THE WORST RECORDED NATURAL DISASTERS

USEFUL DATA ABOUT NATURAL DISASTERS                                   

                            

Earthquakes and volcanoes are among the most violent and unpredictable of all nature’s forces. High risk areas are along plate margins and coastlines. Some of to-day’s largest cities, including Tokyo, Los Angels and Mexico City have been built in these dangerous zones.

Facts and Figures:

• The largest earthquake ever was recorded off the coast of Chile on May 22, 1960. It measured 9.5 on the Richter scale.
• The Montagua earthquake in Guatamala in 1976 made more than one million people homeless. It also caused US $ 1.25 billion worth of damages.
• The largest volcanic eruption ever recorded was Krakata in Indonesia in 1883. The blast was heard 4635 kms. away and the collapse of the volcano caused 150 m waves in the nearby Sunda Strait.
• The largest volcano eruption of the 20^th century in the USA was NOvarupta in Alaska in 1912. The eruption produced 21 sq, kms. of volcanic material.
• The largest death toll from a tsunami was on the most-hit island of Indonesia in December 2004. Over one lakh people got killed and several lakhs were rendered homeless.

Destructive Forces:

Avalanches, landslides, giant waves and violent weather have been the cause of terrible catastrophes. As our understanding of these and other dangerous natural phenomena improves so does our ability to predict them and take measures to minimize the destruction they cause.

Guarding against earthquakes and volcanoes:

01.  Earth movements are monitored globally using instuments called seismometers. These pick up the minor vibrations which often preced major earthquake.

02.  Volcanoes often ‘bulge’ before an eruption as magma slowly rises in to them. Tiltmeters placed on a volcano can measure this and warn of an impeding eruption.

03.  Modern buildings are designed to withstand shocks in locations that are susceptible to earthquakes.

04.  Emergency evacuation plans have been put in place by countries most at risk particularly in Europe, the USA and Japan.

Avalanches and Land Slides:

Avalanches and Land Slides are the rapid mass movement of either snow and ice or earth under gravity. They are triggered by a number of factors.

• Weight: A heavy snowfall can provide enough extra weight to destabilize a sloping snowfield causing it to slide downhill, often taking rocks and trees with it.
• Water: Excessive rainfall or seeping ground water can destabilize and lubricate soil on a slope causing it to slide.
• Earthquakes: The vibrations from earthquake can destabilize both earth and snow causing landslides and avalanches.
• Noise: Vibrations caused by loud noises can trigger avalanches. Gunfire in the European Alps during the first World War is known to hasve caused several avalanches.
• Explosion: Avalanches can also be started by explosions in many places where avalanches are a threat, they are set off artificially by causing controlled explosions.
• Volcanoes: Volcanic eruptions are often associated with landslides and lahars. Lahars are mud flows caused when water from a crater lake or melted snow from the summit and sides of an erupting volcano, mixes with ash and slides downhill.
• Tsunami: The devastation tsunami can cause is legendary. Tsunami monitoring stations have been established in the Pacific since 1949. Although these provide an early warning system, there is little defensive action that can be taken other than evacuation.
• Storms: A storm is a violent disturbance in the atmosphere with wind speeds of 90 km/hr or higher- force 10 or above on the Beaufort scale. There are about 1600 storms taking place around the world at any one time,

Worldwide danger zones: Severe storms occur most frequently around Antarctica and the North Pole. However because of their remoteness these are rarely a danger to large number of people. The majority of truly devastating storms occur in the tropics, within about 23 degrees either side of the equator. This area includes densely populated cities and countries. Storms have different names, like hurricanes, cyclones, typhoons, depending upon their locations.

Floods: Floods can be caused by high tides, tsunamis or heavy rainfall. River floods can be exacerbated by deforestation upstream. This is the principal cause of the floods that have devastated Bangladesh in recent decades.

