Severe weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes have increased fourfold in the last two decades, shaking the foundations of our existence. Weather-related tragedies have fascinated humans throughout time. For those who loved The Perfect Storm andKrakatoa, the millions who log onto daily weather forecasting sites and check weather apps, and people who can't get enough front-page headlines of global natural disasters.

Earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, floods, forest fires, blizzards, and thunderstorms: National Geographic explores the deadliest of these disasters throughout history and arms you with ways to protect yourself from chaos and destruction. From the 1906 earthquake that flattened San Francisco and the morbid 1889 flash flood that wiped out the entire town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to the Superstorm of 1993 that blanketed Florida in snow and the more recent East Coast and Gulf Coast ravages of hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, the destructive force and human tragedy both fascinates and horrifies. In addition to these gripping stories, NGS provides practical tips for surviving at home and weathering the lethal strength of these events if caught outside.