GL0CEventIranian Earthquake/ Damghan, IranCNoteD200,000 were killed in one of the deadliest earthquakes on record. Thttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001439.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.The Little Ice Age rEuropeDuring this time, the Baltic Sea froze over in 1303, 1306 and 1307, something never before recorded. Alpine glaciers advanced. The Norse settlements in Greenland were cut off and grain cultivation ceased in Iceland. The last ship sailed from Iceland to Greenland in the early 1400's (tantalizingly close to Columbus); when contact was resumed in the 1700's, the settlements were long abandoned.Whttp://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/WestTech/x14thc.htm Taken from the Internet, June 28, 2002.Egyptian FamineEgypt,The Egyptian people relied on the annual flooding of the Nile River to leave soil for growing crops. After a shortage of rain, however, the Nile didn't rise. People were unable to grow food and began to starve to death. The final death toll was 110,000, due to starvation, cannibalism, and disease. Vhttp://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0768999.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.The Black DeathEurope1In the early 1330's an outbreak of deadly bubonic plague occurred in China. Since China was one of the busiest of the world's trading nations, it was only a matter of time before the outbreak spread to western Asia and Europe. After five years 25 million people were dead; one-third of Europe's people. ihttp://www.byu.edu/ipt/projects/middleages/LifeTimes/Plague.html Taken from the Internet, June 28, 2002.Columbus Encounters a Hurricane HispaniolaThe earliest hurricane report comes from Christopher Columbus, who encountered a tropical storm on one of his voyages to the New World. He later declared that "nothing but the service of God and the extension of the monarchy'' would induce him to expose himself to such danger . http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/sns-hc-history-1495to1800.htmlstory Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.Earthquake in ChinaL Shaanxi (Shensi) province, China4Most deadly earthquake in history; 830,000 killed. Thttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001439.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.The Great Colonial Hurricane&It sweeps across southern New England on a path west of Providence, RI, and Plymouth, MA. Narragansett Bay floods, drowning 17 Native Americans; tree damage is severe throughout southeastern Massachusetts. Governor William Bradford described the storm: "such a mighty storm of wind and rain as none living in these parts, either English or Indian ever saw. ...It blew down sundry houses and uncovered others. ...It blew down many hundred thousands of trees turning up the stronger by the roots and breaking the higher pine trees off in the middle." ehttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/hurricane38/timeline/index.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.Sicilian EarthquakeCatania, Sicily(60 000 people die in an earthquake. _http://disasterium.com/January/Jan_Almanac/Jan_11.html Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.Great Hurricane of 1780UU Caribbean1About 22,000 people died when the storm swept over Martinique, St. Eustatious and Barbados. Thousands of deaths also occurred offshore. The hurricane struck the Caribbean in the midst of the American Revolution and took a heavy toll on the British and French fleets contesting for control of the area. uhttp://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/sns-hc-history-1780.story Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.The Year Without a Summerp Indonesia2A volcano which erupted on Indonesias Lesser Sunda Islands in 1815 and lost a quarter of its estimated height of 13,000 feet (3,962 meters) released tons of particles into the air. The following year was called the year without a summer in Europe and the United States because it was cooler than usual. ihttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/events/releases/pr990903c.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002. Potato Famine>ͺIreland2The potato famine killed over a million men, women and children in Ireland and caused another million to flee the country. Ireland in the mid-1800s was an agricultural nation, populated by eight million persons who were among the poorest people in the Western World. By the 1800s, the potato had become the staple crop in the poorest regions. More than three million Irish peasants subsisted solely on the vegetable. It is possible to stay healthy on a diet of potatoes alone, unless something should occur to cause the crops to fail -which is what happened. ihttp://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/famine/introduction.htm Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002. Saxby's Gale|Eastern Atlantic CoastA Mr. Saxby foresees a "severe storm" and soon thereafter, by coincidence, a hurricane lashes Eastern Maine and the Bay of Fundy. This is the last major tropical system to cross the New England coast as a destructive hurricane until the 1938 Hurricane. ehttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/hurricane38/timeline/index.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.!Disappearance of the Mary CelesteDAtlantic OceanThe brigantine set sail from New York harbor for Genoa, Italy. A British brigantine, the DeGratia, discovered the ship derelict on Dec. 5 and boarded her. Everyone aboard the Mary Celeste had vanished; her captain, his family, and its 14-man crew. The ship was in perfect order with ample supplies and there was no sign of violence or trouble. The fate of the crew remains unknown. Thttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0005330.