Mother Nature's Wrath Creates Prosperity

Reported natural disasters have doubled in past two decades

(AP) - If it's felt like Mother Nature has been a little angrier lately, you're not imaging things. More than 42 million people around the world were forced to flee their homes because of natural disasters in 2010, more than double the number during the previous year. More than 90% of these disaster displacements were caused by weather-related hazards such as floods and storms, according to a report released today by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. It says the number of reported natural disasters has doubled from around 200 to more than 400 a year over the past two decades. More»

The price tag of 2008's earthquake in China? $147B

(NEWSER) - Japan's devastating earthquake has pushed natural disasters back into the headlines again, and the Telegraph runs down the most costly in history:

• Earthquake in Sichuan, China, 2008: The 7.8-magnitude temblor killed more than 70,000 and left 11 million homeless. Cost: $147 billion.
• Earthquake in Kobe, Japan, 1995: The city of Kobe alone lost 4,600 of the 6,434 people who died. Cost: $144 billion.

Government promises help to 200K affected

(NEWSER) - The good news for Australia: It got to celebrate New Years first! The bad news: A huge portion of the country is underwater. Prime Minister Julia Gillard today promised government assistance to the roughly 200,000 people that have been affected by a huge flood in the northeastern state of Queensland, the LA Times reports. Rivers in the region started overflowing last week, flooding or isolating 22 towns and covering an area bigger than Texas. More»

No clear favorite among 18 candidates

(NEWSER) - Facing recovery from a pair of natural disasters and an outbreak of cholera, work is cut out for Haiti’s next president. Who that will be, however, is anyone’s guess: of 18 candidates, no one campaigner has pulled ahead, the Wall Street Journal reports. With some 80% of pledged relief funds still tied up and 1.5 million still living in tent cities, anger is running high ahead of Sunday's vote. More»

More rain expected tomorrow; 1100 still missing

(AP) - Rescuers dug through mud and wreckage today searching for more than 1,100 people missing after flash floods and landslides struck northwestern China and killed 337, one of a series of floods across Asia that have killed hundreds and spread misery to millions more. Vehicles carrying aid supplies choked the road over bare, eroded mountains into the remote county seat of Zhouqu. Bodies wrapped in blankets were collected and laid on truck beds. "There were some, but very few, survivors. Most of them are dead, crushed into the earth," said a survivor. More»