People spend a lot of time worrying about all the ways humans have found to hurt each other. We can sometimes forget just how brutal natural phenomena can be. Wars and other acts of violence result in horrifying death tolls, but is there anything more terrifying than the earth itself causing massive amounts of damage?
The phrase “natural phenomena” encompasses many things, and it is not often dangerous. By definition, a natural phenomenon is an event that occurs naturally in the environment. Its not been artificially engineered by humans. Some natural phenomena include the tides, fogs, and even rainbows! Before humans became such a technologically advanced species, we had no way to explain the causes of many natural phenomena. Today, however, we can explain many of the events that occur on earth.
However, just because we can name and explain the world’s natural phenomena, it doesn’t mean we can prevent it from happening. No matter how much humans would like to believe they are in control of the world around them, we are always at the mercy of nature.
Predicting Natural Phenomena
We do have the technology to predict many natural phenomena, such as volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. There is still nothing we can do to stop these catastrophic events from occurring. This knowledge is both terrifying and humbling. Perhaps, someday, we will develop the technology to prevent certain natural disasters. For now, we are at the whims of the Universe.
In today’s video, we are going to look at the top ten most dangerous natural phenomena and discuss how they are caused as well as what makes them so dangerous. Make sure you stick around until the very end of the video, where we’ll reveal the number one most dangerous natural phenomenon in the world!
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Facts Verse Presents: 10 Most Dangerous Natural Phenomena in the World
Avalanches
An avalanche is when a mass of rocks, snow, ice, and other debris slides downhill at a rapid pace. Then, eventually picking up more debris along the way. An avalanche may be slow and small in the beginning. It will become faster and larger as it advances, making it incredibly dangerous to anyone nearby. Avalanches have many different possible causes. One common reason is heavy snowfall. If a large amount of snow accumulates on a mountainside, it becomes so heavy that it all slides downhill. Avalanches can also be caused by changes in temperature, strong winds, or earthquakes.
Another common cause, however, is accidental human interference. A mountainside is already close to producing an avalanche, disturbances by hikers, climbers, and snowboarders. It can disturb the area, triggering an early avalanche. Avalanches are not particularly common, and they are not usually big enough to kill large amounts of people. However, anyone who is unfortunate to get caught in an avalanche has a very small chance of survival.
Lightning Strikes
Many people tend to forget just how dangerous lightning strikes can be since they rarely manage to kill more than one or two people at a time. However, in 2011, one lightning strike killed 18 children and one teacher in Uganda. In another incident, a lightning strike impacted on 90 pounds of gunpowder in a church in 1769. The explosion was so massive that around 3,000 people were killed.
On average, however, only about 24 people are killed each year due to lightning strikes. Still, this natural phenomenon is far less predictable than occurrences like tornadoes or tsunamis. And it making it one of the most shocking phenomena on this list. One more fun fact about lightning- some bolts can reach a temperature of up to 53,540 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun!
Wildfires
Despite the catastrophe caused by wildfires, this natural phenomenon plays an important part in many ecosystems. Wildfires help to clear away old and dead parts of forests, giving way to new life. However, wildfires are unpredictable and can cause untold death and destruction. This terrifying natural phenomenon can span massive distances in very short amounts of time, making them nearly impossible to contain. However, this is the only natural phenomenon that humans can affect at all. Firefighters can help contain these catastrophic blazes to some extent, even though the fires still manage to accomplish plenty of destruction.
Sadly, wildfires are more common occurrences today than they once were, as human inventions such as power lines, campfires, cigarettes, and even glass bottles can all cause wildfires. In dry areas, it doesn’t take much to set a whole forest ablaze! Click the like button to thank all of the brave firefighters who risk their lives to save others from this dangerous occurrence!
Tornadoes
Tornadoes are a pretty scary phenomenon, and they can be catastrophic. These are caused by the collision of warm, humid air and cold, dry air. The weather conditions to form a tornado have to be just right, but when they do occur, the results are terrifying. Tornadoes are capable of generating some of the most powerful winds in the world. In 1999, Bridge Creek-Moore Tornado produced speeds of 300mph, which is the most powerful wind that has ever been measured on earth. While the winds of a tornado are often more powerful than those of a hurricane, however, tornadoes can only exist for short periods before fizzling out, and they can only impact a small area. Still, tornadoes are a deadly force to be reckoned with.
