1970 Bhola cyclone

The 1970 Bhola cyclone was a devastating tropical cyclone that struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and India's 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. This cyclone was the sixth cyclonic storm of the 1970 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, and also the season's strongest, reaching a strength equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane.

The cyclone formed over the central Bay of Bengal on November 99 and travelled north, intensifying as it did so. It reached its peak with winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) on November 12, and made landfall on the coast of East Pakistan that night. The storm surge devastated many of the offshore islands, wiping out villages and destroying crops throughout the region. In the most severely affected upazila, Tazumuddin, over 45% of the population of 167,000 was killed by the storm.

The Pakistani government led by Junta leader General Yahya Khan was severely criticized for its delayed handling of the relief operations following the storm, both by local political leaders in East Pakistan and in the international media. The opposition Awami League gained a landslide victory in the province, and continuing unrest between East Pakistan and the central government triggered the Bangladesh Liberation War, which concluded with the creation of the country of Bangladesh. This storm would also inspire ex-Beatle George Harrison to organize The Concert for Bangladesh, the prototype benefit concert, to raise money for aid, in 1971.



The Bhola cyclone on November 11, 1970, at 0858 UTC



World War III

World War III (abbreviated as WWIII, also known as the Third World War) is the hypothetical future successor to World War II (1939–1945). In fiction, the war is often suggested to be nuclear and extremely devastating in nature.
This war is anticipated and planned for by military and civil authorities, and explored in fiction by many authors all around the world. Concepts range from purely conventional scenarios or a limited use of nuclear weapons to the destruction of the planet.
With the development of the arms race, before the collapse of the Soviet Union and end of the Cold War, an apocalyptic war between the United States and the Soviet Union was considered highly likely. The Doomsday Clock has served as a symbol of historic World War III close calls since the Truman Doctrine went into effect in 1947.
Some neoconservative thinkers, including Norman Podhoretz, have suggested that the Cold War between the United States and Russia in the mid-20th century should be considered World War III.

Daulatpur-Salturia Tornado

The Daulatpur-Saturia, Bangladesh Tornado was an extremely destructive tornado that occurred in the Manikganj District, Bangladesh on April 26, 1989. It was the costliest and deadliest tornado in Bangladesh's history. There is great uncertainty about the death toll, but estimates indicate that it killed around 1,300 people, which would make it the deadliest tornado in history. The tornado affected the cities of Daulatpur and Saturia the most, moving east through Daulatpur and eventually northeast and into Saturia. Previously, the area that the tornado hit had been in a state of drought for six months, possibly generating tornadic conditions.

Damage was extensive over the area, as countless trees were uprooted and every home within a six square kilometer area of the tornado's path was completely destroyed.  After the storm hit, an article in the Bangladesh Observer stated that "The devastation was so complete, that barring some skeletons of trees, there were no signs of standing infrastructures". The tornado was estimated to be approximately one mile wide, and had a path that was about 50 miles long, through the poor areas and slums of Bangladesh.  Approximately 80,000 people were left homeless by the storm, and 12,000 people were injured by the storm.  Saturia and Manikganj were both fully destroyed by the tornado. The Fujita Scale rating of this storm is unknown due to poor housing construction and lack of data. In Bangladesh, housing construction in the poor areas is very poor, so sometimes a strong gust of wind may knock over a home and kill the residents inside. This is also why the vast majority of homes hit by the tornado were leveled.

What to do when there is a disaster?

These pointers is what you should do when there is  a disaster.
You hear the siren? Go inside and close doors and windows. Turn  on the radio  or tv to the disaster channel. Check crissis websites for more information during a disaster. Follow the instructions of the government and helpers. Do not get your children from school, the school leadership helps your children. Help others as much as possible. Even if the phone still working, do not make unnecessarily calls this is to prevent the overload of the telephone network.
Here are some points what you should do.

When there is a big fire

• Can you no longer see through the smoke? Stay than low to the ground.
• Can you not leave the building? Ga stand for a window so the fire brigade can see you.
• Go never back into a burning building.

 

Terrorist attack.

• Go to an open place, away from large buildings.
• Give (mobile phone) pictures you made to the police.
• Do not Go look at the site of the attack.

