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From devastating natural disasters to terrifying conflicts, the world has faced truly frightening moments each year. Join us as we examine the most harrowing global events that have shaped our recent history! Our countdown includes Hurricane Sandy, COVID-19, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and more! Which global crisis do you remember most vividly? Let us know in the comments!
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00:00Families being separated from their dying loved ones, I just, to me that's inconceivable.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at major world events that occurred since the 2011
00:13Fukushima disaster that had people on edge. I think we tend to gauge how prepared we should be
00:20based on the seasonal hurricane forecast, and that's really bad advice. We have to get ready
00:25the same way every year. 2012, Hurricane Sandy. The East Coast is being pummeled with the power
00:32of a record-breaking superstorm. Oh my God, it's washing everything away! 90 mile per hour winds,
00:39driving rain, record-breaking high tides, and rough surf, flash the coastline. Nicknamed Superstorm Sandy
00:46for its massive size, this hurricane carved a path of destruction along the U.S. East Coast. The storm
00:52resulted in catastrophic flooding in New York and New Jersey. The flooding subsequently knocked out
00:57power for millions and left more than 200 people dead across several countries. This guy at the beach
01:03was saying that, oh, this is all for nothing. The guy says, in 40 years I've lived here, nothing has
01:09happened, and this could be the one time. Sandy's storm inundated subways, damaged critical infrastructure,
01:17and resulted in nearly 70 billion dollars in damages. One of the most destructive storms in
01:22U.S. history, Sandy brought the realities of climate change to U.S. shores and opened new
01:27discussions about coastal resilience and flood defense systems. Coastal communities have almost
01:32been wiped out. Eight million homes and businesses across 17 U.S. states are without power.
01:42Landlines and mobile signals are down, making contact with relatives difficult.
01:47In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan hits the Philippines. We had to organize ourselves. We had to make
01:53the tough decision to stand up on our own two feet. Following in Sandy's footsteps was the
02:00megastorm Haiyan. With a fury rarely seen before, the storm passed through parts of Southeast Asia,
02:06especially the Philippines, with wind speeds exceeding 190 miles per hour, flattening towns,
02:12swallowing entire neighborhoods, and claiming more than 6,000 lives.
02:16The Philippines is in the center of Typhoon Alley, just like we have a tornado alley, just like we
02:20have a hurricane alley. Typhoons forming in the Pacific surge right over the Philippines and
02:27into China. Typhoon Haiyan roared into the Philippines in November 2013. The typhoon demonstrated the
02:34vulnerability of coastal communities to intense storms in a warming world. The city of Tacloban was among
02:40the worst-hit cities, with survivors describing apocalyptic scenes of destruction. Relief efforts
02:45were hindered by destroyed infrastructure and communication lines. Choked with debris and loss,
02:51Haiyan's human toll left an indelible mark on disaster response planning in the years that followed.
02:56People waiting here are desperate to get out on any plane they can find. This is my dad's only chance
03:03for life. I said either we have to leave tomorrow morning today or we're going to go somewhere else.
03:09But he needs dialysis.
03:112014, ISIS declares caliphate.
03:14I said to America that the Islamic religion has happened. And by the word of God, you won't stop.
03:21Our answer is that if you are a man, then we are on earth.
03:26ISIS announced itself on the grand stage when it created an Islamic caliphate in June 2014.
03:32The group's brutality shocked the world as it proceeded with beheadings, mass executions,
03:38and torturous enslavement. Foreign fighters joined their cause thanks to rapid territorial gains
03:43and sophisticated propaganda campaigns. The rise of the military group threw a wrench in the
03:48political landscape of the Middle East. A new video shows them literally bulldozing the
03:53Syrian-Iraqi border. The new name, a statement. This is our new caliphate.
03:59Destabilization followed, triggering a massive refugee crisis and prompting a global military
04:05response. ISIS sought to legitimize its rule through the establishment of its caliphate.
04:10With a radical reinterpretation of Islam, the group set off years of conflict and counterterrorism
04:15efforts. The rise of ISIS is one of the most frightening examples of extremist movements
04:19exploding onto the world stage. ISIS has become particularly dependent upon foreign fighters.
