1033day.year
The Jordan Rift Valley earthquake destroys multiple cities across the Levant, triggers a tsunami and kills many.
A powerful earthquake struck the Jordan Rift Valley, leveling cities and triggering a deadly tsunami.
On December 5, 1033, a major earthquake shook the Jordan Rift Valley, impacting communities across the Levant.
Historic reports describe entire towns reduced to rubble as aftershocks rattled the region.
The seismic event generated a tsunami that swept into coastal settlements along the Dead Sea and Mediterranean.
Casualties were widespread, with many lives lost and significant economic and social disruption.
The disaster remains one of the most catastrophic natural events in medieval Middle Eastern history.
1033
Jordan Rift Valley earthquake
multiple cities
Levant
tsunami
1456day.year
The first of two earthquakes measuring Mw 7.2 strikes Italy, causing extreme destruction and killing upwards of 70,000 people.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake devastated central Italy, resulting in massive loss of life and property.
On December 5, 1456, a powerful earthquake struck the Apennine region of Italy, measuring around Mw 7.2.
Towns from Naples to Calabria suffered near-total collapse of buildings and infrastructure.
Medieval accounts describe landslides, collapsed churches, and widespread homelessness.
Casualty estimates exceed 70,000, making it one of Europe’s deadliest seismic events.
The disaster prompted early efforts in earthquake documentation and relief coordination.
1456
two earthquakes
1945day.year
Flight 19, a group of TBF Avengers, disappears in the Bermuda Triangle.
Flight 19, five U.S. Navy torpedo bombers, vanishes without a trace over the Bermuda Triangle during a training exercise in 1945.
On December 5, 1945, Flight 19 departs from Fort Lauderdale for a routine navigation training mission.
The squadron’s radio communications become erratic, with pilots reporting compass malfunctions and disorientation.
Despite extensive search efforts involving aircraft and ships, no wreckage or survivors are ever found.
The mysterious disappearance fuels legends of the Bermuda Triangle and prompts changes in naval search and rescue procedures.
Flight 19 remains one of the most enduring aviation mysteries of the 20th century.
1945
Flight 19
Bermuda Triangle
1952day.year
Beginning of the Great Smog in London. A cold fog combines with air pollution and brings the city to a standstill for four days. Later, a Ministry of Health report estimates 4,000 fatalities as a result of it.
A dense, polluted smog engulfs London for four days in December 1952, causing thousands of deaths and crippling the city.
In early December 1952, a cold high-pressure system traps pollutants from coal fires over London, creating the 'Great Smog.'
Thick, yellowish fog reduces visibility to mere meters, grinding transportation and daily life to a halt.
Hospitals are overwhelmed as respiratory illnesses soar and an estimated 4,000 people perish within days.
The crisis exposes the lethal impact of industrial pollution on urban populations and public health.
Subsequent reports lead to the Clean Air Act of 1956, pioneering modern air quality regulations in the UK.
1952
Great Smog
Ministry of Health
1995day.year
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight A-56 crashes near Nakhchivan International Airport in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan, killing 52 people.
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight A-56 crashes near Nakhchivan International Airport, resulting in 52 fatalities.
On December 5, 1995, Azerbaijan Airlines Flight A-56 crashed in poor weather conditions near Nakhchivan International Airport.
The domestic passenger flight was approaching the airport when it struck terrain amid heavy fog and rain.
Of the 82 people on board, 52 lost their lives, marking one of Azerbaijan’s deadliest air disasters.
Investigations pointed to a combination of adverse weather, pilot decision-making and possible navigational errors.
The tragedy prompted calls for improved aviation safety standards and upgraded airport infrastructure in the region.
Memorials were held for the victims, and families demanded accountability for the accident’s causes.
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight A-56
Nakhchivan International Airport
Nakhchivan
Azerbaijan
2005day.year
The 6.8 Mw Lake Tanganyika earthquake shakes the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), killing six people.
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake strikes Lake Tanganyika region in the DRC, causing extreme shaking and six fatalities.
On December 5, 2005, a powerful 6.8 Mw earthquake struck near Lake Tanganyika in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The tremor reached a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), damaging buildings and infrastructure across several provinces.
Six people lost their lives, and many more were injured or displaced by collapsing structures.
Remote communities faced challenges in obtaining emergency aid due to limited access and poor roads.
The quake highlighted the region’s seismic vulnerability and the need for improved disaster preparedness.
Humanitarian agencies responded with relief efforts, including medical assistance and shelter for affected families.
Lake Tanganyika earthquake
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mercalli intensity
2007day.year
Westroads Mall shooting: Nineteen-year-old Robert A. Hawkins kills nine people, including himself, with a WASR-10 at a Von Maur department store in Omaha, Nebraska.
On December 5, 2007, a teenager opened fire at the Von Maur department store in Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, killing nine people, including himself, in a tragic mass shooting.
On the morning of December 5, 2007, 19-year-old Robert A. Hawkins entered the Von Maur department store at Westroads Mall armed with a WASR-10 rifle.
He opened fire indiscriminately, killing eight shoppers before turning the weapon on himself, bringing the death toll to nine.
The shooting shocked the Omaha community and prompted a nationwide debate on gun control and shopping mall security.
In the aftermath, Westroads Mall implemented enhanced security protocols, including metal detectors and increased patrols.
Families and survivors held vigils and memorials to honor the victims, fostering support groups for trauma and grief counseling.
2007
Westroads Mall shooting
WASR-10
Von Maur
Omaha, Nebraska