Mother Nature took no prisoners when she unleashed her wrath on Los Angeles at the beginning of 2025. Wildfires continue to rage in the area, and the death toll now stands at at least 27. Around 12,000 structures have burned to the ground. Tens of thousands of people remain evacuated. Others are picking up the pieces.
It’s the latest in a series of natural disasters around the world that have had devastating effects in recent years. From earthquakes to hurricanes, volcanoes and floods, nature has truly tested the spirit of mankind. But even in the face of death and destruction, human beings have shown courage and resilience.
Bored Panda has compiled a list of photographs shared by people who have survived natural disasters. Some are heartbreaking, some are scary and others are a reminder that even during the toughest times, there's always a glimmer of hope.
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I Train These Clever Creatures To Save Victims Trapped In Collapsed Buildings After Earthquakes
We kit them out with a rat backpack, and train them to trigger a switch when they find a victim & come back for a tasty treat.
Colorado Man Reunited With His Donkey, Ennis, After Fire Swept Through His Town
Found Her Cat 16 Days After The Tornado
The Los Angeles wildfires have once again highlighted just how vulnerable human beings are to climate change. Experts have long warned that global warming leads to an increase in natural disasters, and the latest fires have been blamed on a "perfect storm".
The area had gone without rain for months, creating desirable dry and dead vegetation for extreme combustion. Coupled with hurricane-force winds, firefighters didn't stand a chance when a spark met its soulmate and whipped up a blaze that instantly took off as if it were taking part in a marathon.
A Dog And Her 2 Puppies Were Pulled Alive From The Rubble 124 Hours After The Earthquake In Turkey
Cat Walking Away From A Volcanic Eruption
A Cat And A Dog Cuddled Together After Being Rescued From The Rubble In Earthquake-Hit Syria
“When you have a high wind blowing a fire, the fire is not on the ground, it is in the air,” Hugh Safford told the Guardian. He's a fire ecologist at the University of California, Davis, and the regional director for the California Fire Science Consortium.
As Safford explained, embers can fly through the air, igniting vegetation way ahead of the fire frontline. The result: an apocalypse-like scene that catches residents and firefighters off guard.
Cal-Fire Firefighter From The Paradise, Ca Wildfire Finds Missing Dog, Helps Reunite With Family
Dog Carries Whole Bag Of Dog Food After Hurricane Harvey
A Photo Of Incarcerated Firefighters Resting After Fighting A Socal Wildfire. They Get $2-$5/Day For That Work
I saw a conversation about this program and they need to have a clean record while incarcerated, and they get credits towards early release. The inmates said they liked it because they were treated like humans, which says a lot about prison conditions. Having been incarcerated myself for a minor offense (spit on a cop; six months) I completely understand why these guys are willing to do this hard work. As for wages, they should get paid more. It all goes into their jail fund, and they get it paid either for commissary or a check when they walk out of the door. I did so much to help my fellow inmates I had a darn cheering section when I walked the hallway for the last time. People who do the time are often resilient and want to do better, and that is what these crews are doing. It is really hard to come back and rebuild once you have made a mistake and ended up incarcerated. Took me a decade. I respect these guys who are risking their lives.
Thank you for sharing your story. I respect you and wish you good things on your journey.
Load More Replies...Thank you so much for the clarification!! Everyone doesn't think before they act at one time or another. I am proud of you for turning your life around. That is not easy to do. I have restarted my life four times. This WILL BE the last time!! NO, it was not due to d***s or alcohol. The first restart was running from an abusive husband with my two young children. The second was empty nesting which is not for the faint of heart. Thirdly was retirement from teaching after 45 years and now I am starting over again in an assisted living facility. There is nothing you can't do if you want it bad enough. Set your goal, then write down what you need to do to achieve that. Take it one step at a time. Don't look at the whole picture or you will get overwhelmed. Take it one day at a time, one hour at time, one minute at a time. Okay, I will focus on a happy memory for 1 minute. I will clean the kitchen for 1 minute. I will allow myself to cry for 5 minutes. You CAN do this!!
Whoa, six months? I was like, that's a crazy offence to get jailed for, but then I looked it up and you can get jailed here as well, but it's more likely to be weeks, not months.
