When natural disasters strike

THERE seems to be an eerie connection between the start of the year and natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis.

Who can forget the horrific Stephen’s Day tsunami of 2004 which devastated communities in Asia, most especially Indonesia and Thailand?

There have been several new year tsunamis, of lesser magnitudes, in the interim. And just this week, Asia was again the focus of global news reports, following the large earthquake – and subsequent tsunami warnings – in Japan.

Added to the disaster were the horrific deaths of five Coast Guard crew after a collision with a passenger jet in Tokyo. The Coast Guard crew were part of the rescue services for the earthquake’s aftermath, so it was a truly horrific tragedy to hit the already grieving city. T

hose chaotic scenes, combined with the pre-Christmas images of the incredible volcanic eruption in Iceland, close to a town the size of Skibbereen, made us thankful for living in a country which does not, at least, have tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanoes to contend with.