Woosh! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Queensland

Queensland received heavy rainfall in 2010 due to the effect of the La Nina atmospheric phenomenon. This was further aggravated by the Category 1 Cyclone Tasha crossing the state's coast on 24th December 2010. Thousands of residents had to be evacuated, especially those living along the Fitzroy and Burnett rivers.

While the death toll was relatively low at 38, the damage to the economy of the state and the impact on those who were evacuated but lost their houses led to this event being classified as one of the major disasters in Australian history.

Answer: Bay of Bengal

The Bhola Cyclone began forming over the Bay of Bengal in early November, 1970 and hit the low lying Ganges delta on 8th November, 1970. Causing widespread destruction in West Bengal, India and what was then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), the casualty figures recorded were in excess of 400,000.

The perceived slow response from Pakistan's national government towards rescue and aid efforts further fueled unrest in the country leading it to achieve independence the following year.

Answer: Pentecost

The flood was caused by heavy rainfall occurring at the time the Alpine snow melts in the region in late May. The combination of both events led to severe flooding in the areas of Bavaria and Tirol.

Answer: Myanmar

Cyclone Nargis is considered to have triggered one of the worst natural disasters in Myanmar. The tropical storm particularly wreaked havoc over the Irrawaddy Delta region, which is a densely populated area of the country. The official death toll is well over 100,000 and the Myanmar junta's refusal to accept aid initially further hampered rescue efforts.

Answer: Alberta

The heavy rain led to flooding of the Bow, Elbow, South Saskatchewan and other rivers in the area. Neighbourhoods near the Bow and Elbow rivers in Alberta's largest city, Calgary, were placed under mandatory evacuation as the river waters continued to rise. While only four people lost their lives in these floods, the number of people displaced went up to 100,000.

Answer: Mumbai

The rainfall started around midday on the 26th of July, 2005 and continued over the next day. Low lying parts of the city were submerged and water logging disrupted the local train services. The heavy rains coincided with high tides and the coastal city was lashed by two flood waves. With the drainage system of the city being unable to flush out the flood waters towards the sea, the waters kept rising well into the night. People were stranded in various parts of the city and it took between 1-2 days to reach their houses.

Answer: China's Sorrow

The Yellow River, also known as the Huang He, is Asia's second longest river. Having played a major part in the development of the Chinese civilization in the region, the river is also called "the cradle of Chinese civilization". However, the river is also prone to frequent flooding and has been responsible for two of China's three deadliest floods.

This has prompted it to also be referred as "China's Sorrow" and "Scourge of the Sons of Han".

Answer: Chile

The Valdivia earthquake of 1960 is also known as the Great Chilean earthquake. It was called the Valdivia earthquake after the city of the same name that was one of the most affected. The Valdivia earthquake was the strongest in a series of earthquakes that struck Chile from May to June 1960. One of the main affected regions by the tsunami spawned by this earthquake was Hilo in Hawai'i where 61 people were killed.

Answer: Japan

On 11th March 2011, an undersea earthquake of the magnitude of 9.0 struck off the coast of Japan triggering huge tsunami waves that hit the Iwate Perfecture. The force of the earthquake was strong enough to move some parts of Japan up to two feet. The tsunami led to meltdowns at three nuclear power stations.

There were an estimated hundred aftershocks after this event with one of these of magnitude 6.0 striking the region of Fukushima on 11th April 2011.

Answer: Northern

The Hindu pilgrimages to Kedarnath and Badrinath in northern India take place during the short period between between late May and early July. Since these temples are located at a height of over 3000 meters, they remain inaccessible for the most part of the year.

In June 2013, the region witnessed a cloud burst that uncharacteristically continued over a period of several days. Large rivers in the area swelled beyond capacity and entire towns were swept away in their wake. Thousands of pilgrims lost their lives with rescue operations being hampered due to bad weather and poor visibility.