Facts and Figures:

• The most rain recorded over 24 hours was 187 cms. On the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean in March 1962.
• A water spout ( a whirlwind that sucks up water ) struck the leading boats in the 2001 Sydeny to Hobart Yacht race.
• The longest lightening flash on record measured 30 kms.
• The most people killed by a single lightening flash was 81 passengers of a jet that crashed after being struck on December 8, 1963 above Maryland, USA.
• The most people killed by hailstorms was 246 in a storm in the city of Muradabad, India on April 20, 1988.
• Australian meteorologist Clement L. Wragg introduced naming of hurricanes in 1887.
• Recent hurricane that struck east coast of USA in August 2011 had a devastating effect on the people living there.
• Incidence of frequent shocks of earthquakes in last week of August in our region has caused alarm all around.

MY LIFE STORY Part 2

03)  POSTED AS PROJECT OFFICER CHRAR-i-SHARIEF DEVELOPMENT PROJECT:

04)  REAPPOINTMENT FOR TWEO YEARS MORE:

In 06.2000, I was transferred to the Chrari Sharief Development Project as its Project Officer and on my retirement in 12.2000, I was reappointed for a term till completion of the project as approved by the Hon’ble CM on the file, but the secretariat had inserted the word “or two years, whichever is earlier” and it took more than a year to arrange funds amounting to Rs. 25 Crores as a loan from HUDCO, who released about Rs. 04 Crores with the rider that the remaining funds shall be released proportionate to the progress of the physical achievement on the ground. We had targeted the completion of the project by 2004, but on completion of my two years reappointment and simultaneously with  the change of the Govt., I sought the consent of the new Govt. regarding my continuance or otherwise. I was given OK to continue, but after a few days again as usual a non-technical blue eyed boy managed to influence the Govt. and got an order of posting issued in my place, which resulted in the closure of the project due to his non-performance. This was in spite of the fact that I had requested for posting at least a technical hand as warranted by the nature of the job, but who was there to listen. The political considerations overrule all other preferences. Unfortunately the resultant damage done is unaccountable-- but who cares?

Here too I had a narrow escape on an earlier occasion from an assault  launched by some arrogant local agencies, who wanted to make their axe grind, which I turned down by reporting the matter to the Minister concerned, who banged them, but I told him on his face in his office chambers in presence of all the representatives of the local agencies, to arrange my replacement. However I was asked to continue with an apology tendered by the defaulting agencies.

05)  PROMOTED AS CHIEF ENGINEER:

The orders of my promotion as Chief Engineer w.e.f. 03.2000 were issued later on, when I pursued the matter in the secretariat, however my claim for effecting my promotion one year earlier, when my immediate junior was promoted remains yet to be settled despite the orders of the Hon’ble High Court. And the same are expected to be issued once the normal working gets resumed as the past 03 months have witnessed unprecedented scenario of strikes, protests, curfews and it is only a day or two in a week that people are allowed to move out of their homes to arrange for their eatables. This is self-imposed restriction and suffering for an unforeseen future.

A)     POST RETIREMENT:

06)  JOINED CIE Ltd. (2004-2008):

In August 2004 I joined a multinational company having over 100 outlets in different countries of the world. I continued to work there through all thick and thin. To start with, there seemed to be a vicious circle finding faults for nothing as most of the skeleton staff was idle and as is known- the idle man’s brain is devil’s workshop, one had it’s living example here. Some maintenance of the assets and soil testing for the proposed construction of a five star hotel over the existing factory site,its dismantling besides renovation of the residential house at Shalimar was got executed with the close monitoring by the newly appointed Vice Chairman, to whom full co-operation was extended till he also became the victim of the prevailing atmosphere in the set up. It was strange that an illiterate daily wager was put in charge of marking the attendance of the staff and he could dare mark them absent when they would be present. This left no room for discussion and my sensitivity on such issues made me to rethink my continuity in the set up. Meanwhile I proceeded on a month’s leave in 2008 on the marriage of my two sons There was some health problem too and the worthy VC assumed that I had given up the job. Being a retired Army General, he dealt issues on the same footing and as is the order in the army:-- “Lad Marey Sipahi—Naam Baney General Ka” i.e. The soldier fights the battle and the General gets the award. Due to my acquaintances with all the concerned departments of the building permission and persistent follow up I go sanctioned the building permission case of the proposed hotel complex at Shalimar within a period of six months only, when it takes years together even on making payment of gratification wherever bottlenecks are faced. This was possible of course with the support of the VC, but with the attitude shown by the setup of the CIE. the efforts put in seemed to go down the drain.

