YEAR IN REVIEW 2000: DISASTERS

Disasters The following list records the major disasters that occurred in 1999. Events included in this feature involved the loss of 15 or more lives and/or significant damage to property. Fires and Explosions March 14, New Delhi. At least 22 persons were killed and thousands were left homeless after a fire swept through a crowded slum; the blaze, whose cause was unknown, was fanned by strong winds and rapidly destroyed more than 1,000 thatched-roof huts. March 18, Mikhaylovskoye, Russia. An electrical fault ignited a fire in a mental institution that claimed the lives of at least 21 persons. March 2426, Near Mont Blanc, France. A fire raged for two days inside the Mont Blanc tunnel connecting France and Italy; the blaze started on a truck at the midpoint of the 11.6-km (7.2-mi)-long tunnel; at least 42 persons died. Early April, Northern China. A forest fire in a mountainous area of Shanxi province claimed the lives of 23 persons who were fighting the blaze. May 16, Punjab province, Pak. An overturned tanker truck loaded with gasoline exploded, killing at least 65 persons who were trying to collect fuel leaking from the tanker. May 31, New Delhi. A chemical explosion caused a fire in a storehouse that killed at least 16 persons and injured 42 others. June 12, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China. A fire trapped workers at an electronics factory; 16 persons were killed, and 8 were injured. June 30, Hwasung, S.Kor. Sparks from mosquito coils ignited a fire that swept through a three-story dormitory building at a summer camp; 23 persons, including 19 children, died in the blaze; after reports surfaced that the building violated safety regulations, authorities arrested a dozen people, including the camp's owner and the architects who designed the building. Late July, Qadih, Saudi Arabia. At least 44 members of a wedding party, including the bride and eight of her relatives, died when the main tent at the wedding caught fire; more than 100 were injured. September 26, Celaya, Mex. A blast in an illegal fireworks warehouse triggered a series of explosions in a crowded market; at least 56 persons died, and 348 were injured. October 30, Inchon, S.Kor. A fire swept through a crowded tavern that illegally catered to minors, killing 55 persons, most of them teenagers, and injuring at least 70. Marine February 7, Off the coast of Tambelan Islands, Indonesia. A passenger ship with 332 persons aboard sank in rough seas after the ship's pumps broke down; there were 20 survivors. March 6, Off the coast of Palm Beach, Fla. Two fishing boats overloaded with Haitians attempting to reach the U.S. capsized and sank, killing some 40 persons. March 7, Off the coast of Freetown, Sierra Leone. A boat overloaded with traders and their goods sank in rough seas; at least 100 persons lost their lives. March 22, Off the coast of Tombo, Sierra Leone. A motorized canoe that was carrying some 200 persons, about twice its capacity, capsized and sank; at least 150 persons drowned; the passengers were refugees who were returning to Tombo after having fled fighting in the port a week earlier. March 26, Eastern India. A storm caused a passenger boat to capsize in the Tileya Dam reservoir in Bihar; 27 persons were missing and presumed drowned. March 31, Off the coast of Sri Lanka. A North Korean freighter sank after colliding with a South Korean container ship in international waters; 37 of the 39 crew members aboard the North Korean vessel perished. April 1, Off the coast of Nigeria. An overcrowded ferry that was carrying some 300 persons, well over its capacity, sank in a storm; at least 100 persons drowned. May 8, Southern Bangladesh. An overcrowded ferry capsized in a storm on the Meghna River; as many as 300 of the 400 passengers aboard the vessel were presumed drowned. June 4, Lake Volta, Ghana. A ferry overloaded with passengers and goods capsized in strong winds; at least 60 persons were feared dead. Early July, Off the coast of southern Mexico. A collision between two overcrowded boats in rough seas claimed the lives of at least 40 persons. August 2, Off the coast of Pepel, Sierra Leone. A boat capsized in a storm and sank, killing some 30 persons. August 20, Western New Guinea. A wooden ship carrying more than 90 personsnearly twice its capacitysank in the Klamono River; 20 persons died. October 18, Off the coast of Merauke, Irian Jaya, Indon. An overloaded passenger ship sank; of the 464 persons aboard the vessel, some 75 survived. November 24, Off the coast of Yantai, Shandong province, China. A ferry carrying more than 300 persons caught fire and sank; 22 persons survived. November 26, Off the coast of Haugesund, Nor. A high-speed ferry sank after crashing into a rock in rough seas; at least 11 persons died, and 9 were missing. December 23, Off the coast of Bantayan Island, Philippines. A ferry carrying more than 650 passengers sank in rough seas, apparently after an onboard