As I was searching for some interesting historical events to include in this week’s list of August writing prompts, I happened to read about a couple of natural disasters that had occurred in August. This got me thinking, as a few of my favourite writing topics are survival in the face of disaster, and apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic scenarios. This made me want to know what other disasters have occurred in world history within the month of August. This is what I discovered:
I’ve provided a few details from each incident, so feel free to use the prompt as you wish. Set your timer, get your notebook or laptop out and just start writing.
Photo Source: Skitterphoto
Prompt 1 – Monday
6 August 1945 – The first Atomic Bomb was dropped over Hiroshima, killing over 105,000 and destroyed the city. Another estimated 100,000 people later died as a result of radiation effects.
Prompt 2 – Tuesday
22 August 1986 – Fumes from a volcanic eruption under Lake Nios in Cameroon killed more than 1,500 people.
Prompt 3 – Wednesday
24 August 79 A.D. – Vesuvius, an active volcano in southern Italy, erupted and destroyed the cities of Pompeii, Stabiae and Herculaneum. It wasn’t lava that smothered the cities, but pyroclastic surges and ashfall deposits.
Prompt 4 – Thursday
26 August 1883 – Krakatoa, an active volcano island in Indonesia erupted, causing one of the largest ever volcanic eruptions. Tsunami 120 ft. high killed 36,000 people on nearby islands.
Prompt 5 – Friday
29 August 1792 – One of the worst maritime disasters; 900 men drowned on the British battleship, Royal George, as the ship was being repaired and a gust of wind allowed water to flood into open gun ports. The ship sank within a few minutes.
Prompt 6 – Saturday
1 August 1966 – Charles Whitman committed mass murder and became the infamous ‘Texas Tower Sniper’ during the University Of Texas Shootings.
Prompt 7 – Sunday
17 August 1969 – Hurricane Camille makes landfall becoming the second-most intense tropical cyclone to strike the United States on record.
And some extras just because:
18 August 1931 – Yangtze River floods causing the death of 3.7 million people in China.
23 August 1905 – New Orleans Yellow Fever kills hundreds.
29 August 2005 – Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans, one of the 5 most deadly hurricanes in the history of the United States.
If you need further prompts, check out my recent posts on July Writing Prompts from Holidays and days from History.
I hope this week’s writing prompts weren’t too dark, and they provided some sort of starting point for you. If you have any thoughts or writing you want to share – please do so in the comment section below.
Keep Writing,
Erica
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