History abounds with descriptions of deadly weather events and catastrophes that left their mark on history.
History also offers stories of truly astounding occurrences of disasters with effects that are more difficult to comprehend because of the vast devastation and bizarre impact or simple confusion that they incite. Scroll down to find out about some unusual disasters that made their mark on history.
Great Molasses Flood of Boston, 1919
On January 15th, 1919, in Boston, a deluge of “sweet, sticky death” poured from a burst storage tank. The tank contained fermented molasses in it, for utilization in the process of preparing industrial alcohol for munitions and other weapons for World War I. The Great Molasses flood released waves about 5 to 12 meters in height and some 50 meters wide. The waves washed through the streets at approximately 55 kilometers per hour, knocking down buildings and pedestrians, horses, and automobiles. Thickened by the cold temperatures of winter, the viscous molasses solidified rapidly, trapping many unlucky people who were in its path. This unusual catastrophe killed 21 people, mostly by suffocation and nearly 150 people were injured.
The Dust Veil of 536 A.D.
In the mid-6th century, a massive cloud of dust and grit suddenly descended over much of the globe, dimming the sun and causing extremely cold temperatures for several years. This bizarre weather event was described by the Byzantine historian Procopius. The present-day scientists are still not sure what caused the global cooling. However, one theory suggests that a massive volcanic eruption spewed dust into the upper atmosphere and blotted out the rays of the sun. Studies of 6th-century ice core samples from Greenland and Antarctica reveal traces of heavy concentration of sulfate ions released by volcanoes. Also, there is evidence suggesting there may have been an enormous eruption in El Salvador in the 530s.
Pepsi’s Fruit Juice Release
In 2017, a warehouse accident occurred in Lebedyan, Russia, causing the release of nearly 28 million liters of vegetable and fruit juices into the streets and the Don river. The disaster took place when the roof of the Pepsi-owned facility, housing storage containers of a variety of juices collapsed suddenly. The spill did not cause any death but there was a concern regarding the damage that the catastrophe may have caused to the river and its aquatic community. However, it was later reported that no environmental damage had come to fruition.
Tunguska Event of 1908
In 1908, shortly after 7 a.m, blinding sight streaked across the skies of Serbia and exploded over the Podkamennaya Tunguska River. The blast was caused by the explosion of an incoming meteorite or comet. The force of the explosion was estimated to be about 1,000 times the power of the atomic blast of Hiroshima in 1945.
Which catastrophe would you consider to be the most outlandish of all?
