Cyclone Nargis hit the Asian country of Myanmar on Saturday May 3, 2008. The official death toll so far is 78,000 and approximately 56,000 missing. But reports state that it could be as much as 100,000 or more.

The Irrawaddy delta was the worst hit with many of its poor communities destroyed. The storm surge which caused flooding in low lying areas is said to be responsible for most of the damage rather than the cyclone itself.

Approximately 2.5 million people are in need of assistance and the United Nations has appealed to the Burmese government to allow aid workers easy access in. Food, water, medical supplies and building materials are urgently needed.

The latest report from the United Nations is that only a small portion of the relief items are reaching the cyclone victims. It would appear that the military regime is hoarding the aid for itself. The survivors of this cyclone, especially the children, are facing disease and starvation if aid does not reach them soon. So far only about 500,000 people have received aid. Survivors are reported to be drinking water contaminated with the dead bodies of human and animal carcasses.

The Chaiten volcano in Chile erupted on began rumbling on May 2, 2008. What is amazing about this is that the volcano has been dormant for 9,370 years!

Ash spread for miles all the way to Argentina and the Atlantic Ocean. One local journalist described the area as a "giant ashtray".

There are no reports of deaths or injuries, but evacuation was necessary and the government has declared the town of Chaiten off-limits for three months as the Blanco and Raya Rivers have overflowed their banks.

Chile and Indonesia have the world's largest share of volcanoes.

A series of tornadoes struck the US States of Missouri, Oklahoma and Georgia the weekend of May 10, 2008. A total of 22 people have died according to reports. Officials also said that this year is the deadliest for tornado-related deaths in a decade.

In March of this year a tornado also hit downtown Atlanta destroying homes and uprooting trees. The last tornado to hit Atlanta was in 1975.

Picher Oklahama was a mining town in the early 20^th century. In light of this recent disaster, Environmentalists are concerned about lead contamination which can pose long term health risks to its remaining residents.

In all there were approximately 8 tornadoes generated by the storm system, some categorized as EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

An Earthquake measuring 7.8 shook China on Monday May 12, 2008 in the Sichuan Province. The death toll so far has reached approximately 32,000. Officials say this could increase to 50,000. Among the casualties were schoolchildren, as many school buildings collapsed.

There were a series of aftershocks the strongest of which measured 5.5 on the afternoon of Friday May 16, which caused landslides and knocked out communications only recently restored.

Almost 5 million people have been left homeless and are housed in temporary shelters. The search for survivors continues as people are still being found alive after being buried for days.

Three days of national mourning beginning on Monday May 18 have been declared for the earthquake victims.

China is prone to seismic activity and this earthquake is reported to be one the deadliest in 30 years.

Hurricane experts have said that thirteen named storms are expected to form in the Atlantic this season, three of them Category 3 or higher. It is estimated that one of them could hit the US Coastline.

If I can recall the same thing was said for last year, but fortunately, that did not materialize. Let's hope that we are just as fortunate this year.

"... and there will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world." (Matthew 24:7). (New Living Translation).

The word earthquake in Matthew 24:7 is translated from the Greek word ‘seismos', from which we derive the words seismic and seismology. However in Matthew 8:24 the word tempest is also translated from the Greek word seismos.

"And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves..." (Matthew 8:24) (New King James Version).

According to Strong's Greek Lexicon ‘seismos' means:

A commotion i.e. (of the air) a gale, (of the ground) an earthquake:- earthquake, tempest

So clearly earthquake in Matthew 24:7 does not necessarily refer to literal earthquakes but hurricanes or tornadoes or volcanic activity or just simply, natural disasters.

"...there will be strange events in the skies - signs in the sun, moon and stars. And down here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. The courage of many people will falter because of the fearful fate they see coming upon the earth, because the stability of the very heavens will be broken up. Then everyone will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds with power and great glory. So when these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your salvation is near!" (Luke 21:25-28) (NLT)