Spitting on people became upgraded to a more serious offence after aids. Six months sounds a bit over the top though
It's a felony to spit on a cop in the US. It counts as assault on a peace officer, which is a serious offense.
Prisons are too much about the punishment and not about what happens when they get out. I’ve worked with people who were incarcerated that did good and did bad once they got out. We need to stop making prisons for profit. Then we can actually educate and teach skills to people before they are realeased. But that would make too much sense and now that President Musk is in charge it doesn’t matter. We will all answer to China and Russia soon.
In some states they can work to go on and become professional fire fighters.
"miss the point of being in prison" lol classic idiotic right-wing talking point. Those guys are all nonviolent offenders (majority have b******t d**g charges) and the work is dangerous and BRUTAL. Absolutely NOBODY in American prisons are comfortable, they are disgusting s**t holes of violence and depravity, away from family, friends, and spouses...paying them a reasonable wage for important work isn't going to turn prison into a country club. Countries who treat their prisoners like humans (i.e Sweden) have LESS crime and much lower recidivism rates. The evidence is clear, the American way (punitive "justice") doesn't work, it's time to try something new....
1) The majority are not there on "b******t d**g charges" 43% of inmates are there for d**g related crimes. That doesn't mean they're all there for trumped up possession charges....that can mean, distribution, manufacture....or simply that d***s were the only charge they could get to stick. The sollution to people being incarcerated over b******t possession charges, is to change the law and give up the "war on d***s" not to make things better for everyone else...the actual majority of inmates, are there for VIOLENT CRIMES. 53.9% of them in fact. They do things differently in Sweden? Well good for them, Sweden is a different place, with different problems....and Sweden is also seeing a massive increase in violent crime and gang warfare over the past several years (capital of Sweden now has gun violence 30x higher than London) Sweden also has actual social programs, and offers help to inmates upon release....and that's the f*****g point. Since i really don't see the U.S instituting those.
Jack wasn't talking about *everyone* incarcerated though, just *those guys* in particular.
kinds of programs anytime soon...it sure seems like a better method of preventing recidivism is to actually facilitate inmates having some kind of nest egg upon release. Ya know, so they aren't forced to go running back to the same friends, or family that helped create the circumstances for them to end up in prison in the first place. You don't get to compare two places, and ignore the majority of circumstances present in one, to advocate for the same treatment in the other. The MAJORITY of people are in prison because they f****d up, in some serious and terrible way...silly me for thinking it's a little more important to give them the best chance for success once they've actually paid their debt, instead of making them slightly more comfortable while they're in there, and even more f*****g likely to end up back in there.
The recidivism rate is because for-profit prisons in the US make a lot of money off people being re-incarcerated over and over, not to mention institutionalized racism, school-to-prison pipeline, etc.
Yes, they do make a lot of money. But they're not out there making people commit crimes, are they? Again....inmates often walk out with NOTHING. No money, no job prospects, no future....not choices but to run back to the same place that caused them to end up in there in the first place. Which is why i think it's a little more important for them to have a bit of money, and options when they walk out, over being able to buy extra ramen and chocolate while they're in the process of serving their debt for the crimes they are guilty of. Institutionalized racism? There are 1.9 million people currently incarcerated...37% are black. 1.5% of the black population. Most people aren't out there committing crimes, regardless of their circumstances. Stop trying to remove personal responsibility and personal accountability, in favor of placing blame on some vague, ill defined idea.
LOL. How incredibly typical. As soon as your vague virtue signaling is challenged by facts and reason "OH! IT"S A RACIST! Yup, i said the magic word, now i don't have to think, respond, admit or acknowledge anything that i didn't already think to begin with! And that makes me a good person" Go on, point out the racist bit. Specifically. Define, and give examples of institutionalized racism and how it directly causes a very, very small group of people within a larger racial demographic to commit crimes. Not examples that existed in the past. NOW. Today. Of course, you can't do that...you can only throw around words and phrases you heard on tiktok and lob accusations at anyone who doesn't blindly nod along and make YOU feel morally superior for doing absolutely nothing of substance. Racism: the belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another.