The year 2007 was an unfortunate year for me as my savings of about Rs. 12 Lakhs, which I had made out of my GP Fund, Gratuity, and Pension Contribution etc. were taken by a person confidentially from me with the mal- intention of never to return and this gave me sleepless nights for about two years as I tried to suppress my feelings within myself to avoid anxiety of my dependents, but it adversely affected my health and also the required attention to my routine interests.

07)  MY OPEN HEART SURGERY (2009):

It was in December 2009, that one day I felt a little pain in the lower rib on the right side after walking a kilometer or so. I brushed it as some strain. After a few days the same pain was again felt and again I ignored it; a third day it happened even before walking. I got alerted and got tests like echo done, I was recommended to go in for TMT test which again showed a similar pain in the end. Next I got CT angio done, which alerted my family as it showed blockage in the heart, so I was rushed to Delhi and an angiography at Escorts Hospital showed two no’ 100% and one 60% block, warranting an open heart surgery. We rushed to Dr. Anil Bhan, who got me admitted in the recently inaugurated Hospital –Vedanta Medi City Gurgaon New Delhi. I was operated on 17^th December 2009 and woke up to my conscience on 19^th December—my birthday. I was discharged from the hospital after12 days.

Presently I am regaining my lost strength, though I am lighter by about 10 kgs., and find pleasure in gardening. This has helped to supplement the vegetables to our kitchen, besides to others in these days of strikes and curfews. Thus an adversity can also be put to one’s advantage. With the experience gained over time one learns to take advantage of the situation in which one is put to.

Throughout my service tenure I have been interested in spare time in reading the books purchased from bookshops or obtained from the  libraries etc Since according to the age old manuscripts with us dating back up to 800 years, our ancestors have been literate when most of our society has been drowned in the illiteracy and ignorance. Our ancestors had developed relationships as far as Rawalpindi. Lahore in the United India,(now Pakistan). Even the disciples in spiritual field used to visit from these places from Sind, Kabul and Bukhara. This all happened when there were no transport facilities like those of the present day and people would travel long distances in search of a spiritual guide, who could make their path easier and quicker to reach their goals. The similar traffic would move from Kashmir to various directions, where besides business objectives, the spiritual guidance would also be obtained.

08)  My TRAVEL TO UAE (2010):

In December 2010 I paid a visit to UAE to see my son Irfan besides to escape harsh winter of Kashmir.I have described the- development of the twin cities Abu Dhabi and Dubai in a separate article-“A Tale of Two Cities’, besides a couple of articles on ‘The Grand Mosque’ of Abu Dhabi, published in The Greater Kashmir in January 2011. We were entertained at get- togethers by many of our aquaintances over here and time slips out here without a feel of it.Here I could recall my past memories which generated this book called ‘My Story’

09)  MY AQUAINTANCES:                                                                                                                    

I must tell something about my close acquaintances, like my spouse, my children, my in laws, my first relations, my friends and my immediate neighbors, the surroundings in 1947 to date i.e. 2010 covering a period of 63 years and the prevailing unprecedented and unforeseen events to put on record the circumstances that shaped our living and are a cause of the aspirations for our future.

