What is 1.7 on the Richter Scale

There is news that two 'earthquakes' or 1.5 and 1.7 on the Richter scale have hit the land of my father's County Donegal in the last 24 hours. But what exactly is 1.7 on the scale?

You wouldn't even feel a thing. An express train going past you on a platform has more effect on you. It also is hardly news 8,000 hit the world every day of 2.0 or less, they are described as micro and not recorded. Compared to even the aftershocks that have been hitting Haiti this is nothing to write home about. Apart from in this case by the BBC.

However, Thomas Blake of Dublin's School of Cosmic Physics said that some people felt the event. So either the measurement is wrong or they were having a different type of earth moving experience.

The Need for Water in Haiti

You can survive for weeks without food, but you can only survive a few short days without water.

Dehydration is a major issue now in Haiti, but on top of that there is a need for clean water. With infrastructure ruined a lot of the water that comes from pre-existant sources is now contaminated. So the option for many is either to not take the water and dehydrate or drink contaminated water and risk disease.

The DEC appeal lists some of the amounts that you may be able to contribute and what difference it makes.

If you haven't already please give.

Haiti what the Papers are Saying

The news story of the day has to be Haiti. I'm not going to do anything else this morning but round up what the papers are saying.

The Times calls Haiti the unluckiest country after it is struck by the 7.0 force earthquake while many parts of the country are still recovering for the 4 major tropical storm that hit the island in 2008.

President Préval, whose presidential palace was wrecked, described stepping over dead bodies in the parliament building and hearing the cries of those still trapped.

The Guardian leads with Préval's claim that the death toll could reach as much as 100,000 and quotes him saying:

"Parliament has collapsed. The tax office has collapsed. Schools have collapsed. Hospitals have collapsed. There are a lot of schools that have a lot of dead people in them. All of the hospitals are packed with people. It is a catastrophe."

The BBC tells of Haitians sleeping on the street last night for a second night either because they have no home to go to, or are scared of what the aftershocks will bring.

The Scotsman tells of how Haiti is now the focus of the world's attention and resources are being sent there

President Barack Obama was joined by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, international aid groups and the United Nations in promising large sums of money and expertise to rebuild the country.

Calling on all countries to join together to help Haiti, the United States president said: "We are reminded of the common humanity that we all share. We have to be there for them in their hour of need."

At the top of my side bar is the British Red Cross emergency appeal number. DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) will be launching theirs tomorrow across the channels.

Haiti Earthquake Emergency Appeal

Here is the Red Cross's YouTube appeal for last night's Haiti Earthquake and its victims. Please watch and give what you can.



The Disasters Emergency Committee will be launching their appeal on Friday across all the terrestrial channels.

Carry On Camping with Berlusconi

The Italian President has said of the victims of the Italian earthquake:

"They have everything they need, they have medical care, hot food...... Of course, their current lodgings are a bit temporary. but they should see it like a weekend of camping"

Well Silvio for starters when you go camping you generally have a home to head back to when you want to or get tired of it: with all the home conforts available.

Secondly if what the people of the towns and villages affected have been saying is right they are bing told they may be out for at least 3 months, hardly temporary if you want them to be camping though that all.

Best to think before engaging the tongue. Not very sensible way of putting it.