04:29Analysts say it's a simple equation. The more videos are produced in English, the more
04:35threats are directed at America, the more fighters will flock to Iraq.
04:412015, Paris terror attack.
04:43The first attack happened outside France's national stadium, when two suicide bombers blew
04:47themselves up within 10 minutes of each other. A third suicide attack took place less than
04:52half an hour later. November 13, 2015 in France is remembered for one of the deadliest terrorist
04:58attacks in modern European history. ISIS-affiliated militants led coordinated assaults in Paris
05:04that targeted locations such as the Bataclan concert hall, cafes, and the Stade de France stadium.
05:10The terror attacks resulted in 130 deaths and wounded hundreds more, sending shockwaves
05:15through France and the wider world.
05:29Massive manhunts for the culprits were launched immediately, and the French government declared
05:34a state of emergency. The tragedy intensified debates over immigration, security, and the
05:39fight against extremism. A black mark on the city's collective recent memory, pray for Paris,
05:44became a symbol of resilience in the face of unchecked terror.
05:47It feels like a never-ending horror movie. It feels like it's, first of all, it felt like
05:54it wasn't real when it happened. And I know everyone says this, but when these kind of things happen,
05:58you don't think it would ever happen to you. So initially, I didn't think, I couldn't process it.
06:032016, Zika virus outbreak.
06:05Every case of microcephaly is different, but many doctors and scientists say the big rise in cases
06:12has a common cause, a mosquito carrying the Zika virus.
06:16Before the COVID-19 outbreak, another virus took the world by storm. In 2016, the Zika virus spread
06:22rapidly across the Americas, carried by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Infections were mild and
06:28even asymptomatic, but Zika's real effects were seen in severe birth defects, including microcephaly in
06:35newborns. The outbreak caused widespread fear, particularly among pregnant women and families.
06:41If they stop taking these medications, they have more seizures. We already struggle to pay for this
06:46medicine. And sometimes, even in the pharmacies, we are unable to find it. We must go to several
06:51pharmacies to find it. One country that was badly hit was Brazil. The virus led to public health
06:57emergencies and travel advisories, and reignited discussions on the role of climate change in
07:02expanding mosquito habitats. Cases declined in the years to follow, but the outbreak was a stark
07:08reminder that emerging diseases are quickly becoming global health threats. Right now in Pinellas
07:13County, crews are doing door-to-door surveys, where they ask you to submit to a urine sample,
07:18tell the health department if you're feeling bad. Even if you're not feeling bad, please submit to a
07:22urine sample, because guess what, guys? Some of the people in South Florida who tested positive
07:27didn't even have symptoms of Zika, and they ended up having the infection when they were tested.
07:322017, Rohingya crisis. The government denies them citizenship and claims they're illegal
07:37immigrants that have crossed over from Bangladesh, making them essentially a stateless people.
07:50The United Nations labeled it as a quote, textbook example of ethnic cleansing. For the Rohingya
07:55Muslim minority, it was nothing short of a nightmare. In 2017, Myanmar's military launched a brutal
08:01crackdown on the Rohingya in Rakhine state. Villages were burned, followed by mass killings,
08:07sexual violence, and other atrocities. The Burmese government has kept out independent witnesses to
08:12its cleansing of Rohingya from Rakhine. But the military's past caring who sees its campaign of fiery
08:18terror. And we had a grandstand view. Over 700,000 Rohingya fled to neighboring Bangladesh,
08:26in one of the world's largest migrations. The crisis drew global condemnation, but meaningful
08:31international action was limited. The Rohingya crisis is an example of how ethnic violence can
08:36escalate when unchecked, and how the world continues to struggle in providing an effective
08:40response when it happens. They'd been hiding out for close to a week to avoid detection along the
08:46border. This, a first meal without having to watch their backs. 2018, Iran nuclear deal collapse.
