WORST NATURAL DISASTERS

NATURAL DISASTERS

The world has witnessed numerous disasters over the centuries and although most are man-made due to wars and terrorism, mother nature certainly dishes out her fair share of damage. While there are many criteria as to what would be considered the “worst” natural disaster ranging from lives lost to cost incurred, the earthquakes, typhoons, and tsunamis you are about to witness are all horrific in their own right.  Here are the some worst natural disasters ever recorded.

Haiti Earthquake (2010)

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake that has a depth of 8.1 miles rocked Haiti on January 12, 2010. Its epicenter was located just south west of Port-Au-Prince with 59 aftershocks ranging from 4.2 to 5.9 magnitudes in strength. The strongest earthquake to hit the country since 1770, it had led to over 200,000 deaths, 2 million homeless, and 3 million people in need of emergency aid. At least US $195 million have been given with another US $120 million pledges from different countries, along with a large number of aid workers to help with rescue operations.

Cyclone Nargis (2008)

The first cyclone in 2008 to hit the northern Indian Ocean, Cyclone Nargis made landfall in Myanmar and devastated the Ayeyarwady Delta region along with its 37 townships for two days. Official figures showed that 84,500 people were killed with 53,800 missing. An equivalent of a category 3 or 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, it led to numerous storm surges and flooding.

Pakistan Earthquake (2005)

The 2005 Pakistan earthquake, that registered 7.6 in the Richter scale, had its epicenter in Kashmir near the city of Muzaffarabad. It occurred on the morning of October 8, 2005 and the official death toll was 75,000 people with 106,000 people injured. The severity of the damage was attributed to the poor construction of the buildings. Over US $5.4 billion in aid arrived from all over the world to help with rescue and relief efforts.

Hurricane Katrina (2005)

The deadliest hurricane to hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, it was ranked as the sixth strongest overall to hit the United States. It was also one of the costliest with estimated property damages of US $81 billion.

Indian Ocean Earthquake (2004)

Also known as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, it was estimated to be a magnitude 9.15, and occurred on December 26, 2004. While the earthquake itself lasted for only 10 seconds, it caused a tsunami that killed 200,000 to 310,000 people along the shores of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South India, and Thailand with one death even occurring at Port Elizabeth in South Africa, 8,000 miles away from the epicenter.

Nevado del Ruiz Volcano Eruption (1985)

Also famed as La Mesa de Herveo, this stratovolcano holds the distinction of causing the second largest volcano-related disaster of the 20th century. The volcano, which generally generates Plinian eruptions or swift-moving currents of hot gas and rock called pyroclastic flows, produced an enormous flow that buried and devastated the town of Armero in Tolima in November 13, 1985. What was tragically known as the “Armero tragedy” caused the death of 25,000 people.

Source: www.list25.com

246 killed, hundreds hurt in Ecuador's 7.8 earthquake

246 killed

The most deadly earthquake to hit Ecuador in nearly two decades has left at least 246 dead, and leaders of the Andean nation cautioned on Sunday that the death toll could still rise.

The magnitude-7.8 earthquake, which also injured more than 2,500, struck Saturday night, toppling buildings, damaging roads and impacting cities hundreds of miles away from its epicenter near the small fishing village of Muisne. More than 135 aftershocks have been felt, according to Ecuador’s seismological institute.

President Rafael Correa, who was traveling abroad on official business, declared a national emergency and urged Ecuadoreans to stay strong.

“Everything can be rebuilt, but what can’t be rebuilt are human lives, and that’s the most painful,” he said in a phone call to state TV before departing Rome straight for the coastal Ecuador city of Manta.

The Ecuador quake comes after two powerful earthquakes hit Japan last week, killing at least 41 people with 11 others still missing Sunday.

Landslides in Ecuador complicated emergency workers efforts to reach some areas hardest hit. Many survivors were trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings, as rescue workers try to pull them out.

"These are very difficult moments," said Vice President Jorge Glas, who had taken charge of recovery efforts until  Correa returned from a Vatican conference. "We have information that there are injured people who are trapped (under rubble) in different districts and we are getting ready to rescue them."

The quake caused damage as far away as 300 miles south of the epicenter. In the port city of Guayaquil, an overpass collapsed on a car, killing the driver and seriously injuring the passenger, Colombian broadcaster Noticias Caracol reported. Several other buildings were damaged, and the roof of a shopping center in Guayaquil collapsed.

Correa on Twitter described Pedernales, a city of about 40,000 near the epicenter, as "destroyed."

After the tremblor, residents slept in the streets while men using car headlights tried to rescue survivors who could be heard trapped under the rubble, the Associated Press reported.

"We’re trying to do the most we can, but there’s almost nothing we can do,” said Pedernales Mayor Gabriel Alcivar.

The government has deployed 10,000 armed forces plus an additional 3,500 national police officers to the regions that were hit.

Glas, in a televised address, said the death toll would likely rise.

"No Ecuadorian is alone," he said in a message on Twitter. "We are a strong ... nation that is united and will emerge stronger from this disaster."

Sorcee: www.usatoday.com