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Types of Disasters

How many of these disasters, both natural and man-made, can you identify?
Quiz by CBTemple
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Featured Quiz
Last updated: December 12, 2019
More quiz info >>
First submittedNovember 17, 2012
Times taken60,890
Rating4.06
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Hint
Disaster
What destroyed Pompeii in 79AD
Volcano
One of these took Dorothy to Oz
Tornado
It's not love, but you'll be all shook up
Earthquake
Really big wave, often caused
by the above
Tsunami
Time-bomb lurking under Yellowstone
Supervolcano
Katrina, Camille, Andrew, e.g.
Hurricane
Like the above,
but in the northwest Pacific
Typhoon
Australia's "Black Saturday" in 2009
was a deadly example of this
Wildfire
Canadian geese were to blame for
at least one of these incidents
Plane Crash
Water, water everywhere
Flood
Prolonged period of little rain
Drought
Exxon Valdez, e.g.
Oil Spill
Hint
Disaster
One of these probably killed
the dinosaurs
Asteroid
Chernobyl or Fukushima, e.g.
Nuclear Accident
The ultimate failure of diplomacy
War
Ireland suffered one in 1845-1849
Famine /
Crop Failure
Biblical crop-eaters
Locusts
A disaster of Titanic proportions
Shipwreck
Uncontrollable spread of disease
Epidemic/Pandemic
Loose or wet soil can cause this
Mudslide/Landslide
Like the above, but with snow
Avalanche
If you don't have AC, this
may be unpleasant
Heat Wave
The eventual result
of greenhouse gas buildup
Global Warming
Turtle
+7
Level 16
Jan 19, 2013
A volcano is not a disaster... the eruption is a disaster.
Malbaby
+1
Level 70
Oct 16, 2015
Without a volcano you would not have an eruption.
relessness
+8
Level 47
Nov 18, 2015
and without trees you wouldn't have a forest fire...
kalbahamut
+2
Level 81
Oct 1, 2017
if you want to play that game then you could say the eruption isn't a disaster... it's the collision of the lava or pyroclastic flow with populated areas that's a disaster.
sulfuratus
+2
Level 64
Dec 20, 2018
Only populated areas?
kalbahamut
+2
Level 81
Dec 20, 2018
I suppose if it did significant damage to wildlife or some ecosystem it could be called an ecological disaster, but, generally, things are considered to be disasters when they impact living things.
Yanni47
+1
Level 72
Sep 7, 2020
My university professor used to say, there are no natural - or ecological - disasters. They are only disasters for us humans, but for nature, it is just an occasional - and not unusual - event. Think about how many asteroid impacts Jupiter gets in a year. But nobody would call them disasters because nobody lives there to be affected by them.
Jared0309
+1
Level 70
Sep 7, 2020
@Yanni47

I mean, the asteroid impact that caused a mass extinction could definitely be considered an ecological/natural disaster. It definitely didn't affect humans but could have wiped out life in the universe

