as by federal law, it controls international borders and immigration enforcement.

Despite the immense time and effort, there has been little indication that this project has been effective. Texas has seen the most rapid increases in illegal border crossings in the state since the operation began, and thousands of arrests by state troopers under the program have been unrelated to border security. These issues raise the question if this project is necessary for the US and if the amount of time and money spent for this project is worth it.

Additionally, this project has been perceived as treating people quite unfairly– troopers and guard members on the operation were instructed to push a nursing mother back into the river, to deny water to migrants even in extreme heat and to block a 4-year-old who was trying to cross coils of razor wire, from reaching shore. This draws a problem of treating people trying to immigrate extremely unfairly. Although they are immigrating illegally, many people still believe this is a social justice issue.

If the government decides that this project is worth it, they could work towards making it more efficient by expanding the project to the other states a part of the US-Mexico border. They could expand the razor wire across the US-Mexico border to continue making it challenging to immigrate. However, if the government decides this project is not worth it, they can work towards dismantling it as a whole and going back to their old methods of illegal immigration. To make this decision for the government, public opinion is quite important to advocate for either side. The people of the nation could become more aware of the project and work towards improving or dismantling it.

South Korea’s Monsoon Rains

There are currently destructive monsoon rains that have resulted in significant damages to South Korea. At least forty people are dead already and this rain forecast is on track to continue harming South Korea and its people. Monsoon season is generally a regular event in Korea typically taking place from late June and early July and lasts until August. During this period, there is an increase in rainfall and higher humidity. The monsoon season in Korea is characterized by the arrival of a seasonal wind shift called the “changma” front. The front brings moist air from the south, resulting in increased cloud cover and precipitation. The monsoon rains during this period play a crucial role in replenishing water resources and supporting agricultural activities in the region. It is important to note that while Korea experiences a monsoon season, the intensity and duration of monsoon rains can vary from year to year due to natural climate variability. Factors such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events and other large-scale climate patterns can influence the behavior of the monsoon and affect rainfall patterns in Korea.

Climate change is believed to be another factor that accelerates the process and ramping the intensity. Rising global temperatures associated with climate change can affect the intensity and timing of monsoons. Warmer temperatures can lead to increased evaporation, which can provide more moisture for monsoonal rainfall. This can potentially result in heavier rainfall during the monsoon season.

This year’s monsoon rains in South Korea has been extremely disastrous as it has caused mass flooding and landslides. This has resulted in buried homes, knocked down trees, canceled flights and trains, and power outages to tens of thousands of residents. Many people have gone missing and become severely injured.

Overall, these monsoons in South Korea have intensely hurt the way of living in South Korea, and climate change is a root contributor by making floods significantly worse. To battle this, South Korea could fend for foreign aid to provide support to transport people to safety. This could be seen through allied governments or non-governmental organizations such as the Red Cross that are made for the purpose of helping people.