March: In like a lion - emergency preparation

Guest post by Shauna Quinn, Red Cross Blogger

You’ve heard the saying “in like a lion, out like a lamb” when referring to the month of March, right?  It’s hard to believe this month we will welcome the first day of spring.  So, as we enter into the third month of what is now the coldest winter in 20 years, here’s a look at a few other past events which brought March "in like a lion."

On March 26, 2002, an earthquake in Northern Afghanistan killed some 2,000 people.  It was March 13, 2003, when Hong Kong gave the first alert over SARS and health officials issued a global warning about the flu. On March 28, 2005, in Aceh, Indonesia, an earthquake shook the island of Nias, killing at least 300 people.

And who can forget the earthquake and tsunami in Japan on March 11, 2011.  The most powerful earthquake to hit Japan in over 100 years unleashed walls of water that swept across rice fields, engulfing towns, dragging houses onto highways and tossing cars and boats.  More than 18,000 people were killed in the disaster.

      One week after the earthquake and tsunami struck, a Japanese Red Cross volunteer surveys the damage to Otsuchi in Iwate prefecture. Photo credit: Japanese Red Cross Society, 2011

Currently, a volcano has erupted in Guatemala, prompting the authorities to consider the evacuation of some 3,000 people living in the area.  The Pacaya volcano began spewing ash and lava after a powerful explosion.  It is one of three active volcanoes in the Central American nation and with a height of 2,500 metres, it's a popular tourist destination.

One thing history can teach us: emergencies can happen at any time.  So be prepared.  Have a plan for the unexpected.  For more tips about emergency preparedness, visit our website at www.redcross.ca. 

A discarded Winnie the Pooh sits amid the debris left when the tsunami swept through the city of Otsuchi in northeastern Japan. Photo credit: Japanese Red Cross Society, 2011