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
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
