Straits times talk abt End of The World...


Scary man

Watching the rain poring down outside my window, in stark contrast, just 3 weeks ago, Hurrican Katrina is weraking havoc in the state of New Orleans in the US.

And this is just one of the many disasters that Mother Nature has been dealing us with since the Tusnami attackin on Boxin day late last year.

Religious fanatics has always been tellin s how all this are a sign of things to come, the end of the World, The Apocalypse.

Just let me recall back the calendar of disasters, big and small.

DEC 26, 2004:
The world's strongest earthquake in 40 years sends giant waves crashing into South Asian, as well as East African, coastlines. The tsunami kills more than 220,000 people in 11 Indian Ocean countries. Economic experts estimate that the repair bill will reach at least US$13 billion. Almost 10 months on, thousands of survivors are still living in poverty, in camps or temporary shelters. Today, tourism remains badly dented, and rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts are still slow, hampered by corruption and inadequate planning and flow of funds.

JAN 8-12, 2005:
Northern Europe weathers its worst storms in 40 years as powerful winds and heavy rain sweep from Ireland to Russia. It leaves at least 14 dead, areas of Britain inundated and air and sea transport suspended. More than 250,000 homes and businesses are left without power.

FEB 6-13:
Weeks of torrential rain in south-western Pakistan leads to floods which burst three dams. Around 350 people killed across the country, 2,000 missing and tens of thousands left homeless.

FEB 22:
A powerful earthquake in central Iran razes villages, kills more than 500 people and leaves over 1,000 injured.

MARCH 20:
An earthquake rocks the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, leaving at least one person dead and more than 400 injured. Hundreds flee homes as buildings collapse.

MARCH 28:
A massive earthquake hits Nias, Sumatra. Approximately 1,300 killed and around 10 per cent of homes destroyed. Roads wrecked, telephone lines taken out and a steeple knocked off a church.

JUNE 10:
Heavy rains cause a flash flood which crashes down on an elementary school in north-eastern China, killing more than 90 people, mostly children. By the end of the month, floods in China kill more than 600.

JULY 10:
Hurricane Dennis slams into Florida and the Caribbean, leaving more than 30 dead.

JULY 18:
Typhoon Haitang rips through south-east China and Taiwan, claiming 15 lives. More than 1.36 million households across Taiwan left without power.

JULY 26:
Monsoon rains cause devastating floods in India's Maharashtra state and the capital city of Mumbai. Around 550 die in floods and subsequent disease outbreaks and building collapses in the city, with more than 1,000 deaths statewide. Repair bill estimated at between 5 billion rupees and 7 billion rupees (S$264 million).

AUG 5:
Typhoon Matsa batters China's east coast, killing at least 19.

AUG 16:
A powerful earthquake strikes north-eastern Japan, knocking out power to around 17,000 households, injuring at least 60 people and shaking skyscrapers as far away as Tokyo.

AUG 25:
Storms trigger floods in southern and central Europe and leave 42 people dead. Romania the hardest hit, with 31 dead. Remaining victims in Austria, Bulgaria, Germany and Switzerland.

AUG 29:
Hurricane Katrina slams into the US Gulf Coast. New Orleans is deluged and left in chaos, with flood damage to 80 per cent of the city. More than 500 left dead across Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama.

AUG 31:
Typhoon Talim leaves a trail of destruction and more than 100 dead and missing on China's east coast and in Taiwan.

SEPT 6:
Typhoon Nabi wreaks havoc in South Korea and Japan, leaving at least 32 dead or missing and more than 140 injured, as well as flooding nearly 10,000 homes.

SEPT 11:
Typhoon Khanun destroys more than 7,000 houses, forces a million to evacuate and kills at least 14 in south-east China.

SEPT 27:
Typhoon Damrey rips through China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand, triggering floods and landslides, and leaving around 120 dead as it wipes out farms, dykes and communications lines.

OCT 4:
Hurricane Stan hits Mexico and Central America, triggering mudslides in Guatemala, killing around 2,000.

OCT 8: Massive earthquake centred on Kashmir and affecting Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. Around 35,000 people believed dead, and about 2.5 million lose their homes.

Looking thru the list, by the rate of natural disasters the world have been experiencing lately, it won't be any surprising....

Now I gotta do what I want before there ain't no more chance...