Natural disasters are sudden and destructive events that strike on anywhere on earth, often without warning. They are effects of natural hazards (e.g. earthquake, tsunami, tornado, volcanic eruption, flood, or landslide) which move from potential into an active phase, or caused by human activities. In most cases these disasters lead to financial, environmental or human losses. Here is a list of most dangerous and deadly natural disasters in pictures.

Tsunami

March 11 2011, a massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck north-east coast of Japan triggering a massive tsunami.

Tsunami ploughed into tragic Miyako city, Japan
(Image Source: Thesun.co.uk)

Waves of tsunami topple trees
Photograph from Kyodo/Reuters
(Image Source: News.nationalgeographic.com)

Houses swallowed by the tsunami burn in Sendai, Miyagi
Photograph from Kyodo/Reuters
(Image Source: News.nationalgeographic.com)

Houses swept by a tsunami
Photograph from Kyodo/AP

Tsunami hits airport in Sendai, Japan
Photograph from Kyodo/AP
(Image Source: News.nationalgeographic.com)

Earthquake

Fractured road, Japan
Photograph by Karen Kasmauski
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Twisted railroad, Japan
Photograph from Pacific Press Service/Alamy
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Collapsed bridge, Guatemala
Photograph by Robert W. Madden
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

A rupture forms in road after an earthquake
(Image Source: Jyi.org)

A massive earthquake struck southwest China
Photograph by Ng Han Guan/AP
(Image Source: News.nationalgeographic.com)

San Andreas Fault, California
Photograph by Phil Degginger/Alamy
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Wildfire

San Diego wildfires
(Image Source: Flickr.com)

Boise forest fire
Photograph by Mark Thiessen
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Wildfires force evacuations in L.A.
Photograph by Dan Steinberg/Associated Press
(Image Source: Nytimes.com)

Idaho fire
Photograph by Mark Thiessen
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Volcano

Three volcanoes – Mount Semeru, Mount Bromo and Mount Batok in Indonesia
Photograph by John Stanmeyer
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Mount Etna, Italy
Photograph by Carsten Peter
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Volcanic lightning
Photograph by Peter Vancoillie
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Two eruptions
Photograph by James Appleton
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Ash cloud
Photograph by Snorri Gunnarsson
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Tornado

A mother ship cloud formation hovers over Childress, Texas
Photograph by Carsten Peter

Violent tornado in northeastern Iowa
(Image Source: Thelede.blogs.nytimes.com)

Waterspout
Photograph by Daniel Pavlinovic
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Curved tornado
Photograph by Melanie Metz
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

South Dakota tornado
Photograph by Carsten Peter
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Big tornado
(Image Source: Tornado-facts.com)

Lightning

City strike
Photograph by Mavroudakis Fotis
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Bolts on the water
Photograph by Fotis Mavroudakis
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

CN tower, Canada
Photograph by Jim Bradford, The Canadian Press
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Lightning over Miami
Photograph by Brian Hightower
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Lightning at night, Walton, Nebraska
Photograph by Joel Sartore
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Other Natural Disasters

Hurricane Ivan
Photograph courtesy NASA/GSFC
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Hurricane winds
Photograph by Otis Imboden
(Image Source: Kids.nationalgeographic.com)

Avalanche in Mt. Rainier National Park in Washington
Photograph by Marc Muench/Getty Images
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

Rock mountain avalanche
Photograph by Timothy G. Laman
(Image Source: Environment.nationalgeographic.com)

A sandstorm engulfs the Saudi capital
Photograph by Jad Saab/AP
(Image Source: News.nationalgeographic.com)

Sandstorm strikes Israel
(Image Source: Greenprophet.com)

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Author: Quertime Team

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