tom19
+1
Level 61
Jun 10, 2018
Touche
someone2018
+4
Level 82
Jun 26, 2019
I thought it was spelled with a D, not a T?
Ozchris
+1
Level 40
Jan 19, 2013
Half the planet doesn't get hurricanes or tornados they get cyclones. Bit of a shame to see the poor cyclone getting left out like this. ;)
ander217
+1
Level 78
Dec 20, 2018
They are all tropical cyclones, they just call them different things in the Atlantic and Pacific regions. But I see your point, that one would also work on a "groups of three" quiz.
jon12
+1
Level 58
Jan 19, 2013
for oil spill, you should really include gas spill like the bp spill in the gulf of mexico
clr231
+5
Level 56
Jan 19, 2013
No, that was oil too. You can't really drill for gasoline.
shadowband
+1
Level 32
Jan 21, 2013
seeing as gasoline is refined oil....
jm
+1
Level 75
Dec 22, 2018
That was an oil leak, not a spill. And definitely not gasoline.
mal
+4
Level 54
Jan 19, 2013
Got really caught out on the AC one as I was thinking electric shock as in AC/DC not air conditioning!
maxd98
+1
Level 32
Oct 28, 2013
I knew the AC one, but all I could think about was Back in Black....
jmaddog
+1
Level 40
Jan 19, 2013
said megavolcano for the yellowstone one, is that ok?
Badeghut
+1
Level 59
Apr 4, 2019
same, i think it should be accepted
sierraistheshiz
+1
Level 20
Jan 19, 2013
The reason shipwreck is so low is because you should accept iceberg.
sulfuratus
+2
Level 64
Dec 20, 2018
TIL an iceberg is a disaster.
jm
+1
Level 75
Dec 22, 2018
Only when you hit it...
kalbahamut
+1
Level 81
Jan 20, 2013
I got it after I saw how the other answers were going... but still think Vesuvius should count for #1
buck1017
+1
Level 72
Aug 8, 2013
Agreed
Zefyrinus
+1
Level 67
Jun 5, 2014
+1. And also volcanic eruption because that's what I tried first.
Quizmaster
+2
Level ∞
Oct 11, 2015
Okay, Vesuvius and eruption will work now.
ZacG
+3
Level 45
Jan 20, 2013
yeah, i agree with every single person, we all went for the more intelligent answer being mount vesuvius, however all we really needed to type was volcano
dg48
+1
Level 59
Jan 21, 2013
Supervolcano is a Caldera!
kalbahamut
+1
Level 81
Jan 22, 2013
no it's not. I would explain, but you know how to use google.
ctleng76
+2
Level 63
Jan 28, 2013
dg48 is correct. You can argue that a caldera is a type of super-volcano. Oh yeah, and I DID get that from Google.
plattitude
+1
Level 88
Apr 5, 2013
[citation needed] In my oh-so-exhaustive search of the interwebz, I can't find a source that justifies the interchanging of a caldera and volcano/supervolcano. A caldera is a feature of many volcanoes (super or not).
kalbahamut
+1
Level 81
May 19, 2013
platitude is exactly right. dg48 and ctleng are wrong. A caldera is a geographic feature left over (sometimes) after a volcanic eruption. It is not the volcano itself, nor does the presence of a caldera have any bearing on the size of the volcano that created it.
buck1017
+6
Level 72
Aug 8, 2013
It's ok you guys. kalbahamut is the smartest person on Jetpunk and is happy to show you that on every single quiz. Despite the fact that Wikipedia's page says that the Yellowstone Caldera is also known as the Yellowstone Supervolcano, I'm sure he's right.
sillie
+1
Level 82
Jul 4, 2014
Oh and because it says so on Wikipedia it must be right, right? And even if it says what you say it says, it's wrong to infer from that that caldera = supervolcano in general.
kalbahamut
+1
Level 81
Nov 11, 2014
buck, why don't you try looking up the wikipedia page on calderas in general. I'm also sure that I'm right, but thanks for the vote of confidence.
Quizmaster
+2
Level ∞
Oct 11, 2015
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldera

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supervolcano

Looks like a caldera is just a crater. Supervolcanos don't have to form in calderas.

