Zimbabwe—Hundreds of people have been killed due to the severe rains in the first few months of the year.
China—1 million people were displaced and over 200 people killed due to severe flooding and other natural disasters in the first half of the year.
Peru—Flooding triggered by unusually warm Pacific waters off the coast killed 150 and affected more than 1 million.
Afghanistan—Avalanches caused by heavy snowfall caused deaths and loss of homes.
Democratic Republic of the Congo—A horrific landslide killed hundreds, leaving 280 children orphaned.
Sri Lanka—Heavy rainfall and strong monsoon winds left hundreds dead and affected another half million. Hundreds more have died from dengue fever since the disaster.
Mexico—A major 7.1 magnitude earthquake shook Mexico City on September 19, killing at least 225 people. The earthquake struck on the 32nd anniversary of a devastating 1985 quake that killed thousands in Mexico. Twelve days earlier, the even larger Chiapas earthquake struck 400 miles away, off the coast of the state of Chiapas, killing at least 96 people.
Colombia—A massive landslide in the southern city of Mocoa killed at least 300 and injured hundreds more. Two weeks later, 17 more people were killed and dozens more injured in another landslide set off by heavy rains.
South Asia—Flooding and landslides resulting from monsoon rains have affected at least 41 million people in Bangladesh, India and Nepal during the summer with a death toll of 1,200.
United States—Three hurricanes in quick succession have caused unprecedented havoc and devastation. Hurricane Harvey was an extremely destructive Atlantic hurricane which became the first major hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. since 2005. Harvey was the wettest tropical hurricane on record in the U.S., causing widespread flooding. At least 75 were confirmed dead from the flooding along its path of destruction. Hurricane Irma with its deadly storm surges and Maria with her catastrophic high winds that totally devastated Puerto Rico followed in quick succession leaving a trail of death and destruction.
Las Vegas, USA—October 1. Thirty thousand people were gathered on the Las Vegas Strip for a music festival when a lone shooter opened fire on them from the 32nd floor of a hotel building. Initial reports say 59 people are dead with more than 500 injured in the largest mass shooting in U.S. history.
Might this be what has been described “as the beginning of sorrows”? If ever there was a time to get on your knees and pray for the inhabitants of this world to turn to their Creator it is now. The devil is “enraged” and enlisting all in his power to destroy, for he knows that his time is short.
In the midst of all of this disaster was an amazing display of God’s creation when the moon eclipsed the sun.
August 21, 2017—Eclipse Day
The people of the United States looked in wonder as the lunar shadow entered the United States near Lincoln City, Oregon, at 9:05 a.m. before totally eclipsing the sun at 10:16 a.m. Many had travelled from abroad to see this phenomenon while others were transfixed to their televisions for the next couple of hours to follow the lunar shadow until it left the U.S. at 4:09 p.m. EDT.