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As devastating wildfires, hurricanes, pandemics, and floods become regular occurrences, ghost stories are making a curious resurgence. From "tsunami ghosts" haunting survivors in Japan to the spike in paranormal activity reports during the COVID-19 pandemic, these tales seem to echo the trauma of these events.
As disasters sadly continue to reshape our world, should we be concerned about a potential increase in paranormal activity? Click to discover what lies behind this uncanny veil.
For centuries, people have been captivated by tales of ghosts, spirits, and otherworldly beings.
Ghost towns, abandoned houses, and other locations where tragedy strikes often become infused with supernatural mystique.
The infamous Amityville house in New York is a prime example of a location haunted by a horrific past.
The site of a gruesome 1974 family murder, the house became infamous after the next family moved in and reported terrifying paranormal experiences. Their story fueled the legend of the Amityville Horror, inspiring countless books, documentaries, and films.
Sudden deaths, such as those caused by drowning, fire, or violence, are often believed to prevent a soul from fully processing its departure from the physical world.
Reports of ghostly sightings and paranormal activity are on the rise in regions devastated by natural disasters. As Leslie Hartley Gise, a disaster psychiatry expert who counseled survivors of the 2023 Hawaii wildfires, noted in a National Geographic interview, "People do see and hear their loved ones after they die."
The 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan was one of the most destructive natural disasters in recent history, leaving more than 15,000 people dead and 2,500 missing, according to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
In the months following the catastrophe, strange things began to happen in Ishinomaki, the hardest-hit area. Many residents reported supernatural encounters, including sightings of ghosts searching for their lost homes.
In an interview for the show 'Unsolved Mysteries,' a cab driver shared a particularly vivid account of a woman who got into his cab months after the tsunami. She requested to be taken to the Miyagi district, seemingly unaware of its complete destruction.
After informing her of the devastation, the cab driver claims the woman asked, "Have I died?"
In his book 'Ghosts of the Tsunami,' Richard Lloyd Parry details the strange phenomena that emerged after the disaster, including what seemed to be a possession.
A man from a neighboring city, after visiting the tsunami-stricken area, began exhibiting bizarre behavior, including rolling on the ground and speaking in a strange, guttural voice. He had no memory of these episodes and underwent an exorcism performed by a Buddhist priest.
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK Spiritualists' National Union saw a 325% increase in membership, reflecting a growing interest in the paranormal. Paranormal researcher John E.L. Tenney also noted a significant rise in calls from people convinced their homes were haunted.
Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest hurricanes in US history. It caused 1,833 fatalities, according to the US National Weather Service, leaving behind a devastated landscape of destroyed buildings.
Severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina, Charity Hospital in New Orleans was abandoned after the catastrophe. It now stands as one of the city's most notorious haunted buildings, with reports of eerie occurrences like flickering lights.
In 2017, New Orleans photographer Michael Alford gained exclusive access to the abandoned Charity Hospital. His photos revealed a haunting scene: decaying body parts and IVs hanging from poles, as if patients were expected but never arrived.
On July 24, 1915, the SS Eastland, a steamship docked in the Chicago River, tragically capsized. Overcrowded with passengers, the ship tipped over, trapping hundreds below the waterline. The disaster claimed 844 lives, including 22 entire families.
It's said that to this day, people dining at riverfront restaurants sometimes see figures drowning in the water. Despite numerous calls to the police, no one is ever found.
The Second Regiment Armory, later Harpo Studios, served as a makeshift morgue for the Eastland Disaster victims. Oprah Winfrey, who later taped her show there, and her staff reported numerous paranormal experiences, including the sounds of children playing, a sobbing woman, and unexplained crashes. Security footage even captured a mysterious figure known as the "Gray Lady."
But this supernatural connection isn't just tied to the loss of human lives, says Todd VanPool, co-author of 'An Anthropological Study in Spirits.' In regions like the Swiss-Italian Alps, residents have noticed a different sort of haunting.
According to VanPool, they reported a "haunted landscape" associated with the loss of glaciers. This phenomenon, he adds, is common in communities facing catastrophic environmental change.
Psychologists suggest supernatural encounters can be a way to process loss. Grief and trauma can trigger biological responses, which can cause hallucinations. This explains why grieving individuals might report seeing or hearing deceased loved ones.
The World Health Organization reported widespread "secondary trauma" following disasters, as many survivors are unable to bury their dead. Maintaining a connection with the deceased through storytelling can provide solace and preserve their memory.
In chaotic disaster zones, everything seems unreal. Wailing sirens, flickering lights, and abandoned homes create an eerie atmosphere. Coupled with the trauma of the disaster, people may misinterpret sensory information, attributing unusual sounds or shadows to paranormal causes.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased anxiety and isolation, as noted by Chris French, head of the University of London's Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit, likely contributed to heightened awareness of unusual sounds and occurrences in homes. Sleep disturbances, a common side effect of stress, may have also played a role.
Toxins and pollutants released in the aftermath of disasters can affect cognitive function and lead to hallucinations or seizures. Additionally, unattended farmland can contribute to ghostly sightings due to ergot, a psychoactive fungus.
For anthropologist Christine VanPool, the apparent bond between people and ghosts after a disaster is more human than paranormal. "Ghost stories can cause communities to stick together," she says.
Sources: (National Geographic) (NPR) (CBS News) (Oprah Daily) (ABC News) (Teen Vogue) (Legends of America)
See also: America’s eeriest ghost towns
Why reports of supernatural events coincide with catastrophes
The relationship between natural disasters and paranormal activity
LIFESTYLE Catastrophes
As devastating wildfires, hurricanes, pandemics, and floods become regular occurrences, ghost stories are making a curious resurgence. From "tsunami ghosts" haunting survivors in Japan to the spike in paranormal activity reports during the COVID-19 pandemic, these tales seem to echo the trauma of these events.
As disasters sadly continue to reshape our world, should we be concerned about a potential increase in paranormal activity? Click to discover what lies behind this uncanny veil.