A volcanic eruption in Iceland has grounded more than 3000 flights from European countries, such as the UK, Ireland and Norway.  Mother earth is certainly more powerful than puny business and pleasure travel!


Earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and China have left hundreds of thousands dead.  However, if you compare the magnitude of each quake, the more developed the country, despite the larger magnitude the earthquake, the lesser death toll results.  Smaller earthquakes in poor countries can have a huge death toll, such as Haiti.  China's recent earthquake was 6.9, and killed at least 760, but that will probably rise.

Is it unusual?  Not really.  The earth is active, and there are always earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and the like.  It's just that the news reports on them more, and that information can be shared instantaneously, plus we have more people living on this planet


Sources: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8623534.stm,http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8621278.stm,http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2439&from=rss_home