This fascinating reference features more than 500 entries - nearly 50 of them new and updated - that are organized by disaster type, then alphabetized by the name of the country in which the event occurred. Each section begins with a list of the worst recorded events within the disaster type; a helpful, updated chronology of the events; and an introduction. In addition to providing the basic facts of each disaster, the readable text offers important insight into the background of each event, the ultimate impact on mankind and the environment, and compelling eyewitness accounts.