Death tolls from war may make for more salacious news coverage but when it comes to devastation, Mother Nature wreaks far more consistent havoc. Sadly, the worst destruction seems to befall the most disadvantaged and beautiful places on Earth.
In many cases, ravaged by a disaster, a country picks up the pieces and sinks back into some guise of human routine only to be struck by the brutal forces of Nature once again. A tidal wave of foreign aid pours in but soon dissipates as the focus of the world turns to a new cause.
Tourism helps of course, to mitigate the cost of restitution and spread economic aid to those in need. While the areas in question contain some of the most pristine natural beauty on the planet, they do have to contend with testy Mother Nature. So venture forth at your own risk and for the love of God, check the calendar before you book your flight. In no particular order, here are the Worst Natural Disaster Zones in the World.
What should come to mind when we think of Bangladesh are lush mangrove forests, a sandy coastline, fertile land and archaeological sites that date back over 2,000 years. For most however, flashes of cyclone devastation amid the most densely populated nation on Earth is the first image that comes to the fore.
The tropical cyclone season in Bangladesh runs from May to June and from October to December. For a hint at how deadly the storms can be, consider this: over the past 200 years tropical cyclones have been accountable for over 2 million deaths. Well over half of those deaths have been in Bangladesh and North India. In 1970 the Bhola cyclone in the Ganges Delta region alone had a death toll of over half a million, with some estimates as high as 1 million. Clearly, the best time to visit Bangladesh, a beautiful country with terrible meteorogical luck, is between late December and March.
With a turbulent history, Iran is a genuine cradle of civilization that receives far more negative attention in the press than positive. Political and religious ideology aside, the nation reveals no trace of “Axis of Evil” to intrepid visitors. One could expound on Iran’s ruins, resplendent palaces and mosques, museums and architectural glory for days. Unfortunately, the country is also subject to precarious geologic activity. Earthquakes, to put it another way.
Some of the most lethal earthquakes in the past century have been in Iran. The seismic activity in the region that also includes Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and other nations in Central Asia is due in large part to a location within the Alpine-Himalayan belt. What it all boils down to are fault lines galore and a preponderance of tremors. Big tremors. All too often it seems, Iran bears the brunt of the quake force. With seismology still an inexact science, there is no sure way to know when the Big One will hit. But with a large and dense population, the death toll in a city like Tehran could be tremendous.
The archipelago nation of Indonesia is a wild, exotic place, with remote islands, strange flora and fauna and to the dismay of the large population, a littany of natural disaster risks. Most can recall with great discomfort the devastation of the super tsunami in 2004. But many forget as a result that Indonesia is also home to the most active string of volcanic activity in the world. If a massive, apocalyptic eruption were to occur, chances are that it would be here.
The eruption of Krakatau in 1883 and the supervolcanic eruption at Lake Toba about 74,000 years ago wreaked enormous havoc on weather systems around the planet. The latter was a near extinction level event and caused six years of volcanic winter. With over 150 active volcanoes in Indonesia, all part of a sinister Pacific Ring of Fire, the potential for major disaster lurks around the corner. If you want to witness volcanic activity in Indonesia, the most dynamic are on the island of Java.
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The colloquial term Tornado Alley is meant to represent the Plains area between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains. This region and with it, the state of Florida, is the preeminent place in the world for twisters. In particular, Texas and Oklahoma get pounded with the most deadly frequency. However, other states like Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota bear regular tornado punishment as well.
While many debate the best times to visit Tornado Alley states in order to avoid twisters – or for those with a death wish, chase them – the seasons fluctuate. April and May are typically the most destructive months in terms of damage and human lives lost in the Central United States. As summer approaches and the weather warms up, the northern Plains see a dramatic increase in tornado activity. Winter months are the worst for southeastern states like Alabama and Florida. In general though, the Central part of Tornado Alley can get hit anytime. Consider this worst-case scenario: in 1999 over the course of three brutal days in early May, there were no fewer than 66 twisters in the state of Oklahoma. The most extensive damage was done by that most rare category of tornado – an F5 twister that alone was responsible for over $1 billion in property damage. Forty-four people lost their lives. Not quite on the scale of a South Asia tsunami but worthy of consideration should you plan to visit this otherwise exceptional part of the United States.
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