No,you go to prison AS punishment, not FOR punishment. If you do nothing but lock them up and treat them like shįt, instead of trying to deal with why they're there in the first place, don't be surprised when they end back inside.
You go to prison because YOU, have failed to live up to the laws and norms of society. Freedom, comes with responsibility. If YOU fail to live up to that responsibility, you don't get to retain your freedoms, your comfort, your autonomy, and trying to play word games isn't going to change that. Why is the recidivism rate so high in the US? Well gee....probably because absolutely no one has any meaningful social safety net, inmates least of all. They walk out the prison, with NOTHING, and no prospects....mostly their only option is to go running back to the same people, and same situation that led them to incarceration in the first place. That's the point. Which is why i SUPPORT them being paid more....so long as that money is held for them UNTIL THEIR RELEASE. To give them a better chance of not repeating the same stupid mistakes that put them there to begin with. Silly me for thinking that's more important than short term comfort.
iseefractals gave us some data. Who downvoted and why? I upvoted for balance.
iseefractals is only emphasizing one of the goals of incarceration, the punishment portion, and seems to be advocating for punishing beyond taking away the offenders' freedom, which, as Did I say that out loud points out, is supposed to be the punishment. Additional punishment beyond taking away freedom is not part of the debt they must pay, and doesn't result in better outcomes for society. It doesn't lower recidivism and may increase it. https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/faculty/keith.chen/papers/Final_ALER07.pdf. Fractals is ignoring the rehabilitation aspect for some reason and that can give the impression they simply like the idea of punishment.
Sigh....No....that's what the perpetually outraged assumed because i didn't blindly nod along with the popular, virtue signaling ideal of the day. It's like arguing that when a kid is sent to his room as punishment, they should be allowed to have ice cream and watch tv. When someone is released from prison, they have nothing. You get that right? They have no real job prospects, no place to live, and no money to facilitate any of those things. What does that leave them with? Well they go running back to the same family or friends that quite likely helped facilitate their path to prison. How do you think that's going to play out? Oh wait...we don't have to guess....because i already stated the factual, real world stats, didn't i? See...i'm more interested in preventing that eventuality, than i am with the person in prison, being able to buy themselves little treats. I said cut them a check when they are released....so they have a better chance of not repeating the same mistakes.
No, man, I'm just going by what the research says is best for society as a whole. I just want to do that. You have your idea of what is best based on the top google result for "what is the rate of recidivism in the US." I prefer following what those who who study the issue and have done more in-depth research have to recommend. No outrage, no ego, no virtue signaling.
The really sad thing is that when they get out, they can't in most places get a job as a firefighter because of their felony record.
When a felon can become president a felony record shouldn't disqualify you from ANY job.
Load More Replies...These are California prisoner/firefighters; they are eligible to have their record expunged so they can be hired, per a 2021 law.
from this website: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/01/11/los-angeles-palisades-prisoners-firefighters According to CDCR’s [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation] website, incarcerated fire crew members make between $5.80 and $10.24 per day, and earn an additional $1 per hour when responding to emergencies, up to $26.90 over a 24-hour shift. That reflects a pay raise enacted in April, which roughly doubled the salary ranges for all incarcerated laborers in the state.
From the heading, I thought " why would they incarcerate firefighters ? ". The story below explained the situation. What a great idea. If these guys were in prison for minor crimes, they should be freed after volunteering for this dangerous work.
Which I believe is still perfectly legal for prisoners under the US Constitution.
Load More Replies...They volunteer for it. And they get time off their sentence. Do your research before spouting nonsense.
They volunteer for it. And they get time off their sentence. Do your research before spouting nonsense.
When I flew for the USFS we'd affectionately refer to them as "carrots" because that's what they looked like from 1500' above the ground!
I agree, that these firefighters should be paid more, especially because of the extreme, hazardous conditions that they are working in. I saw a story about how Kim Kardashian was calling upon the Governor of California and other higher ups, to increase the pay for these firefighters. I believe she said they were getting paid $1 either per hour or day, which is absurd. Instead of putting even more burden, on what will likely be one of the most expensive natural disasters in US history, she could pay them herself. Even if they increased all of their pay to $20/hour, it wouldn't barely make a dent in her wallet, but yet her wallet remains shut.