The first person a conscious child encounters with is his mother and I can recall she taking care of my all needs at her inconcenience.I also recolect me playing indoors with my father and find pleasure in turning pages of the books of first primary class. My mother was full of love for others and all ladies who came to converse with her would hug me and even kiss me, being a precious survival as the only child out of the five painful births.In contrast my father was a reserved person with a sense of discipline and commanded respect from all near and dearones as he was helpful in finding solutions to their day to day problems and also in the settlement of their mutual disputes.The other most lovable person I came in contact was my maternal aunt Halima Begum who  loved me along with her other children. I still remember sitting in her lap of green pheran with tila work, but unfortunately she left this world on the seventh day of her fifth child- birth.The infant Nayeem was brought up in our house for about a year,but after shifting him back to his parental house he too did not survive any more.I would enjoy playing with these cousins and those at home including some neighbours and other relatives of my age group.I would also enjoy playing, occasinally with the other cousins belonging to my maternal uncles, who lived at a farther distance.A get- together on marriage or other functions would be a time to enjoy. Sometimes annual functions of religious nature would also be an occasion to meet others.As I grew into a lad, I would like to visit the house of my father’s maternal aunt at Maharaj Gunj, where I could find friends to play with, besides she was one of the noblest ladies managing all the home affairs which included caring for her bed-ridden husband Qazi Ghulam Mohammad Patloo and rearing of three naughty children from her husband’s second wife who had passed away leaving infants as such.

My early playmate was Tahira (Toilala)- my maternal cousin as she was braught up by my mother-her mother having passed away in her childhood. Adjacent to our house there was residing a Lady namely Lalbhai belonging Jammu.They would get walnuts in bulk from their orchards and for days together break these for obtaining kernels. I would be often taken there by her daughter Zubaida besides her son Mohammad Ibrahim would take me to bazar on his bicycle to my enjoyment. One morning we found all their belongings scattered in their compound and it was said that burglars had stolen things from their house during the night hours.Later on they sold the house to a Waza (professional cook).I would meet my other maternal cousins at Fatehkadal, Basantbagh. Kalaiandar,whenever my mother took me their along with her or during marriage gatherings.There were other cousins  of my mother at Fatehkadal, Gankhan,around my age with whom too I would enjoy playing when there would be an occasion to meet. Some of these memories leave indelible marks till last.

Elder to me was my maternal cousin mohammad Shafi Kanth, who would always be well dressed – his father being an expert tailor and I found him collecting photos of world leaders from freely distributed magazines like ‘Soviet Union’ and other newspapers and he would paste these on walls of their only room at Khoshasahib Khanyar or frame these. Later on he got interested in photography and got job in F&S Deptt.

My other elder maternal cousin was Mohammad Abdullah Majaz, whom I found often well-dressed and was a frequent visitor to our house. He would even stay in our house occasionally.He however got sick in early age and was admitted in the Chest Diseases Hospital in Drugjan Srinagar.Later on I came to know that he had become sick because of the torture, he was subject to by the Bakhshi Regime for being an activist of Political Conference led by Kh. Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Qarra. In fact one morning he brought a round object wrapped in a cloth and kept the same in an almirah in our old house at Kalal Doori prohibiting us not to touch it. On taking it back, he told us to remain awake and listen its result in the midnight.Later on we came to know that a blast had taken place on the historic Hari Parbhat Fort top the same night, while he himself was found by his home people sleeping in his bed in his house at Kalaiander which too was located near the fort area.He would also be distributing his party posters to the tourists, for which he is reported to have peen tortured and that caused his early death at an age of 30 years only.

My father’s cousin around my age was Qazi Ghulam Nabi Patloo.I would frequently go to their house as we had a common tutor in 8^th class.We would often exchange letters commenting on the current topics which helped us to improve our vocabulary.Sometimes we would play games in their compound along with his two elder sisters.

The other friend of mine was late Abdul Bari Diwani of Konan Bandipora. He had become my friend when I visited his place in my childhood. Later on he was working with a tradesman at Maharaj Gunj and we would often meet. Earlier we would exchange letters too.Many a time he would stay in our home. He helped me a lot in my marriage arrangement and got himself too married but unfortunately met a fatal accident in a vehicle in the forest.

