Disasters: People in Peril

April 20, 1999, was an ordinary school day for students at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Classrooms were full of students finishing their last assignments before final exams. When the bell rang for the first lunch period, some went outside to enjoy the warm weather, but minutes later, the sound of gunfire pierced the peaceful spring day. At 11:19 A.M., two students, Eric Harris and Dyland Klebold, unleashed a long-planned murderous assault on their fellow classmates at Columbine, leaving twelve students and one teacher dead before taking their own lives. Author Judy L. Hasday carefully examines one of the worst incidents of school violence in American history, including accounts from witnesses and survivors.

The Titanic was the largest ocean liner ever built. Shipbuilders hailed its state-of-the-art design. First-class passengers enjoyed extravagant luxuries onboard, but on April 15, 1912, five days after departing on its maiden voyage, disaster struck. Lookout Frederick Fleet spotted an iceberg in the darkness ahead. The crew tried desperately to turn the monstrous ship, but the iceberg tore through its side, sealing the Titanic's fate. Two hours later, the unsinkable ship disappeared into the Atlantic Ocean, taking fifteen hundred passengers with it. One hundred years later, the Titanic and its tragic story still draw attention. Author Michael D. Cole examines the harrowing journey of this historic shipwreck.

Twisting tornadoes leveled small towns in Florida. Floods washed out roads and homes in Peru. Severe droughts in Indonesia caused roaring forest fires, leaving animals starving. Is it possible that all these deadly disasters were caused by the same weather event? Yes, and its name is El Nino. This weather pattern causes a pool of warm water to form in the Pacific Ocean, which impacts climate conditions around the world. El Nino also has a dangerous little sister, La Nina. Author Carmen Bredeson explores the causes and effects of El Nino and La Nina, and looks at stories from survivors and rescue workers that have seen their wrath.

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake rumbled off the coast of Japan in the Pacific Ocean. Buildings trembled, some collapsing, and fires started, but the earthquake had stirred up something even deadlier: a tsunami. A colossal wave surged inland, burying parts of the island nation in muddy, debris-filled water. The tsunami consumed buildings, crushed houses, and swept people away. The disaster caused catastrophic damage and loss of life. How can an earthquake deep in the ocean cause this much death and destruction? Author Mary Dodson Wade examines the causes of tsunamis, where they occur, and gives firsthand accounts from survivors of the deadliest waves.

At the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, a quiet spring day began like any other in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. Government employees arrived for a busy workday. Parents dropped their children off at the day care center. Suddenly, a colossal explosion tore through the nine-story building, the front of it crumbling to the ground. More than one hundred people died instantly. Many more were injured. Tragedy gripped the nation. What caused the explosion? An American terrorist had detonated a bomb. Author Victoria Sherrow examines this catastrophic day, including stories from witnesses and survivors, and the cause of this hateful crime, homegrown terrorism.

From his observation point just five miles from Mount St. Helens, geologist David Johnston said "This is it!" before his radio went dead. Johnston watched the volcano explode. His body was never found. During the violent eruption on May 18, 1980, the volcano released tons of rock and debris along with scorching steam and poisonous gas. Volcanic ash soared miles into the air, before covering roads and towns. Fifty-seven people died during the eruption, and it forever changed the landscape of the mountain. Author Carmen Bredeson examines the causes and effects of the Mount St. Helens eruption and gives firsthand stories from victims and survivors.