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.Polio Epidemic'ӆ The WorldyThe first outbreaks in Europe were reported in the early 19th century, and in 1894, the first major polio epidemic reported in the United States occured in Vermont, consisting of 132 total cases, including some adults. Over the next 100 years, outbreaks were frequent and deadly. By 1954, trials of the Salk vaccine were underway and by 1993 the total number of reported polio cases worldwide had fallen to about 100, 000. Most of these cases occured in Asia and Africa. In 1994 China launched its first National Immunization Days, immunizing 80 million children! The entire Western Hemisphere wass certified as "polio free." http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/poliotimeline.htm and http://searchpdf.adobe.com/proxies/1/66/10/23.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.Mount Pelee Erupts[ MartiniquejIn few minutes 30 000 people were incinerated as the violent eruption engulfed the city in volatile gases.Zhttp://disasterium.com/May/May_almanac/may-8.html Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002. Titanic SinksAtlantic OceanThe luxury liner, Titanic, hits an iceberg on her maiden voyage and sinks rapidly. This is the ship that was argued to be "unsinkable". At the time of building, it was the largest moveable object ever built. It has been the subject of continuous discussion and attention ever since.Lhttp://www.titanic.com/get.php?id=4 Taken from the Internet, June 28, 2002. Ships CollideSt. Lawrence RiverDue to a thick fogbank , Norvegian collier "Storstad" collides with the Canadian liner "Empress of Ireland" wich sank almost immediatly with passengers sleeping. 1 024 died. [http://disasterium.com/May/May_almanac/may-29.html Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.Halifax Explosion Halifax, N.S.TThe Belgian relief ship, Imo, collided with the French ship, Mont Blanc, in Halifax Harbour. Unfortunately, the Mont Blanc was carrying a cargo of TNT which exploded. There were about 20 minutes between the collision and the explosion at 9:05. It was enough time for spectators, including many children, to run to the waterfront to watch the ship burning, thus coming into close range. Over 1,900 people were killed immediately; within a year the figure had climbed well over 2,000. Around 9,000 more were injured, many permanently; 325 acres, almost all of north-end Halifax, were destroyed. _http://www.region.halifax.ns.ca/community/explode.html Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.Train DerailmentModane, France0Approximately 1000 troops were returning home from the fighting in Italy. They were being conveyed in two trains from Turin to Lyon. There was, however, a shortage of locomotives; only one was available. The decision was made to operate the two trains as one, coupling them together and putting them in the charge of a single 4-6-0 engine. The train now consisted of nineteen coaches. Of these, the first three had brakes, the remaining coaches were either unbraked or had hand brakes operated by brakesmen. The weight of the train vastly exceeded that which the engine was permitted to haul. The main line between Turin and Lyon crosses the Alps through the Mont Cern tunnel emerging on the French side at Modane station. From here, it descends into the valley in a series of gradients as steep as 1 in 33. As the troop train began the descent, the driver applied the brakes. But, the limited braking power could not hold the weight of the train. The brakes became overheated, causing fires to break out under the coaches. The train continued like this for some 6 km/h until at an estimated 120 km/h the first coach became derailed. The rest of the train piled-up against it, the wooden coaches immediately catching fire. They burned with such intensity that, of the 800 or so who died, only 425 bodies could be identified. dhttp://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/7806/modane.htm Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002,. Spanish Flud?2Not only was the Spanish Flu strikingly virulent, but it displayed an unusual preference in its choice of victims---tending to select young healthy adults over those with weakened immune systems. Worldwide, the mortality figure for the full pandemic is believed to stand somewhere between 30 to 40 million.Phttp://www.ninthday.com/spanish_flu.htm Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.Molasses Flood+ Boston, MassAn estimated 14,000 tons of molasses left the ruptured tank in a choking brown wave, 15 feet high, wiping out everything that stood in its way. How fast is molasses in January? That day the wave moved at an estimated 35 miles per hour. The final count was 21 dead, 150 injured, a number of horses killed. The molasses wave, after spreading out, covered several blocks of downtown Boston to a depth of two or three feet. Uhttp://www.mv.com/ipusers/arcade/molpark.htm Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.American Great Depression*5; United StatesAmerica's Great Depression is regarded as having begun with the Stock Market crash, and ended with America's entry into World War II.Shttp://www.amatecon.com/GD/gdtimeline.html Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.Grand Banks' Tsunami*Atlantic Ocean_At 017:02 Newfoundland time, an earthquake occurred off the coast of Grand Banks, NF. A tsunami was triggered by a sub-marine landslide and the earthquake, which had a Richter magnitude of 7.2 with an epicenter of 44.5N, 56.3W. The tsunami caused $400,000 in damage and killed 29 people, the highest death toll attributed to an earthquake in Canada.uhttp://www.geophys.washington.edu/tsunami/general/historic/grandbanks29.