The Worst Avalanches Of All Time

"Describes the worst avalanches in history, as well as causes, types, and disaster tips"--

An earthquake shakes a snow-covered mountain. The fresh snow slides down. It's an avalanche!

"Describes the worst floods in history, as well as causes, types, and disaster tips"--Provided by publisher.

"Describes the worst wildfires in history, as well as causes, types, and disaster tips"--Provided by publisher.

"Describes the worst tsunamis in history, as well as causes, types, and disaster tips"--Provided by publisher.

The Worst World Disasters of All Time is an overview of the most terrible disaster events in recorded history. Caution: Because of the nature of this book, some readers may find some of the content and pictures disturbing.

The never-before-told story of one of the worst rail disasters in U.S. history in which two trains full of people, trapped high in the Cascade Mountains, are hit by a devastating avalanche In February 1910, a monstrous blizzard centered on Washington State hit the Northwest, breaking records. The world stopped—but nowhere was the danger more terrifying than near a tiny town called Wellington, perched high in the Cascade Mountains, where a desperate situation evolved minute by minute: two trainloads of cold, hungry passengers and their crews found themselves marooned without escape, their railcars gradually being buried in the rising drifts. For days, an army of the Great Northern Railroad's most dedicated men—led by the line's legendarily courageous superintendent, James O'Neill—worked round-the-clock to rescue the trains. But the storm was unrelenting, and to the passenger's great anxiety, the railcars—their only shelter—were parked precariously on the edge of a steep ravine. As the days passed, food and coal supplies dwindled. Panic and rage set in as snow accumulated deeper and deeper on the cliffs overhanging the trains. Finally, just when escape seemed possible, the unthinkable occurred: the earth shifted and a colossal avalanche tumbled from the high pinnacles, sweeping the trains and their sleeping passengers over the steep slope and down the mountainside. Centered on the astonishing spectacle of our nation's deadliest avalanche, Gary Krist's The White Cascade is the masterfully told story of a supremely dramatic and never-before-documented American tragedy. An adventure saga filled with colorful and engaging history, this is epic narrative storytelling at its finest.

This book discusses the science behind avalanches and their effects. The chapters explore case studies of avalanches, identify environmental factors that cause these disasters, and explain how experts prevent avalanches. Diagrams, charts, and photos provide opportunities to evaluate and understand the scientific concepts involved.