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Natural Disasters & Environment ‑ This Day In History

Natural disasters and changes in the environment, such as global warming, the San Francisco Earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, the Galveston Hurricane, the Krakatoa eruption and others, have profoundly shaped human history. Explore both the sudden and long-term impacts of natural and human-made disasters.

1807

Lightning strikes gunpowder factory in Luxembourg, killing hundreds

Natural Disasters & Environment
1887

Dam collapses in Switzerland, kills 70

Natural Disasters & Environment
1985

Nevado del Ruiz eruptions bury more than 20,000 in Colombia

Natural Disasters & Environment
1794

Fire destroys much of New Orleans’ French Quarter

Natural Disasters & Environment
1889

The Great Seattle Fire

Natural Disasters & Environment
1988

Aloha Airlines Flight 243 miraculously lands after losing roof

Natural Disasters & Environment
1923

Japan’s Great Kanto Earthquake kills over 140,000

Natural Disasters & Environment
2012

Typhoon “Pablo” kills over 1,000 people in the Philippines

Natural Disasters & Environment
2015

Magnitude 7.8 earthquake kills thousands in Nepal

Natural Disasters & Environment
2014

Mudslide in Washington state kills more than 40 people

Natural Disasters & Environment
2014

Avalanche kills 16 Sherpas on Mt. Everest

Natural Disasters & Environment
2010

Massive oil spill begins in Gulf of Mexico

Natural Disasters & Environment
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