Geography

Some of the Worst Natural Disasters

Paul Nathan Negrean

05 Feb 2024 — 2 min read

In this article, I will write about some of the worst natural disasters in the world. They were caused by volcano eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and hurricanes.

Volcano eruptions happen on subduction zones (locations where one tectonic plate slides over/under another one) and are caused by the buildup of magma, and subsequently the eruption caused by pressure being released. One of the largest volcano eruptions in the world was the eruption of Mount St. Helen in Skamania County, Washington, U.S., in the year 1980. To this day, it is not possible to find out precisely when a volcano will erupt.

40 years since Mount St. Helens devastating blast — AP Images Spotlight — Aftermath of Mount St. Helen

Earthquakes occur because of tectonic activity on fault lines. One massive and devastating earthquake happened in Tōhoku, Japan in the year 2011. When earthquakes happen, they can be measured with a machine called a seismograph.

The result of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011

Tsunamis occur because of earthquakes, landslides, and even sometimes volcanic eruptions. One of the worst tsunamis in the world occurred in 2004 in the Indian Ocean. There is no current method for finding out when tsunamis will happen, but they usually occur after earthquakes. Most tsunamis happen on the Ring of Fire in the Pacific Ocean, but there is always a probability for them to happen on any substantial water body.

What Was The Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004? - WorldAtlas.com — The result of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

Tornadoes occur during very intense thunderstorms called supercell thunderstorms. One of the worst tornadoes in the U.S., the Flint, Michigan Tornado, happened in the year 1953. Nowadays, tornadoes can be predicted by satellites and other tech, the same can be applied for hurricanes. Most tornadoes occur in the United States, in the area known as the Tornado Alley in states like Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska.

On this date in 1953, a F-5 tornado flattened the Flint, MI Beecher ... — The aftermath of the Flint, Michigan Tornado

Hurricanes are massive tropical storms that wreck and flood everything in their way. One of the worst hurricanes in the U.S., Hurricane Michael, occurred in 2018 in Panama City Beach, Mexico Beach and Cape San Blas. Hurricanes are prone to occur in the Atlantic and East Pacific oceans.

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Odysseus' Character

Mid-Atlantic and Southern Colonies

Political and Social Reform

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