Most Terrifying Natural Disasters In History
Saturday, Aug 15, 2020, 8:50 am
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1.Lituya Bay Magatsunami 1858
When a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Lituya Bay, 90 million tons of rock and ice from the glaciers shook of the mountainside. Crashing down all at once into the water at the head of the bay's deep waters, a 1,720 foot wave, the highest wave in history, was created. As the wave was sucked out into the ocean, it stripped away all grass, trees and soil on the surrounding mountainside, killing people in its wake.
2.Bridge Creek F5 Tornado 1999
An F5 tornado formed at 7:12pm local time on May 3rd, 1999. Considered the most powerful windstorm in history, it ripped through the land at 318 mph, killing 36 people as it headed toward Bridge Creek from Amber, Oklahoma. Eight thousand houses were ripped and shredded, along with large vehicles that were thrown like toys through thick pine trees.
3.European Heatwave 2003
14,802 deaths in France resulted from the European Heatwave of 2003. Severe forest fires added to the heat in Portugal, killing about 2,000 people, and 300 died in Germany. With most of the homes in Europe built within the fifty years prior to 202, they were not built with air conditioners, because they were unneeded due to mild temperatures.
4.Lake Nyos Limnic Eruption 1986
Lake Nyos, a lake located in the Cameroonian jungle, is 682 feet deep, but what makes it menacing is that carbon dioxide is leaking into the water under the lake bed. Denser than air, it cannot rise to the surface on its own. On August 21, 1986 the dormant carbon dioxide erupted from the bottom of the lake, releasing a cloud that killed 1800 people in addition to livestock.
5.Krakatoa Eruption 1883
In 1883 the Indonesian volcano of Krakatoa exploded with three miles of magma barreling down. The volcanic crater caused a tsunami that flooded 100 villages and killed over 26,000 people. The ash traveled all the way to New York, the eruption had as much energy as an atomic bomb, with blasts being heard more than a thousand miles away.
6.Tangshan Earthquake 1976
In 1976 the Tangshan 7.5 magnitude quake killed up to 255,000 people. The second deadliest earthquake had powerful aftershocks and was the first earthquake of its kind since an earthquake in China in 1556 that took roughly 830,000 lives. Since the Tangshan earthquake, the 2008 quake in China is the one of recent memory, killing 69,000 people, mostly school children.
7.Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004
A 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Indonesia was the third larges earthquake in history. The tsunami that occurred as a result spread over fourteen countries killing close to 230,000 people and displacing 1.7 million. With waves reaching 100 feet, it is on of the most recent natural disasters that went down in history as one of the worst.
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8.Chile Earthquake 1960
On May 22, 1960 the most powerful 9.5 magnitude earthquake hit Valdivia, Chile, killing up to 6,000 people. Forty percent of houses were brought to the ground and the Cordon Caulle volcano ripped open and erupted. Thirty five foot waves were recorded over six thousand miles away, and 82 foot waves traveled down the Chilean coast.
9.Storm of the Century 1993
Blizzards from Alabama to the border of Canada, resulted from a cyclonic storm that formed off the east coast on March 12th, 1993. Sixteen inches of snowfall in one day, hit Birmingham, Alabama, accompanied by hurricane force winds. Even the Florida panhandle received snow of up to four inches, while the Appalachian Mountains received 3.5 feet of snow with drifts up to 35 feet.
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10.Blizzard of 1978
On February 5, 1978 a snowstorm broke out that lasted for days. When all was said and done, the blizzard dumped 27/1 inches of snow in Boston. The Nor' easter was one of the worst storms to hit the Northeast, killing 100 people and injuring roughly 4500. With hurricane force winds of 86mph, the storm had gusts of 111mph.
11.Great Flood of 1931
The Great Flood of 1931 is the deadliest natural disaster in history. The flood started in the winter of 1931 in central China and lasted into spring and summer. Three major rivers, the Yangtze, the Yellow, and the Huai, all flooded due to a heavy snowstorm season. With heavy rains adding to the problem, and cyclone season hitting, swelling waters drowned or starved over 3.7 million people.
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12.Hurricane Katrina 2005
A category 5 hurricane named Katrina swept through the Gulf Coast killing more than 1800 people. In August 2005, history was made when 80% of New Orleans flooded during the 175 mph winds. Considered the fourth worst Atlantic hurricanes in history, the damage is still being felt to this day.
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