Coronavirus, Wildfire, Social injustice, Hurricanes, You name it .2020 was such a rollercoaster and it’s great that we made it to the end. CONGRATULATIONS!
Here are the reasons why 2020 was the worst year.
1.Coronavirus
Coronavirus really screwed up our life. The coronavirus was discovered on 31 December 2019. The virus that spread from Wuhan, China went on to world tour compelling everyone to lock themselves in their home. Many lost their lives, their loved ones, job, money, business, and career. The virus affected the world economy, collapsing industries such as airlines and tourism. People had to maintain social distancing and lock them up in their houses in fear. This has increased mental problems amongst the people, leading to an increase in suicide rates this year.
The coronavirus has killed more than 1 M people worldwide and more than 1 thousand people in Nepal. The time when people should have been close to one another, coronavirus compelled people to stay 6 feet far from one another . The doubt upon one another of possible coronavirus carrier was none less than the practice of untouchability. That was quite heartbreaking to see.
2. Bushfire in Australia
3. George Floyd killed and the Black lives matter movement
On May 25, 2020, a 46 year old black man, George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota by a white police officer. He was arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. During the arrest, the police officer knelt on his neck after he was handcuffed with his face laying down. George was urging the police to leave him as he couldn’t breathe but the police didn’t care until he died of suffocation. This homicide of George Floyd fueled the racism issues in the USA and the Black lives matter movement and protests were organized all over the world.
4.Ukrainian jetliner crash in Iran
2020 also highlighted the dramatic escalation of hostilities between the US and Iran, following the US drone strike that killed Iran’s most infamous spymaster, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps commander Qassem Soleimani.
This resulted in Iran’s unintentional military shooting down the Ukrainian jetliner that crashed, killing all 176 onboard. Hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile assault on two military bases housing US troops in Iraq, the plane was shot down in retaliation for killing U.S. troops.
5. Devastating floods
Devastating Floods in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, and neighboring towns killed 66 people and forced nearly 400,000 to flee their homes. At least 182 neighborhoods were submerged in the wider area of the city, flooding thousands of homes and houses, including the Presidential Palace, and paralyzing transport networks.
China experienced 21 numbered floods (floods of a certain large scale) so far in 2020, 1.6 times more than that of previous years, hitting a historical record since 1998. The floods occurred in the six main river basins in China, including the Yangtze River and Yellow River. South Korea also experienced the flood. This had affected the lives of people who had to flee their homes.
Vietnam also experienced devastating floods in Central Vietnam which killed more than 280 people and destroyed the homes of many. It also affected some areas in Cambodia and Laos in October and early November of 2020.
India and Nepal were also affected by the Flooding of the Brahmaputra River that killed 189 and left 4 million homeless.
6.Death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash
Kobe Bryant , one of the NBA’s all-time greatest players, was killed in a helicopter crash near long Angeles. The 41-year-old Kobe Bryant was on his way to a sports academy in the nearby city of California.He went to coach his daughter’s basketball team in a youth tournament.Her daughter , who was 13 years old, also died in the crash with seven other people on the board.
7.Earthquake in Turkey and Carribean
8.Beirut Blast
A huge explosion broke out in Beirut on 4 August 2020, compounding the continuing political and economic crises that have struck Lebanon over the last year. The explosion emanated from the port of Beirut, where 2,750 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate is processed. At least 157 people were killed, more than 6,000 wounded and hundreds of thousands displaced. Whole communities were shattered, with more than $5 billion worth of damage reported.
9. Locusts swam in East Africa and South Asia.
Hundreds of billions of locusts swarmed through parts of East Africa and South Asia.It is the worst infestation for a quarter of a century. Locust feed on the crops thus threatening the availability of food to tens of millions. The Food and Agricultural Organization said that locusts may have an effect on the food security of 25 million people.
10.Pakistan airliner crash
On May 22, A Pakistan International Airlines flight crashed into houses in Karachi. This killed all people on the board except for two who miraculously survived. 97 people lost their lives in the crash . It is one of the deadly plane crash. The investigation opened there was something wrong with the plane and it was showing strange behavior around takeoff.