08:55Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could also be strongly sanctioned by the
09:02United States. In 2018, President Donald Trump announced the United States' departure from the
09:08Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal. The move led Tehran to resume
09:14uranium enrichment activities. Reigniting tensions between Iran and the West, the collapse of the
09:19deal fueled fears of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. The geopolitical fallout of the deal's
09:24collapse, including proxy conflicts, heightened regional instability and a loss of diplomatic influence
09:30in a region already fraught with political instability. For many, 2018 was a shift from delicate
09:36diplomacy to a more dangerous status quo. There's no plan B for dealing with Iran's nuclear program,
09:42increasing the risk of confrontation. 2019, COVID-19 pandemic begins. Testing capacity was
09:48limited back then, so no one can really say how many people were infected. But studies done since then
09:54have revealed the lingering effects of infection, particularly on psychological well-being. When reports
10:01of a mysterious pneumonia-like illness came out of Wuhan, China in late 2019, the world did not care.
10:07But by March 2020, COVID-19 had shut down the world. Countries went into lockdown, economies
10:13slowed to a crawl, healthcare systems got stretched beyond their limits, and the world fell into darkness.
10:18The virus spread, exacerbated by a global aviation industry that connected nearly every corner of
10:35the globe. Claiming millions of lives, COVID forced society to adapt to masks, social distancing, and
10:41remote living and working conditions. Conspiracy theories and misinformation continued to muddy public
10:47health efforts. Meanwhile, vaccine rollouts became a triumph of science and a political flashpoint.
10:52The effects of the pandemic are still being felt. Public transport in Wuhan is suspended.
10:59Locals are wearing masks and looking very anxious. Also, very few people are out on the streets after
11:05the news came out. 2020, Beirut port explosion. It's heartbreaking. It's too much. It's too much. And
11:12I don't even like to see the video anymore of the actual explosion. In August 2020, the citizens of
11:18Beirut, Lebanon experienced one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history. The blast was
11:24caused by improperly stored ammonium nitrate. The resulting explosion flattened entire neighborhoods,
11:30shattered windows, and killed over 200 people who were caught in its path. Thousands were injured,
11:36and hundreds of thousands who were within the blast zone were left homeless. Beirut's port is in the
11:41heart of the capital, along a busy highway and close to densely populated neighborhoods. Drone and
11:48witness footage of the mushroom cloud stunned viewers worldwide. The explosion further deepened
11:53Lebanon's dire economic and political crises. People rose in nationwide protests against corruption
12:00and government negligence. The incident was an example of the grim consequences that can result
12:05from combining dangerous mismanagement and complacency with volatile materials.
12:09This wasn't just an accident, but the result of everything that people here hate about their
12:15government. Incompetence, negligence, and corruption. Because the really crazy thing is that the
12:22dangerous chemicals that exploded had been sitting there in the port for six years, and nobody had done
12:29anything about it. 2021 Taliban retakes Afghanistan. Do you really believe
12:34that the Taliban would ever support a democracy? Do you honestly believe that?
12:38I think we can convince them. After nearly two decades, the US military concluded its presence
12:45in Afghanistan on August 30th, 2021. Their departure was met with an immediate collapse of the Afghan
12:51government. Scenes from Kabul airport showed Afghan civilians clinging to departing aircraft in their
12:57desperation to find a safe haven. Extraordinary and harrowing footage emerged of people desperately
13:02trying to get onto planes, of US helicopters being used to clear people from the runway.
13:09The rapid fall of the Afghan government, followed by scenes of the evacuation,
13:13were haunting symbols of the chaos to unfold. The Taliban swept back into power with astonishing speed.
13:19The international audience fell into a heated debate over foreign policy, military strategy,
13:24and whether the sacrifices made over 20 years had been in vain. The US military's withdrawal was a
13:30geopolitical shockwave and a human tragedy. Already we've seen some gunmen who look like Taliban on the
13:36streets, and all of the government checkpoints, all the police, all the soldiers, they're gone.
13:412022. Russian invasion of Ukraine. We were here eight years ago when Russia tried to take it.
13:49And without a doubt, they will try again. February 24th, 2022 marked the day Europe witnessed its
13:56largest military invasion since World War II. Russia turned heads by leading a full-scale assault on Ukraine.
14:03The invasion was widely condemned around the world, and led to a cascade of sanctions against Russia.
