Alaska Oil Spill – March 24, 1989
From the moment an oil tanker arrived at the port of Valdez to load oil,
devastating
Armenia Earthquake – December 7, 1988
Armenia at the time was part of the USSR and at war with a neighboring
Chernobyl Nuclear Accident – Ukraine – April 26, 1986
The reactor in one of the units lost its cooling water, heat built up, and
Challenger Fire/Explosion – Florida – January 28, 1986
All seven astronauts were killed and the accident gave rise to new, stringent, regulations about
Nevado del Ruiz Volcanic Eruption – Colombia – November 13, 1985
Colombia’s Nevado del Ruiz erupted and mudflows swept down from a height of 17,500 feet.
Mexico Earthquake – September 19, 1985
This was one of the most destructive and deadly in Mexico’s history. On September 19,
Air Terrorism – June 23, 1985
These terrorists had been fighting for an independent state within their home country of India
Bhopal Gas Poisoning – India – December 3, 1984
Union Carbide’s factory was built to provide insecticide for India’s farmers so they would not
Teton Dam Collapse – Idaho – June 5, 1976
Through neglect of the advice of geological experts, this dam was built on unstable ground
Seveso Dioxin Spill – Italy – July 10, 1976
Due to faulty understanding of the chemical processes involved, workers allowed substantial quantities of dioxin
Kalapana Earthquake – Hawaii – November 29, 1975
The southern part of the Big Island sustained massive ground movements and some smaller tsunamis.
Iceland Volcanic Eruption – January 23, 1973
Iceland stands on the mid-Atlantic volcanic ridge and is constantly experiencing eruptions. The 1973 one
Hurricane Camille – August 17, 1969
Camille was one of only three hurricanes in the history of the United States to
Iraq Mercury Poisoning – August 1971
A donation of seed grain from the United States to Iraq was wrongly consumed by
Managua Earthquake – Nicaragua – December 22, 1972
The city of Managua suffered extreme damage from the shaking and from fires. On the
Brisbane Flood – Australia – January 21, 1974
Brisbane received twelve inches of rain within one twenty-four-hour period and, as a result, both
Munich Terrorism – Germany – September 5, 1972
Eleven Israeli athletes were massacred in a terrorist attack. The beginnings of the modern phase
Hurricane Agnes – June 19, 1972
Flooding from hurricanes is not the most common concern from these storms but in the
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