Man-Made Disasters: What are the Worst Artificial Hazards in History?

Man-made disasters, ranging from chemical leaks to dam failures and industrial oil spills, have been recorded in modern history. Such catastrophes have highlighted accidents or failures in humanity's infrastructure, despite our ingenuity and craftsmanship. These anthropogenic disasters have caused widespread damage and casualties, affecting local communities, native wildlife, and even the immediate environment.

In addition to natural disasters, artificial hazards have also threatened people since they can occur with or without warning, as observed in previous related incidents worldwide. The most common causes of human-induced disasters are negligence, error, structural defects, and technical problems.

There were cases that some events relating to the failure of man-made systems were intentional. Yet, in this article, we will be exploring large, unintended ones.

Man-Made Disasters

(Photo : Photo by Vladyslav Cherkasenko on Unsplash)

Man-made disasters are a broad term used to define a wide range of catastrophes that are anthropogenic or technological by nature. According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), man-made hazards pertain to events caused entirely or predominantly by human activities and their choices. The said term also does not include armed conflicts or other social disorders subject to international humanitarian law.

In history, incidents of artificial disasters have started to emerge as infrastructural development progresses amid technological advancement since ancient civilizations. From collapsing bridges to pollution, fire, and industrial explosions, these adversities are seemingly parallel with modern civilization; with all its grand infrastructure, towering buildings, and large machineries seen over the past century.

The UNDRR explains that artificial hazards that are chemical, nuclear, and radiological by nature, as well as transport hazards, are described to be originating from technological or industrial conditions. These disasters are also linked with dangerous procedures, infrastructure failures, or certain human activities, the UN agency adds.

For the past several decades, some of these man-made disasters have shocked the world.

Also Read: Chernobyl Worms: Nematodes Living Near Doomed Nuclear Power Plant Develops Resilience to Radiation

Worst Artificial Hazards

Man-made catastrophes or human-caused disasters involve many aspects, as mentioned earlier. However, the one common denominator they have is that they have devastating impacts to many people, similar to natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes.

Below are some of the worst artificial hazards recorded in history.

1986 Chernobyl disaster
2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill
1963 Vajont Dam tragedy
Libby, Montana asbestos disaster

In summary, the Chernobyl disaster involved the explosion of one of its reactors; investigations revealed it was caused by a faulty reactor design and human error. Meanwhile, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of the United States; it was caused by a wellhead blowout and the oil spill lasted for months, impacting the surrounding sea and marine life.

The Vajont Dam tragedy is the worst man-made environmental disaster that Italy suffered since 1963 when a landslide occurred at the dam and triggered a mega-tsunami that destroyed several villages and killed approximately 20,000 people.

Lastly, the Libby, Montana asbestos disaster (decades in the making) involved the contamination of the town due to toxic asbestos dust from vermiculite mines, killing hundreds of residents.