At least 2.5 million people have been killed in natural disasters over the recent 48 years. The number of casualties over the recent 20 years made up 1.6 million people, the UN said. The number of natural disasters taking place in the world nowadays has quadrupled in comparison with the 1970s. The disaster-related economic damage has increased at least seven times. The death toll in developing states exceeds the number of casualties in developed states 20-30 times

On Monday Asia marked the tsunami anniversary. Ceremonies, in which relatives of tsunami victims took part, were held in all the countries that suffered from the disaster
Although a year passed after tsunami hit Asian countries many people still keep on living in tent sites, are deprived of main social services and run the risk of violence. Tourists are still afraid of spending their holidays in Thailand and Sri-Lanka. Maldives also suffer from the lack of tourists' interest

Krakatau eruption that happened in 1883 is considered to be the most dangerous natural disasters in human history
Anak Krakatau, Krakatau's child, was born about 70 years ago and now grows six meters a year. The mammoth blast of 1883 could be heard at a distance of  five thousand kilometers: the sound that the earth blast produced is considered to be the loudest sound that could ever be heard on Earth. If the explosion of the same power happened today, tsunami would kill about one million people

Snows of Antarctica and Greenland are harbouring danger
The world rotates round its axis. This fact does not seem to cause any fear or worry. However, the dangers are lurking about every bend. This rotation system is not mechanically stable as tones of snow fall on the continental platform of Greenland and Antarctica every year. This snow forms a so-called icy dumbbell the, which increases in size every year. This is where the danger is lurking

A strong earthquake reportedly leveled several villages 
A very powerful earthquake rattled cities and villages across the south Asian subcontinent on Saturday. The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.6, struck at 0350 GMT. It was centred about 95 km (60 miles) northeast of Islamabad, near the Indian border, and was followed by a series of four aftershocks of magnitudes between 5.4 and 5.9.

There is nothing mysterious about the covering of one object by another while moving
Solar and lunar eclipses gripped people with awe in times of old. They were thought to be the portents of war, famine, epidemic of diseases and so on. People still like to watch eclipses, especially total ones. Darkness falls at midday and unknown constellations appear in the blackened sky. It is quite amazing that statistical data collected over the centuries effectively confirms the link between solar eclipses and natural disasters

Can you imagine New Orleans' wealthy elite meekly submitting to such microscopic searches of their persons and property for drugs?
Watching news coverage of the refugees trying to enter the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans for safety from the approaching force-five Hurricane Katrina, I was incredulous how the people attempting to enter the stadium were being treated by the national guard troops and local police. The people were made to stand for hours outside in the awful Louisiana climate while they were admitted one or two adults at a time so they could be searched "for firearms and alcohol."

As the core nears the mantle of Earth, the number of earthquakes, tsunamis and volcano eruptions increases
The core of our planet is directly connected with the Earth's magnetic field. Scientists noticed back in the 17th century that the field was constantly changing. The Earth's magnetic intensity has reduced by almost five percent over the recent hundred of years. The tempo implies that the field will totally disappear already in 2000

US forces supposedly used a secret weapon in Iraq, which resulted in a powerful earthquake
Viktor Bokov, a scientist from St.Petersburg, deals with short-term earthquake forecasts. The information about the forthcoming disaster in Southeast Asia, which killed 215,000 people, appeared on the website of the Arctic and Antarctic Institute (on which Bokov's forecasts are regularly published) two days before the tsunami hit the Asian shores

Muslims on the island of Sri-Lanka assume that the deadly tsunami has been inflicted upon them by Allah himself for people's disobedience.
One can clearly read the word “Allah” in Arabic language imprinted on the waves, stated head of Islamic center in Colombo Muhammad Faizin. Muslims compare the tsunami to the Great Flood, which, according to the Old Testament, had been inflicted upon humanity by the God Almighty. In addition, people speak of a foreign tourist who supposedly had dreamed of massive waves approaching the island three hours prior to the disaster.