Disasters and Drama

[JamesSavik]

The spring anthology theme is NATURE"S WRATH so I toss out some food for thought.

 

 

I was in the area effected by Katrina and went for weeks without power. That was a rude awakening and I'm much better prepared now. While I'm prepared for the types of disasters that we can reasonably expect in my area, you just can't be ready for EVERYTHING that might happen.

Powerful earthquakes can happen in areas where they are completely unexpected (New Madrid Earthquake of 1811).

A volcano can pop out of a corn field and do its worst (Parícutin, Mexico 1943).

A comet can blow up over you and completely trash a huge region(Tunguska, Siberia 1908).

All of these disasters can (and have) happened OUT OF THE BLUE and there's no real way you can be prepared other than have a bug-out bag, a general plan to evacuate, a list of people to call and a rally point.

 

 

How would you like this to pop up in your back yard? It grew up in a cornfield near the small Mexican village of Parícutin in 1943. The volcano is now dormant and unlikely to erupt again (monogenetic) but you can bet it was exciting there for a while.

 

 

Disaster offers a great canvas for drama!

 

Run for your life!

[Bill W]

And don't forget the rash of sinkholes that have swallowed up homes and entire communitiees, James. 

[Mann Ramblings]

and while not a product of nature, let's not forget situations like the blackout in 2004 that left the northeast quadrant of the U.S. without power. That meant a lack of running water, refrigeration and access to any money that wasn't hard cash in the middle of the summer. It may have been short lived, but the reality of an extended situation gives you a touch of "What would we do?"

[Ron]

You don't go for the small stuff, do you, James?

[Mann Ramblings]

You don't go for the small stuff, do you, James?

 

Where would be the fun in that? LOL

[JamesSavik]

You don't go for the small stuff, do you, James?

 

I don't do soap operas. I'm more into Grand Opera.

 

The higher the stakes, the bigger the dramatic payoff.

[methodwriter85]

   I think the biggest thing I remember was the Blizzard of 1996. Things were crippled for like a week.

[Thorn Wilde]

I remember the dust clouds after the eruption at Eyjafjallajökull on Iceland, which stopped air traffic in most of Europe. Also, not three days ago there was an enormous fire in a village called Lærdalsøyri in western Norway, wiped out over 20 historical wooden buildings. They still don't know what caused it. I was in that village just last summer. Can't believe the destruction that fire caused. Really hoping the lovely little b&b we stayed at remains unscathed. It was owned by a really nice gay couple.

Edited January 21, 2014 by Thorn Wilde