 

Traffic disaster

• Are you with the car in a tunnel: leave the car and go through the nearest escape route out of the tunnel.
• Do not walk unnecessarily on the highway.
• Keep the emergency route free for the fire brigade, police and ambulance.

 

Disease wave

• Always use paper handkerchiefs that you after use immediately can throw away.
• Wash your hands often.
• Stay home if you have a contagious disease.

 

Collapse danger

• Stay low to the ground, look for shelter under heavy furniture or a door post, sit there quiet, and protect your head and neck with your arms.
• Do not use elevators.
• If you are covered under the rubble lay down quiet as possible and make sounds if possible on pipes or tubes. Scream only when there is not otherwise possible.

 

Electricity, gas, water or phone failure

• Listen to the disaster channel on your radio with batteries.
• Is the phone still working? Call not unnecessarily this will overload the telephone network.
• If the power still? Take a look at the website of your community.

 Flood

• Expected you that the water comes in your house? Turn off gas and electricity.
• Make an evacuation package ready (radio + battery, flashlight, batteries, medicines, important documents, food and drink, clothing and blankets).
• If you can not away: listen to the regional disaster channel on your portable radio.

 

Nuclear Accident

• Stay inside or go inside and close doors and windows and all ventilation, such as hood, vent duct, wall and toilet grid.
• Do not use drink tap water, no rain, no leaf vegetables or difficult to clean food.
• Keep pets inside and do not touch people and animals who have been outside.

 

Dangerous substances

• Stay inside or go inside and close doors and windows and all ventilation, as hood, vent duct, wall and toilet grid.
• Listen to the disaster channel and look at a crissis website.
• Go to a room wich you can close good where is no draught, preferably middle in the home or building.
• Are you outside? Walk across the wind with a cloth to your nose and mouth.

 

Disorder

• If there creates panic during an event, do not go against the people flow.
• Stay calm and follow the instructions of the authorities.
• Do not go to the site of the disorder.

When there is a disaster do follow these important points.

2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

Asian Tsunami, Indonesian Tsunami, and Boxing Day Tsunami.

The earthquake was caused by subduction and triggered a series of devastating tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean, killing over 230,000 people in fourteen countries, and inundating coastal communities with waves up to 30 meters (100 feet) high. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. Indonesia was the hardest hit, followed by Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.

With a magnitude of between 9.1 and 9.3, it is the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. This earthquake had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, between 8.3 and 10 minutes. It caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 cm (0.4 inches) and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska. Its hypocenter was between Simeulue and mainland Indonesia. 

The plight of the many affected people and countries prompted a worldwide humanitarian response. In all, the worldwide community donated more than $14 billion (2004 U.S. dollars) in humanitarian aid. 

The 1931 Central China floods or the Central China floods of 1931 were a series of floods that occurred during the Nanjing decade in the Republic of China era. It is generally considered the deadliest natural disaster ever recorded, and almost certainly the deadliest of the 20th century (when pandemics and famines are discounted) and in China. The human deaths are estimated from 1,345,000, to between 3.7 million to 4 million.

From 1928 to 1930 a long drought preceded the flood. By some accounts abnormal weather over central China began in the winter of late 1930. Heavy snowstorms in the winter were followed by spring thaw/defrost heavy rains that raised the river levels even higher. The rain increased into July and August 1931. In July alone 7 cyclones hit the region. On average two occur per year.

Chinese sources usually indicate the death toll of the Yangtze River drainage at about 145,000 and affecting 28.5 million., while most western sources place the death toll from the floods at an estimation between 3.7 and 4 million people.

1556 Shaanxi earthquake

The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake or Jiajing earthquake was a catastrophic earthquake and is also the deadliest earthquake on record, killing approximately 830,000 people in China. It occurred on the morning of 23th January 1556 in Shanxi, during the Ming Dynasty. More than 97 counties in the provinces of Shanxi, Henan, Gansu, Hebei, Shandong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu and Anhui were affected. An 840-kilometre (520 mi)-wide area was destroyed, and in some counties 60% of the population was killed. Most of the population in the area at the time lived in yaodongs, artificial caves in loses cliffs, many of which collapsed during the catastrophe with great loss of life.

