The Worst Natural Disaster Ever?

The Disaster Center ^ | 12/29/04 | Me

[paudio]

As sad as it is, the SE Asia earthquake is not the worst natural disaster ever. In 1991, Bangladesh suffered from Typhoon that killed about 140,000 people. Before that, in 1970, the country also lost 300,000 people from natural disaster.

The SE Asia disaster, however, seems to be a significant one because there are many Westerners, including 'celebrities', died in this unfortunate event.

Please look at the website that list of the worst 100 natural disaster in the 20th century. They also include famine and epidemic, though.

[ArmyTeach]

I understand that the Tamal Tigers, an insurgent group in Sri Lanka, will not allow any relief suppllies to come into the country unless their group is in charge of the distributin.

[LibertarianInExile]

#2 is not a natural disaster. The Soviets CAUSED that famine.

[Age of Reason]

The SE Asia disaster, however, seems to be a significant one because there are many Westerners, including 'celebrities', died in this unfortunate event.

I don't think it's the presence of Westerners.

I believe it is from a heightened sense of awareness from the progress of globalism and immigration.

It is astounding how fast things change.

I'm not saying I like the change--just that it's astounding how fast it happens.

[Age of Reason]

The world is shrinking: Americans are coming increasingly in contact with foreign people and their ways via globalism and immigration.

I predict that this shrinkage is not a good thing, that it will cause conflict--indeed, it already has.

Lots of room between people makes better neighbors than fences can.

[junkbond]

I think it is possible to argue that famines are man made disasters and not natural disasters. The inability for people to get food is probably due to idiotic economic policies like communism, rather than any lack of food on the entire planet.

People in capitalist societies do not tend to die from starvation en masse, if ever.

[douglas1]

YES but, there is truth to it.

[Kitten Festival]

Airlifted? I bet he was hoisted and they needed a crane.

[Age of Reason]

People in capitalist societies do not tend to die from starvation en masse, if ever

Perhaps not en masse--but I'll bet more than one homeless American has died from causes related to malnutrition, if not from outright starvation

I also suspect that ironically you only find people dying from anorexia nervosa in rich capitalist societies.

But what's all this got to do with my post that you replied to?

[Texas Mom]

They aren't through counting yet. Each day the numbers go up, and when the disease's start, they could take as many lives as the tsunami.

[Asfarastheeastisfromthewest...]

Not entirely true. While indeed Noah was commanded by God to bring into the ark by twos, he was also admonished: "Of every clean beast though shalt take to thee by the sevens, the male and his female: and of the beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and his female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth." Gen 7:2,3 (emphasis in italics mine).

Thanks for the correction - the clean beast and the birds of the air were in groups of 7. Too much haste and got called on the effort for simplification.

[PianoMan]

Wow that's some chart. The Chinese drop 200K in an earthquake like it ain't no thing! :-0

[Asfarastheeastisfromthewest...]

There never was a global flood. The Noah story interpreted that way is just not true.

And what would your interpretation be?

[Baraonda]

"Doesn't count. Kerry was only the worst natural disaster ever, wannabe."

We can always use him as a good example of a failed natural disaster. :)

[Baraonda]

"Moral of the story........stay out of India, China, Russia, Africa, and Bangladesh. You'll be fine."

Excellent advice.

History seems to repeat itself more often than we think.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Toba comes to mind as a historical disaster. (Black Death too.)

[sonserae]

So I suppose Westerners and celebrities are more important and newsworthy?

[shubi]

I have been studying Genesis (especially Gen 1) in the Hebrew for many years. I see no reason to include the Noah epic in the Bible. It may have some spiritual teaching, but I am not sure what it is.

The story is certainly not literally true. Go to Problems with a Global Flood at

http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-noahs-ark.html

for a good discussion of the multiple problems with taking Noah literally. (If the flood is only regional, there is no reason for an Ark.)

My take on Genesis 1 is it can be quite close to modern science if you take "Let there be light" as the Creation Event and translate "YOM" (day) as indefinite period of time (Gen 2:4 supports this translation) .

Then the progression of creation sounds very much like evolution, as far as a non-technical language communicated to unscientific people might be.

[shubi]

"Thanks for the correction - the clean beast and the birds of the air were in groups of 7. Too much haste and got called on the effort for simplification."

Since it didn't really happen, it makes no difference.

[F.J. Mitchell]

"We can always use him as a good example of a failed natural disaster. :)"

Absolutely and on top of that, we can rightly give George W. Bush, credit for preventing that natural disaster.

[luckystarmom]

It's too early to tell how bad this disaster was. I read one report that said the death toll could be up to a million. There are islands that disappeared. They haven't been able to get to lots of places.