April 2004 Disasters

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

• April 1–5, New Mexico and Texas: Torrential rains flooded rivers, closed roads, and forced many to evacuate their homes. A foot of hail fell in Fort Stockton.
• April 4–6, Piedras Negras, Mexico: Flash flooding from torrential rains in the Rio Grande and Escondido rivers killed 37 Mexicans and forced many others to flee to shelters. Mexican President Vincente Fox declared a state of emergency.
• April 20, Utica, Ill.: More than 52 tornadoes struck Illinois and other Midwest states devastating Utica, Ill., southwest of Chicago, and killing 8 people in the basement of the Millstone Tavern.
• April 21, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A suicide car bomber who was stopped short of the former General Security building detonated the vehicle, killing at least 5 and wounding 148. This was the third successful bombing in Riyadh in the past year. Several other potential car bombs were defused this week by security forces. A pro-al-Qaeda group claimed responsibility for the attack.
• April 22, Ryongchon, North Korea: 2 trains carrying flammable liquids collided, causing a huge explosion near the Chinese border, killing 150, and injuring more than 1300. North Korea declared a state of emergency.
• April 27, Damascus, Syria: Terrorists set off explosives near the British embassy and a former UN building. At least four people were killed.
• April 29, Bogota, Colombia: A construction backhoe rolled off its trailer, fell over a ledge, and crushed a school bus, killing 22 children ages 5 to 16 and 2 adults.

See also Major Earthquakes Around the World 2004

See also Estimated Deaths from Earthquakes, 2004

See also Recent Volcanic Activity