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.The Storm Without a Name:7A great storm rose up on the coast of West Africa and began making its way across the Atlantic Ocean. The National Weather Bureau learned about it from merchant ships at sea and predicted it would blow itself out at Cape Hatteras, NC. But, the storm suddenly began an unexpected sprint north along the coast. Even the Coast Guard was caught by surprise. No one had ever seen a storm like this. Radar had not yet been invented. Within 24 hours, the storm ripped into the New England shore with enough fury to set off seismographs in Sitka, Alaska. It travelled at a shocking 60 miles per hour -- three times faster than most tropical storms, with peak wind gusts up to 186 m.p.h. The storm without a name turned into one of the most devastating storms recorded in North America. Over 600 people were killed, most by drowning. Another hundred were never found. Property damage was estimated at $300 million -- over 8,000 homes were destroyed, 6,000 boats wrecked or damaged. bhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/hurricane38/filmmore/fd.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.The Great SmogKK London, Eng.High-pressure system settled over London, trapping pollution near the ground. Some 4,000 people died in "Great Smog," mostly from respiratory and cardiac distress. Thttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001455.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.Springhill Mine DisasterSSpringhill, NSA "bump" rocked the #4 mine at the Cumberland Rail & Coal Co. in Springhill, Nova Scotia. It was early evening. Those at home were just finishing up dinner or settling down in front of the TV when they felt the earth shake; phones were knocked off tables and pictures off walls. It was at that point that they knew something had gone horribly wrong underground. In the end, 75 men died in the accident. Many of the survivors spent up to eight days trapped in the dark before they heard their names called from above. http://radio.cbc.ca/programs/thismorning/lfnsound/moments_in_history/moments_in_history_10112000.html Taken from the Internet, June 28, 2002.World's Deadliest FamineTWNorthern ChinaThe world's deadliest famine killed an estimated 30 million people in China. Drought was followed by crop failure, which was followed by starvation, disease, and cannibalism. News of the famine was not revealed to the rest of the world until 1981, some 20 years later. Vhttp://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0768999.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.Agadir DestroyedU Agadir, Maroc`The city was destroyed in a few seconds by an earthquake. More than 10 000 people were killed. `http://disasterium.com/February/Feb_almanac/Feb_29.html Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.World's Worst Avalanche+YPerunWhen tons of ice and snow slid down Huascaran Peak in the Andes Mountains, nearly 4,000 people were killed. Vhttp://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0768988.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.Soccer Disaster[ Lima, Peru|More than 300 soccer fans were killed and over 500 injured during riot and panic following an unpopular ruling by a referee.Thttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001453.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.Earthquake in PeruwdChimbote, PeruoEarthquake measuring 7.75. More than 50 000 perish, more than 100 000 were injured and 800 000 left homeless. [http://disasterium.com/May/May_almanac/may-31.html Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.Ganges River Floode BangladeshECyclone and 50-foot tidal wave ravages the area. 500 000 lives lost.\http://disasterium.com/November/almanac/nov-12.html Taken from the Internet, June 28, 2002.Hurricane FifijjHondurasFifi kills as many as 10,000 people in Honduras. The hurricane destroyed 80 percent of the banana crop and drowned two-fifths of the country's cattle. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/sns-hc-history-1950to1990.htmlstory Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.Tangshan DisasterAmTangshan, ChinaA massive earthquake destroyed most of the city of Tangshan, killing 250,000 people and injuring 600,000 more, according to official estimates, although the numbers are believed to be much higher. The quake was so strong that some people were reportedly killed in Beijing, about 100 miles to the west. Then on September 9, 1976 -- just six weeks after the Tangshan disaster -- Mao Tse-tung died. To this day Mao's death and the earthquake are inseparable in the minds of many Chinese people. hhttp://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/imperial.icon/rulers/ Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.#World's Largest Oil Tanker DisasteroPortsall, FranceWrecked supertanker Amoco Cadiz spilled 68 million gallons of oil, causing widespread environmental damage over 100 miles of Brittany coast - the world's largest tanker disaster. Thttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001451.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.Eruption of Mt. VesuviusPompeii, ItalyUEruption of Mt. Vesuvius buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, killing thousands.Thttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001439.