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2018 Disasters

The Worst Natural Disasters of 2018 

 

Natural disasters around the world are occurring at an alarming rate in 2018. Every few weeks, we're witnessing earthquakes that demolish whole cities, wildfires that burn thousands of acres, and cyclones that cause mass flooding and property damage. In the wake of these disasters, people grieve the losses of loved ones and destroyed property while anticipating the long road back to personal and communal recovery. 

Whether they're raging wildfires, deluges of violent rain, or forceful movements in the earth's crusts, the impact of natural disasters is merciless and immeasurable. High death tolls and property damage leave civilians devastated. And it's not only families and cities who suffer in the aftermath. The scope of these events inevitably causes political, social, and economic turmoil, amplifying the tragedy and creating a vulnerable climate. 

Historically, some natural disasters have almost ended the world. This is why it's so important to keep an eye on the worst natural disasters of 2018 and consider the important environmental issues affecting the world. Ensuring we have a positive impact on the environment can help create a better future.

Mount Kilauea Eruption

Date: May 3

Areas affected: Hawaii 

Cause: Three days before the eruption, a volcanic crater collapsed which caused lava to pour down the volcano's slopes. This set off a chain of small fissures and earthquakes, which eventually caused a massive eruption. The governor of Hawaii quickly declared a state of emergency. 

Damages: More than 1,700 evacuations 

Deaths: 0

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India Dust Storms

Date: May 2

Areas affected: Western and Northern India 

Cause: Abnormally high temperatures may have contributed to the storms, but meteorologists have also called it a freak accident. 

Damages: High winds and lightning generated by the storms destroyed houses and livestock, as well as uprooting trees and shutting down electricity for many.  

Deaths: More than 125 

Cyclone Josie

Photo:  kim quang/YouTube

Date: March 31, 2018

Areas affected: Fiji

Cause: Natural weather patterns resulted in the tropical storm that led to the cyclone, which caused flooding damage across Fiji. 

Damages: Property damage caused by 1,873 evacuations and 74 roads were closed. 

Deaths: 4

New England Bomb Cyclone

Date: March 2

Areas affected: Areas between Massachusettes and DC were the most heavily affected by the severe weather, but states within New England (Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut) were affected as well. 

Cause: Natural weather patterns cause bomb cyclones. 

Damages: Massive flooding caused damage to an unknown number of structures, more than 2 million lost power in the days surrounding the disaster, and over 4,000 flights were canceled 

Deaths: 9

Papua New Guinea Earthquake

Date: February 26

Magnitude: 7.5 magnitude earthquake with a 6.5 magnitude aftershock 

Areas affected: Hela, Southern Highlands, and Western and Enga Provinces in Papua New Guinea

Cause: The Papua New Guinea Earthquake was caused by naturally occurring environmental processes. 

Damages: Thousands were affected by the aftershock, leaving people homeless or without access to food and water. In total, the quake caused the region over $61 million in damages. 

Deaths: The total remains unclear. Roughly 160 casualties occurred during the initial quake, but the subsequent aftershock and building collapse claimed further victims.

Oaxaca Earthquake

Date: February 16

Magnitude: 7.2  

Areas affected: Mexico's Southern Pacific coast and Mexico City 

Damages: 1,000 damaged homes and hundreds of damages to businesses and schools 

Cause: The Oaxaca Earthquake was caused by natural occurring environmental processes. 

Deaths: While no deaths were reported from the earthquake itself, 13 people were killed when a military helicopter lost control and crashed into civilians while taking the interior minister and the governor to visit victims. 

Hualien Earthquake

Date: February 6

Magnitude: 6.4 

Areas affected: Taiwan, especially coastline

Cause: The Hualien Earthquake was caused by natural occurring environmental processes. 

Damages: Over 40,000 homes were left without running water and collapsed and damaged buildings led to over $21 million in damage. 

Deaths: 17

Windstorm Friederike

Date: January 17-19

The area affected: Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, with mild storm weather hitting parts of the UK

Cause: The windstorm was caused by naturally occurring weather patterns. 

Damages: Due to the widespread damages, the precise number of damaged buildings is unknown. Strong winds uprooted trees and tore down structures, affecting roads and travel for days. Many people were left with damaged roofs and homes. Trains and planes were delayed in Germany and surrounding areas due to the potential of falling objects.

Deaths: More than 13 (additional deaths related to overlapping windstorms)

Montecito Mudslides

Date: January 9

Areas Affected: Southern California 

Cause: Mudslides were a direct result of the Santa Barbara Thomas Fires. When heavy rain follows a serious fire, destroyed foliage and weakened topsoil makes land more vulnerable to mudslides. After emergency response workers contained the Thomas Fire, unusually high rainfall raised the risk of mudslides and eventually caused the disaster in Montecito. 

Damages: 129 homes destroyed and 307 damaged  

Deaths: 21

Santa Barbara Thomas Fire

Date: December 2017 - January 8, 2018

Areas Affected: Southern California 

Cause: Unknown. A massive victims' lawsuits allege the electricity supply company, Southern California Edison, is responsible. According to the suit, Edison was working on a project in Santa Paula near a Comcast satellite and engaged in various activities that caused dry vegetation to ignite, leading to the massive fire. However, the fire is under investigation and the claims remain unverified. 

Damages: 281,893 acres burned 

Deaths: 2