10 worst disasters in US history

Below is a list of the 10 most terrible natural disasters in American history, statistically by LiveScience .

Typhoon Tristates - March 18, 1925

Photo: ThinkQuest

The storm passed through the three states of Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri. In just three and a half hours it was devastating central America.

The storm destroyed 15,000 houses, of which 700 died in Illinois. After this phase, forecasters have just begun to research and develop a storm warning system.

Forest fire in Peshtigo - October 8, 1871

The city of Peshtigo is heavily affected by the drought, a storm of wind that spreads a small fire in the pasture to millions of hectares of forest land. The fire even crossed the Peshtigo River and sank both sides of the city in flames. The fire burned 12 towns and killed nearly 1,200 people.

Johnstown flood - May 31, 1889

Photo: AccWeather.com

During the late 19th century, small industrials in Johnstown, Pennsylvania were known as high-quality steel producers. But it all ended when the mountainous South Fork dam was more than 20 km away from the city.

The rainy days caused the dam to become unbearable, collapsing more than 20 million tons of water and entering the city with the help of Niagara Falls. The flood engulfed 1,600 houses and killed 2,209 people.

Hot sunshine in summer 1988

Photo: themysticalpen.com

Agriculture at the time was devastated by a year-long drought that suffered more heatwaves in 1988. Agricultural losses exceeded $ 61 billion.

The hot and dry weather caused wildfires to run along Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore. 5,000-10,000 people die from complications from heat.

The heat of the 1980s

Photo: severe-wx.pbworks.com

It is one of the longest and most terrible disasters in America. A high pressure area pushes the temperature in central and southern America to very high, above 32 degrees Celsius, for most of the summer. Damage to the agricultural sector is estimated at $ 48 billion because of drought and 10,000 people die from heat and stress.

Hurricane Okeechobee - September 16, 1928

Photo: projectshum.org

Many residents of Lake Okeechobee, Florida who evacuated returned home when they learned the storm would not come as expected. But then the storm hit the land again in the evening on September 16, 1928 with wind power of 224 km / h.

This destructive power broke the small dyke at the south end of the lake, causing heavy flooding for weeks and taking the lives of at least 2,500 people.

Great fire and earthquake in San Francisco - April 18, 1906

Photo: neveryetmelted.com

One spring morning, the people of San Francisco, California were suddenly awakened by an earthquake that lasted less than a minute but subsequent events caused the city to burn for four days.

The 7.7- to 7.9-magnitude earthquake not only broke the gas pipeline, ignited the fire but also damaged the water pipe, making the fire force not enough water to control the fire. Until the fire was extinguished, the fire swallowed 500 blocks, 3,000 people died. Among the survivors, 225,000 people lost their homes.

Dust storm - early 1930s

Photo: thenonconsumeradvocate.files.wordpress.com

Until the 1930s, the Great Plain was still considered a paradise of agriculture. To meet the rising demand for wheat, farmers tried to plow the grasslands of the southern plains. As a result, the soil is eroded because the grass and roots of the plants which retain moisture for the soil during the drought have been replaced with the crop.

The decade-long drought has turned porous soil into dust, and the winds have swept the dust and blown east, darkening the sky to the Atlantic coast. Without crops, one-third of farmers must live on government subsidies and about half a million Americans are homeless.

Hurricane Katrina - August 29, 2005

Photo: themysticalpen.com

The Atlantic storm began as a low-level storm when it blew through southern Florida, then became America's most costly and deadly tragedy.

Katrina hit the Louisiana coast with winds of more than 200 km / h, shattering dikes that prevented New Orleans from surrounding higher waters making 80% of the city flooded. Katrina killed at least 1,836 people and estimated losses of about $ 125 billion.

Galveston - September 8, 1900

Photo: FoxNews

Galveston in the late 19th century was dubbed the "jewel of Texas" until the deadliest natural disaster in American history washed away the bright future of this land.

Galveston was once the cotton trading center and Texas' largest city. However, city officials and residents, due to complacency, decided not to build a dike to protect the city.

When the storm with winds is about 216 km / h in the early morning, the buildings crumble under waves of 4 or 5 meters high. Until noon, the entire city was sunk, 8,000 people died. Although the city was later rebuilt, it could never regain the prosperity once dubbed the "New York of the South" anymore.