2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake
The undersea earthquake occurred on Dec. 26, generating a tsunami
that killed 170,000 to 250,000 people, making it one of the deadliest
disasters in modern history.
The earthquake originated in the Indian Ocean just off the western coast
of northern Sumatra, Indonesia, generating a tidal wave that struck the
shores of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South India, Thailand and other countries
with waves up to 100 feet high. The tsunami caused damage and death
as far as the east coast of Africa, about 5,000 miles from the quake's
epicenter.
Estimates put the quake's magnitude at 9.15. In May, scientists said the
earthquake lasted about 10 minutes--an eternity when most last just a few
seconds--and caused the entire planet to vibrate a few centimeters.
1989 San Francisco Earthquake
California's 1989 Loma Prieta quake that brought down a section of the
San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, but survived--often with little more
damage than a cracked window.
Hurricane Katrina
While we might imagine that civilization is impervious to the elements, it's a
sobering fact that nature can wipe cities from the face of the Earth in
minutes. Natural disasters usually strike without warning and have
devastating consequences. Loss of life and property can be enormous,
and the psychological effects can be immeasurable. Nothing can be as
terrifying as being in the grip of nature, and we can ultimately do nothing
to inhibit its effects. Here are 7 of the most devastating natural disasters in
history.
1906 San Francisco Earthquake
Striking the Californian coast at 5am on April 18, 1906, the San Francisco
earthquake shook the ground from Oregon to LA and is remembered as
one of the worst natural disasters in US history. The earthquake itself was
followed by widespread fires, caused by burst gas mains, which
devastated the city. Ultimately, 3,000 people died.
The 1931 Great Floods in China
In 1931 a series of floods overran Central China. It is generally considered
the deadliest natural disaster ever recorded, and almost certainly the
deadliest of the 20th century, when pandemics are discounted. The
human casualties are estimated to have numbered from 3.7 million to 4
million dead and countless thousands of people made homeless.
The Great Tangshan Earthquake
The Great Tangshan Earthquake was a natural disaster that occurred on
July 28, 1976. It is believed to be the largest earthquake of the 20th
century based on death toll. The epicentre of the earthquake was near
Tangshan in Hebei, China, an industrial city with approximately one million
inhabitants. The number of deaths initially reported by the Chinese
government was 655,000, but this number has since been dropped to
around 255,000. A further 164,000 people were recorded as being severely
injured. The earthquake came in between a series of political events
involving the Communist Party of China. It shook China both literally and
figuratively in 1976, which was later labeled a 'Year of Curse'.
The earthquake hit in the early morning, at 3.42am local time on July 27,
and lasted for around 10 seconds. The Chinese Government’s official
sources state that it reached 7.8 on the Richter magnitude scale, though
some sources listed it as high as 8.2. It was followed by a major 7.8
magnitude aftershock some 16 hours later, increasing the death toll.
The Bhola Cyclone of 1970
The 1970 Bhola cyclone was a devastating storm that struck Bangladesh
and West Bengal on November 12, 1970. It was the deadliest tropical
cyclone ever recorded, and one of the deadliest natural disasters in
modern times. Up to 500,000 people lost their lives in the storm, primarily as
a result of the storm surge that flooded much of the low-lying islands of the
Ganges Delta.
Cyclone Nargis Sri Lanka 2008
At the end of April and start of May of 2008, the Nargis Cyclone hit Sri
Lanka and Burma. In Sri Lanka the flooding caused landslides in ten
districts, whereas in Burma it hit the town of Bogale with over 10,000
deaths. The cyclone caused roughly $10bn in damages and over 135,000
died with over 50,000 missing.
The Haitian Earthquake 2010
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7 event, with an
epicentre approximately 16 miles west of capital city Port-Au-Prince. The
earthquake occurred at 4.53pm local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.
By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been
recorded. An estimated three million people were affected by the quake;
the Haitian Government reported that some 230,000 people had died,
300,000 had been injured and 1,000,000 made homeless. They also
estimated that 250,000 homes and 30,000 commercial buildings had
collapsed or were severely damaged.
2011 Japanese Earthquake
A 8.9 magnitude earthquake slammed Japan's northeastern coast,
unleashing a 33-foot tsunami on March 11. Earthquake-triggered tsunamis
have spread through the waters from Japan to Hawaii and California.
The 2010 Chilean Earthquake
Occurred off the coast of central Chile on Saturday, 27 February 2010. It
ranks as the sixth largest earthquake ever to be recorded by a
seismograph. The earthquake triggered a tsunami which devastated
several coastal towns in south-central Chile and damaged the port at
Talcahuano. Tsunami warnings were issued in 53 countries,[10] and the
wave caused minor damage in the San Diego area of California.
The Eruption of Mount Saint Helens
The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, a stratovolcano located in
Washington state, in the United States, was a major volcanic eruption. The
eruption (which was a VEI 5 event) was the only significant one to occur in
the contiguous 48 US states since the 1915 eruption of Lassen Peak in
California.[1] The eruption was preceded by a two-month series of
earthquakes and steam-venting episodes, caused by an injection of
magma at shallow depth below the volcano that created a huge bulge
and a fracture system on Mount St. Helens' north slope.
China, 1959
Massive flooding killed an estimated 2 million people. The magnitude of
the disaster wasn't new. In 1938 and 1939, flooding killed an estimated
one million people. In 1931, the Yangtze River flooded, causing about 3
million deaths, including those who starved. In 1887, an estimated 900,000
people died when the Yellow River flooded.
Iran, 2003
An earthquake registering 6.3 on the Richter scale flattened much of the
city of Bam, killing at least 50,000 people. In 1990, a landslide triggered by
an earthquake killed an estimated 50,000 in western Iran.
Central America, 1998
Hurricane Mitch slammed into Nicaragua and Honduras, killing about
10,000 people and leaving more than 2 million homeless. Mudslides wiped
out entire villages.
Bangladesh, 1970
Storm-induced flooding killed about 300,000 people. Flooding killed about
130,000 in 1991.
Colombia, 1985
The Nevada del Ruiz Volcano erupted, setting off a massive mudflow that
inundated the city of Amero, killing an estimated 23,000 people.
Peru, 1970
A 7.8 earthquake on Mt. Huascaran set off an avalanche that buried two
towns, killing an estimated 20,000 people.
Armenia, 1988
An earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale killed about 100,000
people.