13,632.
This number seems outrageously high to me, but I found it here...
It's the latest guesstimation concerning possible heat-wave related deaths this summer here in France. The math was done by two companies that are a part of the OGF Group, a group of funeral homes, based on their numbers for the 1st three weeks of August and a projection for the the fourth week. They multiplied the result by 4 because they represent only 25% of the market, giving a 'national' guess of 13,632 more deaths for August 2003 as compared to August 2002.
If this turns out to be accurate, it might in turn provoke a hécatombe in the Raffarin government. One sacrificial surgeon general will not be enough.
Hello Valerie,
I heard this mornig Bernard Kouchner who spoke about UN bombing and heat wave. I have big respect for this guy. may be the polytic man I trust the more.
If I remember well you are french too, here are then the summaries links about what he told.
http://actualite.free.fr/actu.pl?doc=france/3_2003-08-20T1118_FAP0133.xml
In summary "OK to blame the government as long as we keep ready to blame ourselves". I already leaved comments about it. Load of prevention should have been done boy us on our citizen level...
Kouchner about UN Bombing
http://actualite.free.fr/actu.pl?doc=monde/3_2003-08-20T1125_FAP0134.xml
M. Kouchner a ajouté que «nous savons tous que M. Bush et M. Blair ont menti pour les raisons de cette guerre, et c'était une juste guerre pour les mauvaises raisons», mais, selon lui, «nous sommes tous visés. La défaite de la démocratisation en Irak, ce serait une défaite majeure dans le combat contre l'extrémisme».
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M. Kouchner added we all know MM Bush and Blair lied on the reason for this war. It was a right war for wrong reasons but we are all targeted by the UN Bombing. if democratisation process in Iraq fails, it would be a major defeat in fighting against extremism.
I am still not convinced it was a right war.. So what ? about what we have to do NOW iI fully agree with him.
A+
Pierre
Valerie,
Unfortunately, That number is not too high at all...
During the Chicago heatwave the initial estimates of the dead, tripled over the course of the next few weeks, as more and more bodies were uncovered.
Has your government officials gone on television, to plead with the French people, to check on their elderly friends and neighbors?
Are the French police and government bureaucrats knocking on every door, to check on the well being of the elderly and infirm?
Once we discovered that people were dying of the heat...That is what the people of Chicago did....and still 739 people died.
Expect the death toll in France to be higher ....
Pierre
I have to say I find all your words heartening.
We happen to disagree about certain past events, but that's not as significant as looking forward. We're in it now, it must be addressed.
Thank you