In 1980, Grand Island, Nebraska was hit by no less than seven different tornadoes, which eventually earned it the name “Night of the Twisters,” and the event was even turned into a book and a movie. In 1989, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, was hit by a tornado that killed around 1,300 people!
Blizzards
You may not think of blizzards as being as dangerous as they are, but this natural phenomenon can have disastrous effects on thousands of people. With high wind speeds, reduced visibility, and extremely low temperatures, blizzards are a magnet for car accidents. Homeless people are also often hit hard by blizzards, because, with nowhere warm to go, they can suffer from hypothermia and frostbite. In 1972, Iran was hit by a blizzard that lasted nearly a week, and over 4,000 deaths were recorded as a result.
Landslides
When you think of natural disasters, tornadoes and wildfires are probably more likely to show up in your mind. However, while landslides are often overlooked, they are usually far more deadly. This natural phenomenon can be caused by a variety of factors, including heavy rainfall or snowmelt, wind erosion, seismic activity, and deforestation, among others. Landslides are also more likely to be overlooked because they are often caused by other natural phenomena, such as earthquakes. In 2008, the Sichuan province in China was devastated by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9. The earthquake killed a total of 70,000 people, but 20,000 of those deaths were caused by a landslide, which had been triggered by the earthquake.
Volcanic Eruptions
While the effects of a volcano are horrifying and catastrophic, this natural phenomenon only ranks number four on our list for a few reasons. Firstly, a volcanic eruption can only occur in an active volcano, which is easy to identify. Furthermore, the effects of a volcanic eruption are limited to a specific area. Still, if you happen to be unlucky enough to get caught in a volcanic eruption, your chances of survival are all but zero. Even if you aren’t hit by lava, you can be suffocated by the residual ash. The most common cause of death by a volcanic eruption is being petrified by pyroclastic flows, which can reach 1,000 degrees Celsius.
Earthquakes
Earthquakes made number three on our list for three reasons. Firstly, they are incredibly unpredictable. Secondly, they can affect very large areas, potentially harming far more people. Finally, earthquakes can often trigger secondary events, such as landslides and structural fires. The largest part of what makes earthquakes so deadly is the collapse of various structures. Earthquakes will cause buildings to topple over, crushing and killing many inside. Thankfully, many earthquake-prone countries, such as Japan, have learned to change building structures to minimize the number of deaths. The deadliest earthquake on record occurred in 1556 in Shaanxi, China. While we will never know an exact number for sure, it is believed that the earthquake killed around 830,000 people.
Tsunamis and Floods
Tsunamis and floods tie for number two on today’s list, because both are devastating forces of nature, and they often go hand in hand. Most people caught in a tsunami or flood are more likely to die from being hit by debris than by drowning. While you won’t be affected by a tsunami if you don’t live near the ocean, floods can occur nearly anywhere. The deadliest recorded tsunami occurred in 2004, in the Indian Ocean. Over 230,000 people lost their lives. The deadliest recorded flood occurred in 1931 in China, which ended up, directly and indirectly, killing a total of 4 million people!
Tropical Cyclones
Tropical cyclones are the number one most dangerous natural phenomenon on our list. Also known as hurricanes or typhoons, tropical cyclones cause massive amounts of damage. Cyclones result in powerful winds and torrential rains. This disaster can last for many long days and can affect huge amounts of land. Even after a cyclone has passed, it will leave horrifying amounts of environmental damage. The deadliest recorded cyclone occurred in Bangladesh in 1970, and it is estimated to have killed between 500,000 and 1 million people. Overall, tropical cyclones are undoubtedly the most dangerous natural phenomenon in the world.
There are so many different natural phenomena that can have devastating impacts on the world. Were you more surprised to learn that lightning bolts can be five times hotter than the sun, or that blizzards are often more dangerous than tornadoes? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe to Facts Verse for more!