The cost of damage done by the earthquake is almost impossible to measure in modern terms. The death toll, however, has been traditionally given as 820,000 to 830,000. The accompanying property damage would have been incalculable – an entire region of inner China had been destroyed and an estimated 60% of the region's population died.

Map of China showing Shaanxi province (red) and the other provinces affected by the earthquake (orange). This map however is not the territory covered during the Ming dynasty. This map is the present day boundary reference to where the damages were.

Black Death

The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. It is widely thought to have been an outbreak of bubonic plague caused by the bacterium Yersina pestis, an argument supported by recent forensic research, although this view has been challenged by a number of scholars. Thought to have started in China, it travelled along the Silk Road and had reached the Crimea by 1346. From there, probably carried by Oriental rat fleas residing on the black rats that were regular passengers on merchant ships, it spread throughout the Mediterranean and Europe.

The Black Death is estimated to have killed 30% – 60% of Europe's population, reducing the world's population from an estimated 450 million to between 350 and 375 million in 1400. This has been seen as having created a series of religious, social and economic upheavals which had profound effects on the course of European history. It took 150 years for Europe's population to recover. The plague returned at various times, killing more people, until it left Europe in the 19th century.

Yersinia pestis seen at 200x magnification. This bacterium, carried and spread by fleas, is generally thought to have been the cause of millions of deaths

Spread of the Black Death from 1346 to 1351

 

1970 Huascarán avalanche; triggered by the 1970 Ancash earthquake

The 1970 Ancash earthquake or Great Peruvian Earthquake was an undersea earthquake that occurred on May 31 of that year. Combined with a resultant landslide, it was the worst catastrophic natural disaster ever recorded in the history of Peru. The earthquake affected an area of about 83,000 km².

The earthquake affected the Peruvian regions of Ancash and La Libertad. The epicenter of the earthquake was located 35 km off the coast of Casma and Chimbote on the Pacific Ocean, where the Nazca Plate is being subducted by the South America Plate. It had a magnitude of 7.9 to 8.0 on the Richter scale and an intensity of up to 8 on the Mercalli scale. No significant tsunami was reported.

The reported death toll from the earthquake and avalanche totaled 74,194 people, although some estimates place it as high as 80,000. About 25,600 went missing and 143,331 were injured. Over 1,000,000 people were left homeless and other 3,000,000 were affected.

World Disaster Information

A world disaster or catastrophe is an event involving a serious disturbance of public security arose, whereby the lives and health of many people, the environment or material interests seriously threatened or harmed, and that a coordinated deployment of services and organizations of different disciplines is required to counter the threat to eliminate or reduce the harmful effects.

Practically there is no strict separation between a crisis and a disaster. By a disaster are many people and agencies involved. That could be the role of a victim, someone who is damaged, rescuer, driver, survivor or otherwise.

It can be categorized into few types of disasters:


      Natural world disaster

• Landslides
• Earthquakes
• Volcanic eruptions
• Fires
• Hurricanes
• Cyclones
• Flooding
• Tsunamis and other tidal waves
• Epidemics

 

        A number of very rare events that can lead to a world disaster are:

• Eruption of a super volcano.
• Impacts of a planetoids or comet.
• Hyper nova or supernova of a nearby star.

People induced disaster

A disaster resulting from human activity or human presence which also known as man-made disaster, such as  humanitarian caused by war, aircraft, train, nuclear accidents and environmental disasters.

Terrorists attack, USA 9/11/2001

Vietnam war: Viet Cong dead after an attack on the perimeter of Tan Son Nhut Air Base (photo: SP5 Edgar Price Pictorial A.V. Plt. 69th Sig. Bn. (A) (photo: Wikimedia Commons/ The Vietnam Center and Archive.)

Culture disaster

A Culture disaster is a disaster which results that the continuity of a culture seriously affected and that many of the important aspects of a civilization will be lost.

some of these heads were lost due to natural disasters and others due to cultural disasters

one of Ireland's oldest monastic islands

Humanitarian disaster

When a long event disastrous consequences has for large groups of people this is said a humanitarian disaster. This can be the result from human activities or nature.

A Sudanese child looks up in a feeding centre run by the medical charity Doctors Without Borders in the village of Paliang, May 25.

 

  humanitarian disaster unfolds in Sri Lanka

Children Killed in SF Shell Attacks