Natural disasters have been around for millions of years. Man has known about natural disasters for as long as mankind has existed. But man is the one who changes a natural phenomenon into natural disaster by living in areas where Mother Nature did not intend for him to live.

Floods are deadliest nature disaster in the world. Flooding usually occurs along rivers when it overflows onto the floodplain. A floodplain is part of the river's living space, which it uses to stretch and spread out for a healthy ecosystem. Man has turned natural flooding into a disaster by living and working on the floodplains. The worst natural disaster in the world occurred in China in 1931 when the Yellow River (Huang He) flooded killing an estimated 1 to 2 million people. The worst flood in the United States occurred in 1889 when a damn failed near Johnstown, Pennsylvania killing about 2200 people. The Great Flood of 1993 was the most destructive in the U.S. Records for high water were set in the Midwest that year.

Hurricanes are another example of mankind living in dangerous areas. Hurricanes usually hit the United States along the south and east coasts. But millions of people have chosen to live and work in these coastal areas, turning a hurricane into a natural disaster. The worst one occurred in East Pakistan (Bangladesh) in 1970 when about 300,000 people died. The worst hurricane in U.S. history occurred in Galveston, Texas when about 8,000 died. But Hurricane Katrina in 2005 almost destroyed the city of New Orleans.

Tsunamis occur around the world, but they only affect coastal regions. But people around the world live on the coasts and turn a tsunami into a natural disaster. The worst tsunami occurred in 2004 in the Indian Ocean when about 230,000 people died.

Earthquakes are a natural phenomenon that mankind has turned into a disaster. Man has known for centuries, by experience, where the fault lines lay. Yet man keeps building on or near them. If they suffer a devastating earthquake, man will just rebuild on the same spot. The worst earthquake in history occurred in 1556 in Shaanxi, China when about 830,000 people died. The worst earthquake in the U.S. occurred in San Francisco in 1906 when about 3,000 people died. The city was destroyed, but it was rebuilt on the same spot.

Wildfires are not a deadly disaster worldwide, but they can be in the United States and Australia. Wildfires are nature's way of renewing vegetation. The old plants are destroyed and replaced with a new crop. And it has been occurring in specific areas of the United States for centuries, especially the southwest. And the best thing that can be done is to let these fires burn themselves out. But people have insisted on building in these known fire areas, turning a natural process into a natural disaster. The worst U.S. wildfire occurred in and around Peshtigo, Wisconsin in 1871 when 1200-2500 people died.

The root cause of natural disasters is not nature, but mankind by living and working in known dangerous areas. On the floodplains of rivers, on the coasts, near fault lines, and in areas where wildfires naturally occur year after year. It is man who has turned a natural phenomenon into a natural disaster.

Learn more about this author, Gary Betts.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Natural disasters and their root cause?
We want to hear your view. Write now!