explosion; at least 54 died. December 26, Lake Victoria, Uganda. An overloaded canoe was capsized by a large wave; 16 persons were feared dead. Mining January 16, Guizhou province, China. A gas explosion at a privately run coal mine claimed the lives of 35 miners and injured 8. May 24, Near Donetsk, Ukraine. A powerful methane gas explosion ripped through an underground shaft in the Zasyadko coal mine; at least 50 miners died, and dozens more were injured. July 29, Near Johannesburg, S.Af. A buildup of methane gas was the apparent cause of an explosion deep in a shaft of a gold mine; 19 miners lost their lives. August 24, Henan province, China. A gas explosion at a state-owned coal mine ignited a fire; at least 19 miners were killed, and 36 were missing. Miscellaneous Late FebruaryEarly March, Northeastern Brazil. At least 30 persons died after drinking a brew of contaminated liquor produced at an illegal factory. Early May, Narsingdi, Bangladesh. At least 118 persons, mostly industrial workers and rickshaw pullers, died after drinking whiskey contaminated with methyl alcohol. May 30, Minsk, Belarus. A stampede occurred in a passageway of an underground railway station following a beer festival and concert; 53 personsmost of them teenage girlswere killed, and 78 were seriously injured. July 1, Saint-tienne-en-Devoluy, France. A cable car at a ski resort in the French Alps came unhooked and plunged 80 m (262 ft) onto a mountain slope, killing all 20 persons aboard; it was the worst cable car accident in France's history. July 27, Interlaken, Switz. Adventurers participating in canyoning, an extreme sport that involves sliding through rapids and rappeling down waterfalls, were caught in a flash flood in a stream in the Swiss Alps; 19 persons died. Mid-September, Central Kenya. Methanol disguised with food colouring and water was served as whiskey to patrons at a tavern; at least 23 persons died. November 11, Foggia, Italy. A six-story apartment building collapsed before dawn; 30 persons were killed, and 27 were missing. Early December, Harare, Zimb. A power failure caused a lift carrying 15 construction workers to drop to the ground from the 10th floor of an office building; 15 persons died. December 8, Fez, Mor. The collapse of a poorly constructed five-story building claimed the lives of at least 47 persons; police arrested the building contractor following the disaster. Natural Early January, Midwestern U.S. A blizzard dumped heavy snow on Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin; at least 50 persons died in the storm, including 10 in Illinois. January 7, Bali, Indon. A landslide triggered by heavy rains claimed the lives of 41 persons. January 14, Southern India. At least 51 Hindu worshipers died when part of a hill caved in at the site of the Sabarimala shrine in the state of Kerala. Mid-January, Southeastern U.S. A series of tornadoes wreaked havoc in the region, claiming the lives of eight persons in Tennessee and five days later killing at least six in Arkansas. January 18, Eastern South Africa. A storm pummeled the villages of Mount Ayliff and Kokstad, killing 21 persons and injuring 303. January 25, Western Colombia. An earthquake of magnitude 6.2 caused widespread damage across the country's mountainous interior, devastating the cities of Armenia, Calarc, and Pereira and leaving tens of thousands of persons homeless; more than 1,000 persons died. Early February, Southern Philippines. Flash floods brought on by heavy rains claimed the lives of at least 20 persons in the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur. February 2324, Western Austria. A massive avalanche struck the Alpine village of Galtr, and another avalanche hit the village of Valzur a day later; the two snowslides killed 33 persons. March, Inhambane province, Mozambique. The worst flooding in Inhambane in 40 years destroyed more than 16,000 ha (39,500 ac) of crops and displaced some 70,000 persons; 32 persons died. March 29, Uttar Pradesh state, India. An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 rocked the northern Himalayan foothills near the Indian-Tibetan border; more than 100 persons were killed. April 15, Western Colombia. Two mud slides triggered by weeks of torrential rains engulfed part of the town of Argelia, killing at least 40 persons. Mid-April, India. A heat wave killed at least 40 persons across the country, including 28 in the state of Orissa. May 3, Oklahoma and southern Kansas. A series of tornadoes claimed the lives of 44 persons, injured more than 500, and destroyed more than 1,500 buildings. May 7, Southern Iran. An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 that occurred near the city of Shiraz was followed by as many as 50 aftershocks; at least 26 persons died, and more than 100 were injured. Late Mayearly June, Southern Pakistan. A cyclone struck the coastal states of Thatta and Badin on May 20, causing widespread flooding; 128 persons were confirmed dead, 