September 2002 Disasters

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

• Sept. 20, Karmadon Gorge, North Ossetia, Russia: An avalanche of mud, ice, and rocks left more than 100 people dead, including popular Russian movie actor Sergei Bodrov, who was filming in the area. The avalanche was caused by a 500-foot chunk of glacier that broke loose and slid down the gorge.
• Sept. 26, Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Gambia: Overloaded Senegalese ferry, Joola, capsized. The death toll of 1,863 people make it one of the worst maritime disasters in history. The maximum capacity of the ferry was 550 people.

See also Major Earthquakes Around the World 2002

See also Recent Volcanic Activity