THE BIGGEST NATURAL DISASTERS IN HISTORY

In December 1916 a series of DEVASTATING AVALANCHES affected both Austrian and Italian World War one soldiers who were stationed at the base of Mount more milada. The Alpine frontline avalanches as they are commonly called resulted in the death of over 10,000 soldiers . The direct cause of these avalanches is unknown some people believe that the avalanches were intentionally triggered by enemy forces since the avalanches took place during WORLD WAR ONE . However the winter of 1916 saw above average snowfalls in the region and the avalanches could have originated from natural causes in any case. 

VARGAS , in northern Venezuela, lies on the Caribbean Sea . Separated from the capital, Caracas, by the Avila Mountains, it was once densely populated. The mountains form a National Park, within which 23 rivers run down to the coast. Easy to reach from the city, Vargas had many residential communities and a thriving tourist economy. The disaster that struck in December 1999 was of a magnitude never before experienced. Rain fell continuously for 37 days and the ground was at saturation point. Torrential storms that started on December 14 disgorged 9 m (36 ft) of water. Unable to absorb anything more, the soil finally gave way, bringing water, rocks, trees and mud crashing down the mountains to the sea. The MUDSLIDES  completely devastated 100 km (60 mi) of coastline , consuming absolutely everything in their path. Villages, shanty towns and mountainside shacks were buried beneath the mud or swept out to sea, and up to 30,000 people were killed.