1,000 others were missing, and more than 50,000 were left homeless. JuneJuly, Bangladesh. Widespread flooding left one-tenth of the country under water and destroyed more than 54,000 ha (133,000 ac) of crops; of the estimated 400,000 persons affected by the floods, at least 24 died. June 15, Central Mexico. A magnitude-6.7 earthquake occurred in and around Puebla state, damaging some 32 colonial-era churches, among numerous other buildings; 17 persons were killed. Late JuneJuly, Southeastern China. Heavy flooding along the Chang Jiang (Yangtze River), particularly in the provinces of Zhejiang, Anhui, Hubei, and Jiangxi, left at least 240 persons dead. Late JuneJuly, Bihar state, India. Heavy flooding that affected more than 2,000 villages and damaged property and crops worth more than $10 million claimed the lives of as many as 125 persons. July 8, Northern and eastern Tajikistan. After a mud slide killed at least 23 persons in the Leninabad region, a second mud slide claimed the lives of 5 persons in the region of Jirgital. Late JulyAugust, Midwestern and eastern U.S. A severe heat wave brought blistering temperatures and drought conditions to much of the country; at least 190 persons, including 80 in Illinois, were killed. Early August, South Korea. More than 40 persons died in floods, mud slides, and rain-related accidents that occurred across the country. Early August, Philippines. Typhoon Olga dumped heavy rain and set off flooding and landslides across the country; more than 111 persons died, and some 80,000 were left homeless. August 17, Western Turkey. A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck a heavily populated area stretching from a western suburb of Istanbul to the city of Adapazari northeast of the Sea of Marmara. The official death toll was 15,872; at least 43,000 people were injured in the quake, and thousands more were missing. An estimated 600,000 persons were left homeless. Early September, Eastern Uganda. A landslide in the province of Manjija killed 18 persons, seriously injured 6 others, and rendered some 300 homeless. September 7, Athens. An earthquake of magnitude 5.9 killed 143 persons, injured more than 2,000, destroyed or damaged some 38,000 buildings, and left 100,000 persons homeless. Mid-September, Eastern U.S. Powerful Hurricane Floyd pummeled states along the East Coast on September 1517, hitting North Carolina particularly hard; by September 23 some 30,000 homes had been flooded and 42 lives had been lost in eastern North Carolina; other states reporting 2 or more deaths from flood-related problems were New Jersey, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. September 21, Taiwan. A massive earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck the island, its epicentre located in north-central Nantou province; some 2,300 persons were killed, nearly 9,000 were injured, and an estimated 100,000 were left homeless by the quake, which also destroyed thousands of homes and other structures. September 24, Japan. Typhoon Bart claimed the lives of at least 26 persons in western Honshu and triggered a tornado that injured some 350 persons in Toyohashi. September 30, Southern Mexico. An earthquake of magnitude 7.5 killed at least 29 persons, including 27 in the state of Oaxaca, where some 10,500 homes were damaged. Early October, Eastern and southern Mexico. Widespread flooding occurred along Mexico's Gulf Coast and throughout its southern states; at least 222 persons lost their lives. Late Octoberearly November, Vietnam. Relentless storms produced the worst flooding in Vietnam in a century; at least 488 persons died, including 283 in Thua Thien Hue province. Late Octoberearly November, Eastern India. A violent cyclone pummeled the state of Orissa on October 29, destroying numerous villages and giving rise to devastating floods; by mid-November the government had confirmed the deaths of 9,463 persons, and another 8,000 were missing in Jagatsinghpur, the worst-hit district. November 12, Western Turkey. A magnitude-7.2 earthquake claimed the lives of at least 750 persons in the same area rocked by a more powerful earthquake on August 17. Mid-November, Southwestern France. Rainstorms in the region caused mud slides and flooding that killed at least 27 persons. Early December, Central Vietnam. A week of torrential rains triggered flooding that claimed the lives of 114 persons. December 22, An Temouchent, Alg. An earthquake claimed the lives of at least 20 persons and injured 75. December 2224, Eastern South Africa. Flash floods produced by torrential rains left 20 persons dead and thousands homeless in the cities of Durban and Pinetown. Midlate December, Northern Venezuela. The worst flooding in Venezuela in a century devastated nine states along the country's Caribbean coast; the floods set off massive mud slides that destroyed numerous towns, including the city of Carmen de Uria; government officials put the death toll at 30,000, though the Red Cross