Man’s Fight Against Disasters

Eleven years ago, Dr. Press began rallying the worldwide scientific community to step up its fight against natural disasters.

Disasters​—The Search for Their Causes

Thus, valuable lessons are learned from a thorough examination of what causes disasters.

So helpless is man in the face of these disasters that they are commonly called acts of God.

Earthscan, a “news and information service on global development and environment issues,” published a report entitled Natural Disasters​—Acts of God or Acts of Man?

Are Disasters “Acts of God”?

Disasters That Are Not “Acts of God”

Disasters​—Punishments From God?

IN THE Philippines, a land repeatedly struck by natural disasters, many people have wondered, ‘Does God test man with such calamities?’

Disasters Not “Natural”

● “The common view of ‘natural disasters’ is due for a radical change,” says the recent report Natural Disasters, Acts of God or Acts of Man?

● “The death toll caused by the world’s natural disasters​—floods, droughts, earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions—​is on the rise,” reports The New York Times.

A study sponsored by the Swedish Red Cross revealed that natural disasters increased 50 percent in the 1970’s, as compared with the previous decade, while estimated deaths due to the disasters rose fivefold​—to 114,000 each year.

The Fight Against Disasters Won

THE efforts of the United Nations and of individual governments to mitigate the effects of natural disasters are surely laudable.

More Disasters in Store

“Because of the destruction of the environment,” reports the German newspaper Schweinfurter Tagblatt on a statement of WHO (World Health Organization), “the number of natural disasters will increase considerably by the year 2000.”

Disasters took a high toll in lives last year.

Think of the plane crashes, fires, and natural disasters, such as the earthquake in Mexico and the volcano eruption in Colombia.