Reporting Asia-Pacific Disasters

A string of seismic events has made for a week of deadly disasters in the Asia-Pacific region. On Sept. 26, Typhoon Ketsana hit the Phillipines, leaving hundreds dead and flooding 80 percent of Manila. On Sept. 29, an earthquake and ensuing tsunamis rocked the Samoas, killing at least 150. The Indonesian island of Sumatra was hit by an earthquake the next day, and then by a second less-severe earthquake the day after.

The Philippines is bracing for a second typhoon, and scientists are warning of further seismic activity in the region. But regardless of what happens next, the devasted communities will need help and they will need good reporting. For local and foreign journalists covering the devastation or reporting on the event from abroad, the Dart Center has put together its most useful resources.

DART CENTER RESOURCES

LESSONS FROM THE 2004 ASIAN TSUNAMI

NON-ENGLISH RESOURCES

  • A Bahasa-Indonesian version of the Dart Center's 40-page guide to help journalists, photojournalists and editors report on violence while protecting both victims and themselves.