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.Mount St. Helens EruptstrrOn March 20, 1980, seismographs in Seattle, Newport and Washington all registered an earthquake 20 miles north of Mt. St. Helens. The news was largely ignored in the press, but it did catch the attention of the United States Geographical Service Volcanologists. Geologists said it was just a "burp". But one week later on March 27 the volcano made itself known with an explosion of ash and steam. It is one of the greatest volcanic explosions ever recorded in North America!On May 18th an earthquake caused a gigantic landslide on the north side of the mountain. The slope gave away and an avalanche followed with floods that buried the valleys as far as 17 miles away. Along with the avalanche came the blast of gas and ash that rose more than 12 miles high! The ash fell as far east as Montana. Uhttp://www.openix.com/~johnfh3/newpage1.htm Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002. AIDS EpidemicGt The WorldsTwenty years after the first clinical evidence of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome was reported, AIDS has become the most devastating disease humankind has ever faced. Since the epidemic began, more than 60 million people have been infected with the virus. HIV/AIDS is now the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa. Worldwide, it is the fourth biggest killer. \http://www.unaids.org/epidemic_update/report_dec01/ Taken from the Internet, June 28, 2002.Indian Train Disaster/t Mansi, IndiaThe driver of a train carrying over 500 passengers braked to avoid hitting a cow, causing the train to plunge off a bridge into the Baghmati River; 268 passengers were reported killed, but at least 300 more were missing. Thttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001450.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.Cyclone Destroys Islandy BangladeshiA tremendous cyclone hits the coast. One island disappeared with most of its population. 10 000 died . [http://disasterium.com/May/May_almanac/may-24.html Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.!Space Shuttle Challenger ExplodeszCape Canaveral, FloridaZCause of explosion said to be the failure of an O-ring seal on the right booster rocket. _http://disasterium.com/January/Jan_Almanac/Jan_28.html Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster({ ChernobylReactor explodes releasing massive doses of radioactivity. Cooling systems and other safety systems had been shut down by mistake causing a sudden overheating of the reactor. As a result, the power of the steam blasted the 1000 ton lid off the reactor. ]http://disasterium.com/April/Apr_almanac/apr_26.html Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.Stampede Mecca, Saudi ArabiaA stampede in a 1,800 foot-long pedestrian tunnel leading from Mecca to a tent city for pilgrims resulted in the deaths of 1,426 pilgrims who were trampled to death. Thttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001455.html Taken from the Internet, July 16, 2002.The Perfect Storm Nova ScotiaThree unique storm fronts converged off the coast of Nova Scotia, creating a ferocious hurricane, 100 foot waves, and 'once in a century' conditions that would reverse the jet stream, cost millions in damage and leave six men dead. Four years later, this 'perfect storm' became the subject of a runaway best seller by the same name, and now, inevitably, the public gets to relive in film, the final moments of those who died on the "Andrea Gail". ghttp://www.highway7.com/t_nature/nat_000626_perfect_storm.html Taken from the Internet, June 28, 2002.Hurrican MitchHondurasThousands of people died in Honduras when Hurricane Mitch unleashed a tropical nightmare across much of Central America. The death toll crept past 11,000, about 60 percent in Honduras. Damages exceeded $5.5 billion. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/sns-hc-history-1990to2000.htmlstory Taken from the Internet, June 19, 2002.Swiss Air CrashȌ Halifax, NSA SwissAir jet crashes in Ocean after trying an emergency landing. 227 passengers and a crew of 14 were on board; none survived. Uhttp://disasterium.com/September/sept-2.html Taken from the Internet, June 28, 2002.Galapagos Oil Spill*Galapagos IslandsThe Galapagos Islands, 600 miles off the west coast of Ecuador, are famous for their giant tortoises and rare species of birds and plants. The islands were the basis for Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. The tanker Jessica, carrying about 243,000 gallons of fuel, ran aground and began leaking diesel oil into a bay on San Cristobal Island populated by rare marine species. The spill was threatening colonies of marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, masked boobies and sea gulls, as well as sharks and lobsters.Xhttp://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/InNews/galap1.htm Taken from the Internet, July 18, 2002.Hindenburg DisasterF5 New York, NYLIt was the largest airship ever built; over eight-hundred feet long from its nose to its massive tail fins. It was the height of luxury travel and carried over 2,656 people across the Atlantic from Germany to New York and Rio de Janeiro. On this ill-fated day, the Zeppelin departed Frankfurt for North America carrying 97 people. It would be the first trip to New York City that season. It was during the landing in New York that the disaster occurred. In just 37 seconds since the first flames were spotted the ship lay on the ground, the skeleton of its framework the only thing visible through the fire. Passengers jumped from windows and ran for safety. One cabin boy had his life saved when a water tank burst above his head. Of the 97 people on board, miraculously 62 managed to escape with their lives, including the ship's captain. Ohttp://www.unmuseum.org/hindenburg.htm Taken from the Internet, July 22, 2002.