In the recent wake of events unfolding in Norcia and Amatrice in Italy, It has come to my mind the brutality of natural catastrophes, the extent of acute devastation and the fragility of life. As you read this, dozens are still trapped in the mountainous central Italian area waiting for rescuers. This 6.2 Magnitude earthquake has left 247 dead and many more stranded. Our sincerest hopes and prayers are with the people therein.

Today we are able to virtually feel the sorrows of the victims due to media coverage and social networking, but in the past, civilizations were not as fortunate (or unfortunate?).

Though this recent earthquake is by no means less important or insignificant, there have been many others in history that have had similar or worse impacts. Here is the list of the worst earthquakes in the history of mankind:(For a more a pervasive overview, not all earthquakes of similar magnitude are included in the list)

Valdivia, Chile (May 22, 1960), 9.5

How do you think you will feel with multiple atomic bombs shooting in all directions all at once? That is how this one felt. It’s effect was expansive, claiming some lives, but leaving a rubble of almost everything that it touched.

Sumatra, Indonesia (Dec 26, 2004), 9.3

Not only did the earthquake kill lives and shatter homes, it triggered the Volcano near Baratang in the Andamar islands! It’s like the villain does not come alone, it travels with his entourage.

Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA (Mar 27, 1964), 9.2

This was not as life-claiming as the rest, except a wave of Tsunami did reach Hawaii. Residents reported the shaking to last 3 mins.

Kamchatka, USSR (Nov 4, 1952), 9.0

Apparently, this one didn’t kill as many people, but lots of animals died and infrastructure damage was enormous. That’s weird.

Lisbon, Portugal (Nov 1, 1775), 8.7

This one destroyed lots of royal buildings, including The Royal Ribeira Palace. Because this occurred during the Kingdom of Portugal phase, the staunch Royal Catholic population saw this event taking place on “All Saint’s Day” as the manifestation of divine judgement.

Assam, Tibet (Aug 15, 1950), 8.6

This villain’s accomplice was landslides. This not only affected Tibet, it also impacted China and India – some in Norway were said to have felt tribulations. Well, some effects are far-reaching!

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Just as we think we can control our natural environment, we are reminded time and again, sometimes with subtlety, sometimes with catastrophe, that we are mortal. There is a stronger power in charge. May the residents of Italy find succor and solace at this dire time.

Sources:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37181933

http://list25.com/25-worst-earthquakes-in-history/

http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/scie...