buck1017
+4
Level 72
Oct 15, 2015
The question asks about the time bomb under Yellowstone. The Yellowstone supervolcano is also known as the Yellowstone caldera. Maybe not in other locations, but certainly at Yellowstone, supervolcano and caldera are interchangeable.
plattitude
+1
Level 88
May 19, 2016
Again, I don't think that's tenable. The Yellowstone Caldera is the crater/valley left behind, not something that can be a ticking time bomb, and it would be hard to argue that the valley is 'under' itself.
kiwiquizzer
+1
Level 65
Sep 20, 2016
Who says kalbahamut is a he, not a she?
plattitude
+2
Level 88
Jan 11, 2017
@kal has.
TinklePork
+1
Level 64
Apr 3, 2017
kalbahamut is right. Using caldera and volcano/supervolcano interchangeably is reckless and irresponsible.
kalbahamut
+1
Level 81
Apr 19, 2018
It's not irresponsible it's just wrong. Either at Yellowstone or anywhere else.
MarlowePI
+2
Level 68
Dec 20, 2018
It's like how Mount Vesuvius is a mountain, but that's not the "disaster" part of it.
kalbahamut
+1
Level 81
Dec 20, 2018
Marlowe: yes! A caldera is just a geographic feature. A shape of the terrain. You wouldn't call an impact crater a disaster. The meteor strike is.
someone2018
+1
Level 82
Jun 26, 2019
Anyone can write anything they want on Wikipedia. It's terrible.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 81
Sep 24, 2019
but it's also usually right.
Trackles13
+1
Level 58
Jan 22, 2013
Had no idea what the first one meant, I gather that is a slogan in the US? Too bad for the rest of the world I guess......
plattitude
+1
Level 88
Apr 5, 2013
Perhaps the ordering of the quiz has changed... but the first one now is talking about Mt. Vesuvius, a volcano on the Gulf of Naples, Italy, that buried the Italian city of Pompeii. Surely not American-centric.
kalbahamut
+8
Level 81
Jan 22, 2013
Would you accept Lindsay Lohan for "disaster of titanic proportions?"
maxd98
+1
Level 32
Oct 28, 2013
BAHAHAHAHA
Rolo
+1
Level 18
Jun 2, 2013
Even though I got it, you should really accept cyclone for typhoon
beetboy12
+2
Level 44
Jul 29, 2014
cyclone is used in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean only
blizzrd33
+1
Level 74
Dec 20, 2018
Yes, and should have been a question in the quiz. If you're going to have hurricane and typhoon, why stop there?
MrBrendan47
+2
Level 27
Jun 3, 2013
OH! I thought you mean Alternating Current for the AC question so I was thinking electric shock/electrocution dammit! The only one I got wrong.
kiwiquizzer
+1
Level 65
Sep 20, 2016
Same here!
boltok
+2
Level 62
Oct 11, 2017
Same here. Should say "air conditioning" or "cooling". Kept trying electrocution and other variations.
Jubby
+1
Level 30
Nov 9, 2017
oath
Brotime008
+1
Level 59
Jun 11, 2013
What's a supervolcano? And do you mean old faithful or something else?
kalbahamut
+1
Level 81
Nov 18, 2015
A supervolcano is a really big volcano. Not to be confused with a caldera.
ander217
+1
Level 78
Dec 20, 2018
Yes, and when they erupt it is catastrophic. There are about 20 of them on the planet, and let's hope none of them erupt in our lifetimes. The Old Faithful geyser is a reminder of the action going on beneath the surface in Yellowstone National Park.
InkMage
+1
Level 26
Apr 28, 2014
How about 'plague' for uncontrollable spread of disease?
sillie
+1
Level 82
Jul 4, 2014
Wave! I tried all kinds of starts to answer that, but it didn't occur to me to add "wave" to it.
smartcookie17
+2
Level 50
Sep 8, 2014
I know it's not really common, but I want a black hole. Or an SMBH, like the one in the middle of the Milky Way, just waiting for us to come too close in our rockets and suck us all in and spaghettify us. (I know spaghettify isn't a word but it sounds fun.)
Jerry928
+1
Level 74
Oct 7, 2014
Also allow "landslip"?
Sifhraven
+1
Level 67
Jun 20, 2019
And landknickers?
LadyScroop
+1
Level 65
Oct 10, 2014
For "ultimate failure of diplomacy," I kept trying things like World War III, apocalypse, nuclear winter before finally realizing it was just war. I took "ultimate" too literally.
zizzers4
+1
Level 34
Oct 23, 2014
Could you accept twister for volcano.
Malbaby
+4
Level 70
Nov 7, 2014
Or eruption for hurricane!
JackintheBox
+1
Level 68
Sep 5, 2019
Or cyclone for tornado!
sprk
+1
Level 65
Nov 2, 2014
With only 4% knowing there was a train derailment in China, looks like they covered it up pretty well...
rahrl
+1
Level 45
Dec 19, 2014
I tried like 15 different wars, yet I couldn't get "war."
bomber184
+1
Level 21
Jan 19, 2015
I like how you included Train Derailment, it tripped a lot of people up. I like the Earthquake quote. And I thought fire would be one, but after the quiz I only noticed that there was Forest Fire.
Jerry928
+2
Level 74
Oct 27, 2015
For Katrina, Camille, Andrew... my first thought was to try to think of a disastrous family on a reality TV show. Yes, really.
ander217
+1
Level 78
Nov 18, 2015
As in more Kardashians? That really would be a disaster. But the middle one would have to be Kamille.
jf15
+1
Level 54
Nov 18, 2015
It hasn't been proven that the dinosaurs were wiped out by an asteroid; it's only a theory of many.
tom88
+1
Level 67
Dec 23, 2019
it may have been changed since you wrote this, but it now says "probably"
Miqueas
+1
Level 66
Nov 18, 2015
I kept thinking of "Prolonged period of little rain" as a long time with a nonstop drizzle or something
Yanni47
+1
Level 72
Jul 30, 2017
Same here. The clue should really read "prolonged period of NO rain", otherwise it's confusing.
Sifhraven
+1
Level 67
Dec 21, 2018
here aswell. A long period of non stop rain. Just not extremely heaving rainfaill. Even after getting the asnwer right, I kept reading the question to let it sink in. But I could just not unsee it.But stop pondering about it and moved on, cause time was still ticking..
Sifhraven
+1
Level 67
Jun 20, 2019
Had the same thing again..
cosmokim
+1
Level 57
Nov 21, 2015
Hmm...how did more people get avalanche than mudslide?
Susie222
+1
Level 59
Nov 22, 2015
Well, I tried quicksand first. Then when that did not work I tried mudslide.
Nero18
+2
Level 46
Feb 23, 2016
Global Warming should not be on here because it is false
samiamco
+6
Level 72
Jun 13, 2016
Sorry, but this site uses facts and science. I think you are looking for the Flights of Fancy fantasy quiz site, where you can answer questions about man and dinosaurs living at the same time, and the age of the universe being 6000 years. You have fun with that!!
kapulani3
+2
Level 71
Nov 6, 2016
If using only facts and science then Nero18 is correct. Look at the loudest people pushing the global warming theory and they have their entire wealth built on the hoax. Al Gore has made tens of millions of dollars pushing the nonsense but if you want to know what a person truly believes don't listen to them, look at their actions. Gore drives gas guzzlers, flies around in private jets, has huge mansions for just a couple of people. He is either a liar or a hypocrite. The science itself changes to reflect the narrative and the people claiming scientists have proven it is fact ignore the scientists who have debunked it. Global warming is politically and financially driven.
Djilas
+2
Level 78
Oct 22, 2018
How about looking at the smartest people "pushing" it? The loudest are never a good measure.
tom88
+1
Level 67
Dec 23, 2019
kapulani3 name one reputable study that has "debunked" global warming. I am certain that you can't.
MrPowercord
+2
Level 54
Dec 20, 2018
Glaciers and polar ice are melting. That is very strong evidence that the earth is warming. Whether humans are adding to the warming is the question. I think it would be better to cut back on fossil fuels even if they are not the cause of the earth warming.
Julotek
+1
Level 54
Jun 22, 2019
If Trump said it is a hoax, that convinces me even more the Global Warming is a reality :D
anarchyflag
+1
Level 43
Aug 14, 2016
tried ''rockslide'' for the landslide one :/
InfiniteInsanity999
+1
Level 44
Sep 20, 2016
Doesn't accept fire or bush fire for forest fire? Seriously?
idontkn1
+2
Level 83
Sep 20, 2016
Sinkhole should be an acceptable answer for "Loose or wet soil can cause this". Quicksand would also work but I don't really associate it with a disaster.
Aesthus
+1
Level 54
Nov 2, 2017
This comment contains a correction or suggestion for the Quizmaster
LilDrizzle
+1
Level 59
Dec 20, 2016
where is dust storm?
Balikati
+1
Level 65
Apr 26, 2017
I kept writing grasshoppers!
DarthCaedus66
+1
Level 14
May 29, 2017
Balikati, grasshoppers are locusts. They're just way more aggressive.
Cooldrive
+2
Level 55
Aug 5, 2017
How did you teach them to write?

