The English writer John Ruskin once said “The sun is delightful, the rain is refreshing, the wind strengthens us, the snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather,” (John Ruskin Quotes - Page 4) but I'm sure there are many who disagree with him. The beauty of nature is a gift from God, but sometimes nature is not so aesthetically pleasing. Natural disasters occur frequently around the world and regularly destroy the lives of many people. An example would be the recent flood victims in Australia or even last year's earthquake in Haiti. There are different types of natural disasters: from earthquakes to hurricanes and floods; they often strike without warning and leave a trail of destruction and despair in their path. The least violent type of natural disaster is flood; it is one of the most frequent dangers. A flood can affect local areas or a very large area affecting entire river deltas. Not all foods are the same, some develop slowly over days, others develop within minutes. Floods that develop rapidly are known as flash floods; flash floods have a dangerous wall of crashing water carrying rocks, mud and other miscellaneous debris. If you live in a low-lying area near water you are more susceptible to flooding, smaller streams, ravines, creeks and stream beds can cause a flood. Floods are often not a common thought when thinking about a natural disaster, but they can be fatal, destroying homes, businesses and roads, happening when you least expect it, and happening when you are unprepared (FEMA: Floods). An extreme example of this type of natural disaster is the flooding that occurred last month in eastern Australia; the flood, which lasted weeks, caused thirty deaths...... half of the newspaper ...... January 2011 .John Ruskin Quotes - Page 4 - Brainy Quote. 2011. February 1, 2011. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. ""Hymn to the West Wind"." Poet.org. February 3, 2011 .Tate, Karl. Aftermath, disasters and facts of Hurricane Katrina. August 24, 2010. February 3, 2011 .US Geological Survey. Global overview of large landslides of the 20th and 21st centuries. December 6, 2010. February 3, 2011 .Century National. “Great California Earthquakes.” National Insurance Company of the Century. February 3 2011 .