This system has helped people for decades
With our increased global connection, and the added pressures of climate change, each new catastrophe is felt more closely throughout the world, and the consequent deaths, illnesses, and devastation are impossible to ignore.
Tropical Storm Sara is currently forming in the Caribbean, with weather experts closely monitoring its development. The storm is expected to strengthen in the coming days, potentially growing into a hurricane as it moves across the region. Forecasts suggest that Sara could pose a threat to the US later this month. As the storm intensifies, residents of the Caribbean and parts of the southeastern United States are advised to stay informed and prepare for potential impacts, including heavy rainfall, strong winds, and coastal flooding.
Click through to see the devastating effects of some of the world's most catastrophic natural disasters.
In October, Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida, bringing powerful winds and heavy rain as it moved across the state. The storm caused widespread power outages and devastation along coastal areas. The category 3 storm led to the death of 24 people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage.
A deadly twister touched down in Missouri in the early hours of April 5, killing five people and destroying many homes. It tore through the southeastern area of the state, passing through rural communities where it uprooted trees and turn buildings into piles of rubble. One building was even flipped onto its side. Rescue teams had to use chainsaws to cut through fallen trees in order to gain access to homes in search of victims and survivors. "The damage is pretty widespread. It's just heartbreaking to see it," commented Sgt. Clark Parrott of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
On Thursday, Jan. 12, a huge storm system passed through the states of Georgia and Alabama causing serious damage and killing several people. A powerful twister ripped through the historic town of Selma, Alabama, reportedly tossing cars in the air and tearing down buildings. Eight lives were lost in the violent storm. Six of the deaths occurred 41 miles (66 kilometers) northeast of Selma, where a tornado destroyed 40 homes. A further 53 people were injured.
The winter of 2022 was marked by a wide-reaching and violent storm system that moved across the US, wreaking havoc throughout the Great Plains and many other parts of the country. The state of Louisiana was bombarded with devastating tornadoes while an ominously named bomb cyclone brought a "once in a generation" snow storm to much of the country. Many people froze to death while others were killed in the destruction of violent weather events like tornadoes. By the end of the year, the death toll had surpassed 50 people.
Multiple tornadoes swept across central and southwest Iowa on March 6, killing at least seven people, two of whom were children younger than five, and injuring more, the Washington Post reports. The National Weather Service received 42 reports of tornadoes, some of which were duplicate reports from the same tornado, in the south central and southwest areas of the state, in an early season outbreak that turned out to be much worse than forecasters predicted. The most destructive tornado was described as “large and extremely dangerous” by the Weather Service, and the supercell tracked upward of 150 miles (241 km). The Weather Service tweeted that the damage near Winterset, about 25 miles southwest of Des Moines, was consistent with a twister that would earn a rating of at least 3 on the scale from 0 to 5 for tornado intensity.
A string of tornadoes devastated the American Midwest as they ripped through six states in December, killing at least 80 people and obliterating homes and businesses. The tornado outbreak reportedly began as a series of overnight thunderstorms, including a supercell storm in northeast Arkansas. That storm then moved to Missouri and Tennessee, and then Kentucky, where the twisters hit the small town of Mayfield worst. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear told reporters on December 12 that he presumed the death toll was going to exceed 100 in his state alone. The damage included totally flattened homes, uprooted trees, a collapsed candle factory, and more.
The Cumbre Vieja volcano on the island of La Palma erupted, sending lava pouring down the mountain towards a local village. La Palma is one of several islands that makes up the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands, located close to northwestern Africa. The eruption began on the night of September 19, calling for the speedy evacuation of more than 5,000 residents from nearby villages. Videos captured sprays of lava shooting hundreds of feet into the night sky. The tremors and eruptions continued through the night as molten lava made its way down the hill. Cumbre Vieja last erupted 50 years ago.
A horrifying tornado swept through the south-eastern region of the Czech Republic in June of 2021. It resulted in five deaths and hundreds of injuries. In addition to the tornado, hailstones the size of tennis balls were reported. The peaceful region was turned into a war zone by the incident and thousands of homes have been destroyed or damaged. “It’s living hell,” said South Moravia regional governor Jan Grolich.
The tornado struck several towns and villages along a 25km (15 mile) stretch, razing many of them to the ground. Wind speeds of at least 219km/h (136 mph) were recorded. Trees were uprooted, cars were flipped, and buildings were destroyed. The destruction resulted in mass power outages in the region and fires billowing black smoke into the sky.
Hurricane Dorian was a catastrophic Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck the Bahamas in 2019. It was the worst storm in the region's history, and also hit some of the southern US states like Florida and Georgia. It caused an estimated US$5 billion in damages and killed 74 people. Many more were never found.
The catastrophe happened in Gujarat, one of the states of India. The earthquake had a moment magnitude of 7.9 and devastated the area.
Also known as the Bhuj earthquake, this natural disaster killed at least 20,000 people and injured more than 150,000 others.
It destroyed or damaged more than a million buildings, including nearly all the villages of Gujarat.
In September 2014, the Kashmir region suffered disastrous floods and landslides caused by torrential rainfall, reportedly killing nearly 1,300 people.
Twin wildfires burning through northern California became the state’s largest on record, scorching more than 290,000 acres and displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
Cyclone Kenneth was the second powerful tropical storm to hit southeast Africa within a span of five weeks, devastating areas still reeling from Cyclone Idai.
It was reportedly the strongest storm to hit the region since records began, destroying nearly 3,400 homes and displacing thousands more.
Tropical Storm Sara strengthens and may impact the US
Sara could become a hurricane into late November
LIFESTYLE Tragedy
With our increased global connection, and the added pressures of climate change, each new catastrophe is felt more closely throughout the world, and the consequent deaths, illnesses, and devastation are impossible to ignore.
Tropical Storm Sara is currently forming in the Caribbean, with weather experts closely monitoring its development. The storm is expected to strengthen in the coming days, potentially growing into a hurricane as it moves across the region. Forecasts suggest that Sara could pose a threat to the US later this month. As the storm intensifies, residents of the Caribbean and parts of the southeastern United States are advised to stay informed and prepare for potential impacts, including heavy rainfall, strong winds, and coastal flooding.
Click through to see the devastating effects of some of the world's most catastrophic natural disasters.