I'd like to keep singing walruses.

Sifhraven
+1
Level 67
Jun 20, 2019
He wrote to them, but they never wrote back, it is a sad story...
DarthCaedus66
+1
Level 14
May 28, 2017
Can you change this quiz to fit specific disasters? Example: This volcano destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum in AD 79
tom88
+1
Level 67
Dec 23, 2019
why not make your own?
DarthCaedus66
+1
Level 14
May 28, 2017
I mean volcanic eruption
mahble
+1
Level 71
Jun 27, 2017
I'm surprised that only 35% of people know about the Yellowstone supervolcano :/
Wesleyan
+1
Level 72
Apr 19, 2018
I wonder how many people put Caldera, the proper name for a "supervolcano"
tom88
+1
Level 67
Dec 23, 2019
as has been discussed extensively above, that is incorrect
Neptune777
+2
Level 65
Jul 30, 2017
I didn't see Trump's presidency, think my browser is lagging
Bobcat108
+1
Level 71
Aug 5, 2017
I don't find much funny these days, but genuinely laughed out loud at this. Thanks Neptune777!
mikeb
+1
Level 68
Dec 20, 2018
Suggested hint for this: "Destruction of democracy, morality, intelligence, and couth".
coolguy6
+1
Level 77
Dec 20, 2018
Aww...someone has TDS.
Jacktheguy
+1
Level 84
Jun 27, 2020
Lol that’s not a real thing.
DarthCaedus66
+1
Level 14
Aug 2, 2017
*CHOKES ON DRINK*
Cooldrive
+1
Level 55
Aug 5, 2017
My sister-in-law having children would be devastating.
Sifhraven
+1
Level 67
Jun 20, 2019
Dont want to be an uncle?
Lanes
+1
Level 69
Aug 5, 2017
Thumbs up, Neptune. Nicely played...

