1998 World Disaster

World aerospace, fire and explosion, marine, mine, natural, rail, traffic and miscellaneous disaster.

1. 1998: July 1998 Disasters

   1.      The disaster with the highest death toll in July 1998 occurred in Papua New Guinea, an island nation located near Australia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, where a series of tsunamis at least 7-m (23-ft) high slammed into the northwest coast on July 17, killing about 2000 people and leaving hundreds of others missing. A tsunami is a seismic sea wave generated by an undersea earthquake. Some observers predicted the death toll could rise to more than 3000 people. A number of villages were reportedly swept completely away, rescue workers said.
   The tsunamis were triggered by an earthquake that measured 7.0 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the quake was located near Sissano, a town located on Papua New Guinea's northwestern coast.
   2.      China: Floods Kill More Than 1000 People
   Floods killed more than 1000 people and left hundreds of thousands of others homeless in several Chinese provinces. The floods began in June and continued throughout July, affecting provinces in the south and east, including Zhejiang, Sichuan, Anhui, Fujian, and Jiangxi.
   Millions of people were organized to shore up dikes and other flood prevention measures. Official reports said the floods had destroyed thousands of homes and ruined many millions of dollars worth of crops. Authorities also warned that flooding could worsen throughout the summer.
   3.      Floods Kill More Than 100 in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
   Flooding in the Fergana Valley along the borders of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan killed more than 100 people and left hundreds more people missing. The floods began on July 8 as rapidly melting snow caused rivers to rise and at least one dam to burst.
   4.      Bangladesh: Flooding Kills More than 100
   Swollen rivers inundated Bangladesh in July, killing more than 100 people and leaving millions homeless. Outbreaks of disease were reported in some areas, as were shortages of food and drinking water. Officials in Bangladesh said heavy rains upstream meant the flooding would continue and probably worsen.