A frequent visitor to our house was my father’s friend Kh. Ghulam Nabi Misgar.He would visit our house everyday morning after having a long morning walk. He would never use Kangri-a firepot even in severe winter, besides he was keeping a robust health.He would discuss the current topics with my father over a cup of salt tea. Later on he turned to be a sofi saint and people would throng to him for praying for their needs.

Among the father’s relatives we had an occasional visitor his cousin namely Mufti Hakim Hissam-ud-Din Diwani from Konan Bandipore. He was most soft spoken and scholarly.I have yet to find such a sweet person.He would go off his way to entertain us, whenever we found an occasion to visit his house at Konan.I remember that in absence of any electricity, he used to read books under oilwet wick lamps and had a big collection of books. Besides he would make medicines out of forest plants and would treat the local population. The other friend of mine from the same neighbourhood was Farooq Ahmad Diwani- the brother in law of my father through his former marriage.He maintained the relationship with us and would often visit us in Srinagar.He too waould go ou of his way whenever we visited his home. I have yet to see a person taking care of his aquaintances asking about their welfare and helping them solve issues if within his capacity.

There is a huge list of people whom I had the opportunity to meet and the list of the same shall appear separately along with the details of encounters as my memory shall help me.                                                                                

                                  The Solar System in motion-all in rotation,revolution and heading to?                                                                                                                        

 

Our Earth is a speck in the universe full of galaxies of stars numbering billions and trillions.                                                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                                   Our Earth photographed from space

                       

                                                                          THE WORLD MAP

   

                                J&K STATE           

       Sirhind Sharief Punjab India

                                                                Multan Pakistan                                                      

                                                                   Bukhara Central Asia

           

 

                                 THE HOLY KAABA IN MECCA

THE MAUSOLEUM OF THE HOLY PROPHET MOHAMMAD (PBH)-- MADINA

  

                                          

                               MAULANA RUMI

                                             

                    His Mausoleum at Konya Turkey

                                   

                                               

                       Sheikh Saadi Shirazi

                                

                                    

                    His Mausoleum in Iran

                                     

   Tomb of Hazrat Makhdoom Jalal ud Din Bukhari Multan                                                                                     

               t                                      Tomb of Hazrat Makhdoom Jahangasht (RA)  an  Tomb of Hazrat Baha ud Din Zakaria (RA Multan

                                                                                                                                                         

 Tomb of Baba Farid Ganjshakar (RA) Lahore  and                     Tomb of Shah Ruknuddin Alam (RA) Multan

                   

   Ziarat of Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi(RA) Mujaddid Alf Sani Sarhind Sharief Punjab  India  

                      

 Shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom Kashmiri (RA)-Sultan-ull Arifeen

                                   

                               Hazratbal Shrine Srinagar

                                                                  Ziarat of progeny of Sayid Abdul Qadir Jeelani (RA) Srinagar

                                               

     Ziarat of Kh Moin ud Din Naqsshbandi Srinagar                                                       

         

                Khankahi Mualla Srinagar Kashmir

                                  

      I with my father Pirzada Mohammad Yasin fazili at Kalal  Doori House Srinagar

                                                                  

                     

                                             

My father Pirzada Mohammad Yasin Fazili with Tawhida in his lap.

                                           

            

 My Mother Maryam cropping mint in the garden at Bachpora Srinagar

                                         

                                                       

                          Mohammad Ashraf Fazili (04-05 years age)

                                           (The Author)

       

       1^st year Degree Engg. 

  

2^nd year degree engg.

           

       

       

        

 

3^rd year Engg.

     

         Final year Engg.

     

      On farewell day

With  Mr. Mohammad Shafi Kanth and maternal uncle Pir Ahmadullah Qadiri

With Pir Atiqullah Qadiri on a marriage gathering.

