World Disasters: Tragedies in the Modern World

The introductory essay looks at the very varied causes of disasters from the unforeseen through to deliberate acts that have had disastrous consequences. It also looks at responses and responsibility. In the end the author of the essay can come to no broad generalisations, because disasters, by their very nature are unexpected. By way of introduction, and under the heading “Warnings from the past” there is discussion of the fires at Rome ad 64, the Great Fire of London when only nine people died, La Compania church when around 2,500 people, the largest number in any single incident died, and...