100% with 3:04 left. Watched a show about the Yellowstone supervolcano in the last year or so. That will be an epic event when it goes.

MaVeRiCk007
+1
Level 19
Nov 23, 2017
industrial accident should be accepted for chernobyl
tom88
+1
Level 67
Dec 23, 2019
just no
JLG
+1
Level 28
Jan 13, 2018
Meteorite should be accepted as well as asteroid
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Jun 30, 2018
It is
SWATkun
+1
Level 58
Mar 13, 2018
I thought Iceberg for Titanic & everyone doesn't watches "lost" .Where's Lightning though ?
undeadwarrior
+1
Level 56
Apr 19, 2018
A disaster is something that you would fear to happen to you in the present or future - i.e. it is something that would have an actual impact on our lives.

Hence SHIPWRECK should not be on this list. Change the answer to iceberg instead, and it would be consistent with the rest of this quiz.

MarlowePI
+2
Level 68
Dec 20, 2018
Are you saying that being involved in a shipwreck would not have an impact on your life?
CrazyBug
+1
Level 72
Nov 4, 2018
How about "air pollution" or "smog" instead of "heat wave"?
skoldpadda
+5
Level 65
Dec 20, 2018
The correct plural is Canada geese.
YPM
+1
Level 67
Jan 1, 2021
Unless they meant geese from Canada, I suppose.
freon22tec
+3
Level 59
Dec 20, 2018
Canada geese, not "Canadian"
JMM
+1
Level 57
Dec 20, 2018
Didn't get the "It's not love" clue, still got it right thanks to the next question.
ander217
+1
Level 78
Dec 20, 2018
It's from "All Shook Up," an Elvis song - "My friends say I'm actin' wild as a bug. I'm in love, I'm all shook up."
NJR
+1
Level 63
Dec 20, 2018
Air crash not allowable for plane crash aparently.
Migsanchy
+2
Level 43
Dec 20, 2018
Maybe spell out AC as air conditioning.

I was looking for something related to Alternate Current :D

roleybob
+2
Level 75
Dec 20, 2018
Agree - tried electric shock, electrocution, direct current shock, etc
Phil
+1
Level 54
Dec 20, 2018
in number 1, I tried The Doctor.
ketchupkawawa
+2
Level 53
Dec 20, 2018
Maybe accept "bird strike" for the Canadian geese one?
supermusic
+1
Level 66
Dec 20, 2018
One more vote for "megavolcano"
SgtMac
+1
Level 58
Dec 20, 2018
AC question is too vague; I tried humidity and heat, no credit?
WanHuangdi
+1
Level 73
May 2, 2019
Sorry, QM, but the asteroid answer must be changed to meteor or meteorite (asteroid can remain a type-in). It is impossible for asteroids to hit the Earth, as they remain in somewhat steady elliptical motion in belts around stars. Only meteors can hit the Earth. Also, could hotspot be accepted for supervolcano, since it’s what causes it?
Julotek
+1
Level 54
Jun 22, 2019
Am I blind or does this quizz forget "British food" as an answer ?
KTo288
+1
Level 45
Sep 5, 2019
funny but unfair
KTo288
+1
Level 45
Sep 5, 2019
I should really learn ton read the question properly, for the rain one I was really stumped, I tried flood and deluge to no avail, only when the answer was revealed did I read the question properly.
chirpydave
+2
Level 68
Dec 23, 2019
Bird Strike? Please?
stubart409
+1
Level 62
Dec 23, 2019
In Australia we call them bushfires. Sadly, if you want to update this quiz you can refer to the bushfire epidemic -- I can't think of any other word for it -- that has ravaged large parts of New South Wales, and smaller regions of Queensland and Western Australia since late November; that's nearly a month. When the media or whoever eventually names these things, comes up with a name tag, Black Sunday will pale in comparison. That's not belittling in any way what happened then, but this is a whole new level of disaster.
kalbahamut
+1
Level 81
Dec 23, 2019
Bird strike for plane crash?
gurkenpeter
+1
Level 43
Jun 7, 2020
Quiz of the Year 2020
gorbachor
+1
Level 47
Jul 16, 2020
I also came from 2020 to warn about the pandemic! Avoid bats, I repeat, avoid ba....
hellodrew
+1
Level 58
Sep 7, 2020
Can you put Air Conditioning instead of AC? Putting AC seems like it's referring to alternating current.
erebia
+2
Level 57
Sep 7, 2020
what about blizzards?
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