                 With my maternal uncle Pir Atiqullah Qadiri

                              Myself  with Nizam ud Din Mattoo

                                                                            

                            Myself at The Taj Mahal 1960

 3rd year students with Mr. Prakasa governor of Maharashtra at Raj Bhavan Mumbai-1962

 

With Mr. Prakasa Governor Maharashtra at Raj Bhavan Mumbai

                               On tour to Ootacamund- 1962

                   

      With Nizam ud Din Mattoo and K. Krishnan classmate at Missouri

                     

 With Jaharlal Bhattacharya and K. Krishnan class mates at Missouri

                            Exhibition model—Church made of   laminated bamboo using no nails—won 2^nd prize in1963, with Prof. Srinivasan our Guide, Parandhaman and Nizam ud Din Mattoo

 

Kh Nazir Ahmad Kashtwari

                          Retd. Under Secretary General   Department J&K Government.

   My Parents in law

                 

 At Hira Cave where 1^st verse of The Holy Quran was revealed ( Photograph taken in Hajj-1990)

      My family L-R Gowhar, Tawhida,Abida,Irfan and Fahmida,myself and Salama servant.

                                   

L-R My father, mother, Jaw- lala, Fahmida and I with Daisy in my lap on the roof top of our    old house at Kalal Doori Nayed Kadal Srinagar.

                              With my Mother Maryam

                      At The Taj Mahal with  Baby Irfan.

                                             

                   Irfan at Shalimar

            

 With my mother and Tawhida in my lap

                                                

  Tawhida in Jamia Mosque Srinagar

                                                                              

           My Mother Maryam

       

    Tawhida at Convent School

     

           Gowhar in Burn Hall School

   

                 Gowhar and Tawhida

                 Tawhida and Gowhar

             

               At the Nishat Garden 1967

                                         

 Abdul Haq Barq And Kh. Mohammad Amin Buch

        ( The two  intimate faithful friends )

                             

            With Prof. Mohammad Sultan Wani (Retd. Principal Degree College Baramulla)

                               

           With my friend Dr Mohammad Akram on his marriage

                                       

          (L-R) Khurshid Ahmad Kashtwari,G.M.Kashtwari,Ahmadullah Kashtwari.Gh.Husain      Kashtwari, Pirzada Ali Mohammad and myself at a dinner in Ghani's family at Bagi Ali Mardan Khan Nowshehra Srinagar

                                                      

                   As organizer National Seminar of Agricultural Engineers at Srinagar 1989

                                       

      With  Mr. B. K. Nehru Governor J&K State—at home given in Raj Bhavan Jammu to       participants of National Anatomical Society Conference at Jammu.

                                                

                 With Mr. B. K. Nehru Governor J&K State- at home at Raj Bhavan Jammu

                                

        National Road Safety Conference held at Srinagar by IRC & R&B Department Kashmir  

            

               Institution of Engineers J&K State Center Srinagar

                          

            36^th Engineers Day -The Institution of Engineers J&K State Srinagar

                            

                 40^th Engineers day 15^th September 2007 - IEI J&K State Center Srinagar

                                         

                       Addressing IEI J&K State Srinagar

                        

                            In my office at REW Anantnag

                         

  L-R Myself, Mr. M.Husain ACD,Mr. Masoodi Director RDD,Central Govt. Officers at Pahalgam

                        

    L-R Myself, MLA Qazigund  Mr. G.M. Shah, Er.BL Razdan AE,Er.Mansoor Husain JE

                          

                          L-R  Myself, Mr. Dan O.Dell (UNICEF),   Er. B.A.Gangoo.Er. Koul                    L=R Myself,Er.B A Gangoo, Er. Koul

          

 

  At Shalimar Gardens Srinagar

 March 2010 after my Heart Surgery

               

           In Abu Dhabi Feb. 2011

                                  

                                                      

                         A  road map  for future developing towns

                       

               Burj -Khalifa- The World’s tallest building in Dubai.

 

                         Jumeirah Towers Dubai

         Sheikh Zayed Bridge at Abu Dhabi

                  

                                          The Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi