When it comes to acts of God, 2014 wasn’t a particularly active year. No powerful hurricane struck the U.S. like Sandy in 2012 or Katrina in 2005. There was no singlecatastrophic event like the Asian tsunami of 2004, which killed nearly 300,000 people, the Haiti earthquake of 2010, which killed over 200,000, or even the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland in 2010, which disrupted air travel for weeks.
But while there wasn’t a single iconic catastrophe, Mother Earth was still plenty busy in 2014. A volcano in Hawaii, a typhoon in the Philippines, wildfires in California and seven feet of snow in Buffalo—this year has witnessed its share of extreme weather and other natural disasters. The photos that follow are a reminder that when the Earth moves or the heavens strike, the results can be gorgeous to see—provided you’re not caught in the middle.
Polar Vortex The U.S. side of Niagara Falls is pictured in Niagara Falls, N.Y. on Jan. 8, 2014. The frigid air and "polar vortex" affected about 240 million people in the United States and southern Canada.Aaron Harris—ReutersCalifornia Drought A car sits in dried and cracked earth of what was the bottom of the Almaden Reservoir in San Jose, Calif. on Jan. 28, 2014.Justin Sullivan—Getty ImagesChina Smog Tourists walk on the promenade along the bank of the West Lake in heavy smog in Hangzhou city, east China Zhejiang province on Jan. 31, 2014.
Zhejiang Daily/Imaginechina/APWashington Mudslide A massive mudslide killed at least eight people and left dozens missing in Arlington, Wash., March 24, 2014.Ted S. Warren—APChile Earthquake A rescue worker inspects a car caught under a landslide after an 8.2 magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit the northern port of Iquique, Chile on April 2, 2014.Cristian Vivero—ReutersArkansas Tornado Aerial view of the central town after a tornado hit Vilonia, Ark., April 28, 2014. Carlo Allegri—ReutersAfghanistan Mudslide An aerial view shows the site of a landslide that buried Abi Barik village in Badakhshan province, northeastern Afghanistan, May 5, 2014. Hundreds of people were killed and 700 families displaced. Rahmat Gul—APSouthern California Wildfires A house is consumed by wildfire in San Marcos, Calif. on May 14, 2014. About 500 acres have burned in the San Marcos blaze, fueled by record heat, high winds and dry conditions. At least four other fires advanced in nearby communities. Bill Wechter—Getty ImagesBalkan Floods A Serbian army soldier rows a boat as he searches for people to be evacuated in the town of Obrenovac, southwest of Belgrade, Serba on May 16, 2014. The heaviest rains and floods in 120 years have hit Bosnia and Serbia.Marko Djurica—ReutersLightning Hits One World Trade Center Two bolts of lightning hit the antenna on top of One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, New York City on May 23, 2014. Gary Hershorn—CorbisYosemite Wildfire A long exposure image shows the El Portal Fire burning near Yosemite National Park, Calif. on July 27, 2014.Stuart PalleyIceland Volcano The Bardarbunga volcano spews lava and smoke in southeast Iceland on Sept. 14, 2014. Bernard Merci—AFP/Getty ImagesJapan Volcano Japan Ground Self-Defense Force personnel and other rescuers arrive to conduct search operations at the ash-covered Ontake Shrine near the summit of Mount Ontake in central Japan on Oct. 4, 2014. Kyodo News/APHawaii Lava Lava pushes through a fence marking a property boundary above the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii, Oct. 28, 2014. U.S. Geological Survey/APBuffalo Snow Storm Storm clouds and snow blow off Lake Erie in Buffalo, N.Y. on Nov. 18, 2014. An autumn blizzard dumped a year's worth of snow in three days on Western New York state, where five people died and residents, some stranded overnight in cars, braced for another pummeling expected later on Wednesday. REUTERS/Lindsay DeDario (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENVIRONMENT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)Lindsay Dedario—ReutersPhilippines Typhoon Hagupit A Filipino typhoon victim collects water in front of a damaged home where Typhoon Hagupit hit, Samar Island, Philippines, on Dec. 8, 2014. Francis R. Malasig—EPA
