Natural Disasters, what is happening?

It seems everywhere I look in the news, there is some form of natural disaster occuring. Take Haiti for example. It has not been up to a week since hurricane Tomas hit, St Vincent, St Lucia and Barbados. Yet according to reports, it is headed down Haiti and is set to have a bigger impact. I dread to imagine the chaos and fear in Haiti as evacuation begins for the storm, the survivors of the previous hurricane in january early this year, having to relive every nightmare again. Not mentioning the cholera outbreak as a result of shortage of clean water. Indeed it is a very depressing situation.

Also not forgetting Indonesia, where mount merapi has been having volcanic eruptions with the death toll rising to 44 people at present, Jamaica where tropical storm Nicole hit in late september claiming lives aswell as property and Pakistan also hit by a flood.

Many have argued this disasters are as a result of climate change(global warming) and that we as primary carers of the world have to do more to protect it. Others are in dispute as to weather global warming really has any effect, claiming that most statistical figures of disasters or even the disasters themselves have either been manipulated or influenced somehow to prove a non existent point( see Michael Crichton's book: State of Fear). While some others are keen to quote evidence of religious prophecies taking place, namely: apolcalypse. The truth of the matter remains that the real issue is still being ignored as everyone is quick to take sides and point fingers. One cannot really say for a fact that this is the true cause of natural disasters, infact it might be a little of everything and nothing. The point remains that rather than hide behind arguments or even accept them, we should all strive to do our bit in helping out those who have been traumatised by these horific events.  I was disheartened when I read in the Trinidad Express (see link http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/NO_FREE_HELP-106494413.html) that the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago said that the country was willing to help its caribbean neighbours but not without something in return (some kind of benefit to Trinidad). What kind of attitude is that? Maybe it has not occured to her that these are people who have been hit by a natural disaster. All the main forms of livelihood especially farming, have been cleared away with not even a sheaf of corn left to survive. But then again, thats how the world operates, "something for something", even to people who have nothing left to bargain with. Very sad situation it is and my thoughts are continously with all those hit by natural disasters. Please let us all continue to donate to charities out there aiding these people for we do not know who amongst us will be hit next.