estimated that as many as 50,000 persons may have been killed. December 2528, Western Europe. Two waves of storms wreaked havoc across much of the continent, knocking out power and producing heavy snow and rain. The first wave struck southern Britain, northern France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy; the second wave pummeled southern France, northern Spain, Switzerland, Italy, the Balkans, and northern Turkey. The storms claimed the lives of at least 136 persons, including 88 in France. Railroad March 24, Southern Kenya. A passenger train en route from Nairobi to Mombasa derailed at high speed after an apparent brake failure; 32 persons were killed, and 254 were injured. April 27, Northern India. A collision between a speeding train and a crowded bus at a railway crossing claimed the lives of at least 45 persons. July 16, Near Mathura, India. A cargo train derailed and minutes later was hit by a passenger train; at least 17 persons died, and 170 were injured. August 2, Gaisal, India. In one of the worst railroad accidents in India's history, a head-on collision between two crowded passenger trains traveling at high speed claimed the lives of at least 285 persons, and at least 312 were injured; a signal failure or human error was blamed for the crash. October 5, London. A collision between two crowded commuter trains near Paddington Station occurred after one train passed through a red light; 31 persons died. December 18, Central Nigeria. A collision between a passenger train and a truck at a railroad crossing in Benue state killed some 50 persons. Traffic Mid-January, Guizhou province, China. A minibus went out of control on a sharp curve and plunged 67 m (220 ft) down a hill, killing at least 19 persons. January 20, Near Manila. After its brakes failed on a mountain road, a bus plunged into a ravine; 21 persons died, and 32 were injured. January 24, Southern Austria. A bus carrying Hungarian passengers on a ski trip skidded off the road and crashed; at least 18 persons, most of them teenagers, were killed. January 25, Cairo. A bus veered off an overpass and dropped onto a busy city square; 22 persons died, and 21 were injured. February 23, Central Vietnam. A head-on collision between two buses claimed the lives of 22 persons and injured 14. March 3, Near Cairo. A bus crashed into a canal after its driver swerved to avoid hitting a tractor; 19 persons were killed, and 28 were injured. March 8, Northern Peru. A bus veered off a cliff in the Andes and plummeted down a steep ravine, killing 29 persons. April 21, Northern Morocco. An overloaded truck fell into a dry river after the driver lost control of the vehicle; 18 persons were killed, and 17 were injured. April 23, Southern Mexico. A truck ran off a road and plunged 76 m (250 ft) down a ravine; at least 45 persons, including 28 children, were killed. May 9, New Orleans. A chartered bus carrying senior citizens on a gambling excursion ran off a highway and crashed into an embankment, killing 23 persons and injuring 20. May 10, Dhambang, Nepal. A bus fell 200 m (656 ft) from a mountain highway, killing 32 persons and injuring 36. June 7, Davanagere, India. After blowing a tire, an overcrowded bus careened off a bridge and dropped into a lake; 94 persons perished. August 2, Northern India. A bus plummeted into a gorge after its driver lost control of the vehicle; at least 18 persons died. September 14, Central Peru. A bus careened off a bridge and fell into the Mantaro River; 27 persons were killed, and 35 were injured. September 19, Northeastern Spain. A bus fell from a highway into a ditch full of water, killing at least 29 persons. September 24, Near Cuzco, Peru. A wet road collapsed under the weight of a bus, sending the bus plummeting into a ravine in the Andes; at least 16 persons died, and 34 were injured. September 27, Mpumalanga province, S.Af. A bus carrying British tourists on a sightseeing tour in Sabi Sabi game preserve plunged down a steep mountainside and overturned; at least 26 persons were killed. Early October, Near Kindia, Guinea. A truck overloaded with people and goods swerved from the road and crashed into a ravine; 20 persons died, and 25 were injured. October 3, Eastern Cape province, S.Af. A bus rolled down a river embankment after the driver lost control of the vehicle; 19 persons died, and 47 were injured. October 9, Northern Israel. A bus overturned on a rain-slickened road and fell into a ravine; 16 persons perished. October 9, Near Cairo. A head-on collision between a tractor trailer and a military truck claimed the lives of 26 persons. October 11, Near San Salvador, El Salvador. A bus swerved from a highway and plunged into a ravine; at least 46 persons died. November 6, Near Montevideo, Uruguay. A bus, swerving to avoid a collision with another vehicle, went over a cliff; 19 persons died. Late December, Near Dhaka, Bangladesh. A head-on collision between two buses claimed the lives of at least 24 persons.