Humans tend to have an all-powerful feeling in our planet and universe. We reshape land, fly to space, and have developed technology that has expanded our lifespan considerably. Still, all it takes is one quick reminder from Mother Nature that there is very little we can do when nature turns against us.
10. Earthquakes
Violent and unpredictable, earthquakes are common reminders to those living along a fault line of the Earth’s dangerous power below. How dangerous and powerful? Earthquakes can move the entire planet slightly off its axis, an example of which is the 8.9-magnitude quake that started a tsunami that devastated Japan. It’s unsurprising then that quakes can level entire cities in a matter of minutes, like the San Francisco temblor did in 1906.
9. Tsunamis
Triggered by powerful underwater earthquakes, tsunamis can be devastating to coastal areas along fault lines. In 2004 a 9.1-magnitude quake started in the Indian Ocean and caused a tsunami that killed over 200,000 people in 14 different countries and is likely the deadliest tsunami in history. How powerful was this event? The amount of energy from the quake was equal to more than 23,000 atomic bombs.
8. Volcanoes
Violent, potentially destructive, and difficult to predict volcanic eruptions are potent reminders that we truly are not masters of our own universe, planet, or even immediate surroundings at times. Like earthquakes, volcanoes are not only dangerous on their own, but trigger other natural disasters like tsunamis and landslides.
7. Drought
Drought is an age-old problem we are mostly powerless to solve. Unfortunately, although the Earth’s surface is 70% covered with water, most of it is not potable or useful for agriculture. Desalinating ocean water is possible, but it is extremely expensive.
6. Famine
Caused by drought, pestilence, or some other cause of crop failure – famine is a painful disaster to live through and see. Famine is a slow disaster than can lead to malnutrition, widespread disease, and death from starvation.
5. Wildfires
A small fire seems harmless enough to put out – just add water and walk away. However, when dry and increasing global climates making the issue worse wildfires are running rampant in the United States and other wildfire prone nations like Australia.
4. Floods
Heavy rains and extreme storms can trigger floods that hit areas with immediate loss and leave behind lasting damage unlike other natural disasters. How? There is of course the immediate loss of lives and property, but flooding can also spread disease, destroy crops, and cause other disasters like mudslides.
3. Lightning
The power and beauty of lightning is primal and potent. While the risk of being struck by lightning is minimal, it is still a humbling reminder that we are not as powerful as we would like to think. Every second, lightning strikes the Earth about 100 times, each time generating up to one billion volts of electricity.
2. Avalanches
Sending a deadly and destructive walls of snow down mountains and hills are a sight to behold – and one you should hope you never do. Avalanches have even turned the tides of wars in the past. While avalanches can be triggered by unpredictable events like earthquakes, sometimes they can be predicted and prevented with controlled blasts in certain areas.
1. Landslides
Relative to avalanches, landslides are a rocky downpour that can wreck just as much damage. Landslides can occur naturally after a volcanic eruption or an earthquake, but humans are often their own undoing in these cases. An example of this is the 2010 landslide in the Gansu province in China that claimed 1,471 lives and leaving 300 people missing still two and a half years later.
It is impossible to rank these 10 natural disasters, since every case is different and can have great casualties and damage left in their wake in a number of instances. However, there is no doubt that these events prove to humans that we are truly not as powerful as we think we are.
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