14:09Cities like Mariupol and Kharkiv were on the receiving end of relentless shelling and a looming
14:14humanitarian crisis. Millions of Ukrainians fled, triggering a fast-growing refugee crisis.
14:20The Ukrainian military has a substantial size. It's around a quarter of a million troops,
14:25and then when you add in all the other security services and volunteers, it will be larger than that.
14:31The world watched anxiously as the invasion gradually reshaped global energy markets,
14:36disrupted grain exports, and reignited Cold War-era tensions. For much of 2022, the war teased a
14:43frightening premonition of an all-out war within Europe, a possibility which continued long past 2022.
14:50What's your message to Vladimir Putin today?
14:52Vladimir Putin, please, go out to our country. Go out. Go out. We don't want you. We don't want war,
15:01and we don't want you. We have an enormous amount of investments. People are coming,
15:09and they'll continue to come for everything that we're doing, not only the economy and the technology
15:14of today, but the technology of the future. On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an unprecedented
15:20attack on Israel. Thousands of rockets bombarded southern Israeli towns. This was followed by a head-on
15:26assault by Hamas militants. The attack left more than a thousand dead and sparked a swift and
15:31intense military response from Israel, with neighborhoods being reduced to rubble.
15:35And then this war started. They destroyed every hospital, every school, every education place.
15:46The starvation was the most effective weapon had been used.
15:53Hamas's actions sparked international outrage. The Israeli response has also been heavily criticized,
15:58and in the years since, has seen tens of thousands of Palestinians, many civilians, killed.
16:04Adherents on both sides are passionate, and it stands as a deeply unsettling reminder of how quickly
16:10long-standing conflicts can explode into all-out war. The intensification began hours after Secretary
16:15of State Marco Rubio assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of unwavering
16:21U.S. support during a trip to Jerusalem. 2024, climate-fueled extreme weather.
16:26I've heard people saying that this is the new normal. Given that we are currently on track for
16:332.6 degrees of warming, or thereabouts, within this century, we are only halfway to the new normal.
16:392024 was the year when climate change went from prediction to reality. Breaking news headlines
16:45covered a relentless onslaught of climate-fueled disasters, from unprecedented heat waves in
16:50Europe and devastating wildfires in Canada and the Mediterranean to record-breaking floods in Asia
16:56and catastrophic hurricanes in the Atlantic. Tuesday afternoon, the wildfires south of the town had
17:01burned more than 6,000 hectares. By evening, Jasper had been fully evacuated. Authorities say only about 40
17:08people refused to leave. Climate change was forcefully felt. An ominous combo of higher sea
17:14surface temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and prolonged droughts resulted in major agricultural
17:20losses and the displacement of millions. With mounting pressure from the public, governments came together
17:25to accelerate climate policies. Recovery costs skyrocketed, serving as a harsh reminder that climate
17:30change was no longer a distant threat, but the new normal.
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17:57Satellites show how street after street, suburb after suburb are in ruins.
18:08It doesn't seem like there's a building that's not affected in some way.
18:11Registering over 7.5 on the Richter scale, a massive earthquake flattened villages and destroyed
18:17Myanmar's infrastructure in March 2025. Persistent aftershocks left survivors in a state of constant fear
18:23for days. Amid political instability and ongoing humanitarian challenges, the earthquake crippled
18:29healthcare and emergency systems as rescue teams struggled to help survivors. Our rescue team is
18:34working hard to return the bodies of those who have died to their families. And after five days,
18:39it's very distressing to see the condition of the body. In remote, landslide-blocked areas, coordinated
18:44relief efforts became a logistical nightmare. As tremors reached neighboring countries, it stoked fears of
18:50secondary quakes. Far from just a natural disaster, the Myanmar earthquake was a cocktail of humanitarian
18:56and political crises rolled into one. In Myanmar's second largest city, there's panic on the streets.
19:02Mandalay, 10 miles from the epicenter, is home to 1.5 million people. Buildings dangerously disfigured
19:10and fallen in on themselves after the earth moved beneath them. Which of these shocking events do you
19:16remember most vividly? Let us know in the comments. The earthquake was felt hundreds of miles away,
19:22in southwest China, a glimpse of its ferocity and the fear that accompanied it.
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