10 Rare-Known Disasters of the 20th Century

New Delhi: A disaster can be ostensively defined as any tragic event stemming from earthquakes, floods, catastrophic accidents, fires, or explosions. whether natural or manmade, they hit hard and leave scars on human and nature both.Time passes, the wounds heal, and the event slowly fades from public consciousness. Here we take time to have a look on ten disasters that hit the world in 20th century:1. The Andhra Pradesh cyclone of 1977It was one of the worst cyclonic storm to hit the Indian shores on November 19, 1977. A total of 14,204 people were confirmed to have been killed, however some estimates place the loss of life at 50,000. Damage from the cyclone was placed at US$498.5 million. The worst affected areas were in the Krishna River delta region. The island of Diviseema, which was hit by a six metre high storm surge, experienced a loss of life running into the thousands. Hundreds of bodies were floating in the waters and bodies bloated beyond recognition were consigned to mass pyres. Landslides ripped off the railway lines in the Waltair-Kirandal route.About 100 villages were marooned or washed away by the cyclonic storms and the ensuing floods and a total of 10,841 killed or missing, and 3.4 million rendered homeless. 2. The Meuse Valley's Killer Fog of 1930Meuse Valley was the site of many factories including chemical plants, zinc smelters, and coke ovens, all of which belched a constant stream of pollutants into the air. On December 1, residents noticed a strange, dense, cold fog had settled over the valley (due to temperature inversion). Visibility was poor, barely a few feet. Residents continued their business as usual, although the fog irritated their eyes and made it difficult to breathe. By the time the fog lifted five days after it began, between 60-75 people were dead. Thousands were ill or suffered permanent injury. Two years later, Belgian authorities investigating the mystery officially reported that the fog had been trapped over the valley due to freak weather conditions, and that toxic gasses from the factories caused the deaths.3. The Sinking of the USS Squalus in 1939USS Squalus (SS-192), a diesel-electric submarine built at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth suffered a catastrophic valve failure during a test dive off the Isle of Shoals at 0740 on 23 May 1939. Partially flooded, the submarine sank to the bottom and came to rest keel down in 40 fathoms (240 feet) of water. Navy divers and salvage ships responded quickly, and the following day began operations to rescue the surviving 32 crew members and one civilian from the forward sections of the boat. At 1130 on 24 May, USS Falcon (ASR-2) lowered the newly developed McCann rescue chamber—a revised version of a diving bell invented by Commander Charles B. Momsen—and, over the next 13 hours, all 33 survivors were rescued from the stricken submarine. On 13 September, after long and difficult salvage operations, Squalus was raised and towed into the Portsmouth Navy Yard. The boat was formally decommissioned on 15 November, renamed Sailfish on 9 February 1940, and recommissioned on 15 May 1940.4. Naples Building Collapse of 1906In early April 1906, Vesuvius erupted violently, spewing tons of ash and debris for miles. An estimated 315,000 tons fell on Naples alone. On the morning of April 11th, due to an accumulation ash and cinders, the roof of the 600 square foot Monte Oliveto marketplace collapsed, trapping more than 200 people in the ruins.5. Los Angeles Flood of 1938The Los Angeles flood of 1938 was a major flooding event that was responsible for inundating much of Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties, California, during early 1938. The flood was caused by a pair of oceanic storms that swept inland across the Los Angeles Basin in February and March 1938, causing abnormal rainfall across much of coastal Southern California. 113 to 115 people perished in the flood, which was one of the most catastrophic disasters in area history.6. The SS Morro Castle Fire of 1934The SS Morro Castle was a luxury cruise ship of the 1930s that was built for the Ward Line for runs between New York City and Havana, Cuba. The Morro Castle was named for the Morro Castle fortress that guards the entrance to Havana Bay. On the morning of 8 September 1934, en route from Havana to New York, the ship caught fire and burned, killing 137 passengers and crew members. The ship eventually beached herself near Asbury Park, New Jersey, and remained there for several months until she was towed off and scrapped.7. Sinking of the Ferry Heraklion of 1966SS Heraklion was built as the SS Leicestershire by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company in Glasgow in 1949, for the Bibby Line to operate the UK to Burma route. The ship capsized and sank on 8 December 1966 in the Aegean Sea, resulting in the death of over 200 people.The ship took a mere 20 minutes to sink. Untrained officers and crew who had no idea how to conduct an emergency evacuation panicked, as did the passengers struggling to find an exit from their cabins to the decks.8. Martinique Volcano Eruption of 1902Mount Pelée is an active volcano at the northern end of the island and French overseas department of Martinique in the Lesser Antilles island arc of the Caribbean. Its volcanic cone is composed of layers of volcanic ash and hardened lava. In 1902 the destruction that resulted, dubbed the worst volcanic disaster of the 20th century. The eruption killed about 30,000 people.Most deaths were caused by pyroclastic flows and occurred in the city of Saint-Pierre, which was, at that time, the largest city on the island.9. The Modane Train Derailment of 1917Modane train crash of 1917, train derailment in Modane, France, on Dec. 12, 1917, that killed more than 500 French soldiers.The French train was traveling from Turin, Italy, to Lyon, France, through a stretch of the Alps in southeastern France. It was carrying more than 1,000 soldiers, who had been stationed in northern Italy while fighting in World War I. The trip was planned as a reprieve from combat, with many of the men planning to reunite with their families for the Christmas holiday.10. Mitsui Miike Mine Explosion of 1963The Mitsui Miike Coal Mine disaster was an accidental explosion at the Miike coal mine in Kyushu, Japan on 9 November 1963. Four-hundred fifty-eight people were killed by the explosion or by carbon monoxide poisoning caused by the explosion. Eight-hundred thirty-nine others were injured by the blast or carbon monoxide poisoning. Many of the poisoned survivors suffered severe, permanent brain damage.