Not in California; only nonviolent / non-sex offenders are eligible.
You don't believe they get $2 a day? There have been several articles about them and their pay structure in the last couple of weeks.
Load More Replies.........they're convicted criminals. Currently serving time. They're grossly underpaid for all the jobs we can make prisoners do but especially in cases like this where they risk their lives for people who shun them.
"The landscape is tinder dry, and so any ignition source, whether from errant cigarette butts or sparks from power lines blown over in the strong winds, is much more likely to take hold and spread," said David Demeritt, a geographer and expert in environmental policy.
Demeritt explains that Los Angeles has a lot of fuel to burn. And the inconsistent conditions aren't helping. "This time last year, Los Angeles was plagued with flooding (and landslides) that broke an extended long-term drought across the region," he said. "That burst of moisture led to plant growth, which has been steadily drying over the past year of very dry conditions."
Storm Chasin In West Texas
So Yesterday I Was On My Way To Phoenix And I Captured One Of The Craziest Photos!!
Last Day On The Line After 6 Years In Wildfire. It Has Been An Honor. Stay Safe!
As thousands of Los Angeles residents come to terms with losing their homes and belongings, and firefighters continue to battle the blazes, experts have warned that extreme natural disasters are far from over. We are likely to see more droughts in the coming years. And as a result, storms could intensify.
The U.S. Geological Survey explains it like this: "As more water vapor is evaporated into the atmosphere it becomes fuel for more powerful storms to develop. More heat in the atmosphere and warmer ocean surface temperatures can lead to increased wind speeds in tropical storms. Rising sea levels expose higher locations not usually subjected to the power of the sea and to the erosive forces of waves and currents."
Rainbow And Tornado
House Frozen By Lake Erie During This Week’s Blizzard In Buffalo
The Power Of Hurricane Force Winds
Climate monitoring groups raised the alarm in January, warning that the world had set an unwanted record last year. Global surface temperatures rose to between 1.45°C and 1.6°C higher than the average from 1850 to 1900, making 2024 the hottest year in human history.
When You Wake Up To 40" - 44" Of Snow In One Night
My Mom Has 5 Sets Of China (Don't Ask) And Put Them In Her Pool Prior To Being Evacuated From Fires In Northern California. The Dishware Survived!
“We are now living in a very different climate from that which our parents and our grandparents experienced,” said deputy director of Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service Samantha Burgess.
Meanwhile, NASA's Gavin Schmidt warned that another 1.5°C of warming would take the planet back to a climate last seen 3 million years ago, in which case sea levels could rise dramatically. “We are halfway to Pliocene-level warmth in just 150 years,” Schmidt cautioned.
Rare Typhoon Sky As Seen From A Subway Exit
The Fourth Largest City Of Sweden, Uppsala, Is Currently Flooded. The Swedes Aren’t That Concerned
They're also not aware that they're swimming in the filthiest water possible. It makes me gag just looking at that and thinking about everything that's in there and now on them and in them. I'd be interested to know what the diseases are in 6 months. The Sweden also get to be introduced to cholera?
Oregon Wildfires Making It Look Straight Apocalyptic
My Aunt Took This Picture Of A Tornado At My Grandparents Farm That Touched Down Yesterday. South Dakota
Eruption Happening In St. Vincent Today
Green Sky During A Storm In South Dakota
Getting Away From An Erupting Volcano Today
Tree Struck By Lightning Burning From Inside Out
Valencia Right Now After The Floods
The Ongoing Eruption Of Mt Etna In Italy
Tornado In Southern Romania, Today
Blizzard Blew The Man Door On My Garage Open Yesterday
20ft Shipping Container Found Wrapped Around A Tree After A Flood
A Kangaroo Rushes Past A Burning House In Lake Conjola, Nsw
Roads In Turkey After The 7.8 Earthquake
I don't know, whoever was driving that white car has a tight sphincter.
Not The Beautiful Florida View Anyone Imagined! Courtesy Of Hurricane Ian
Overnight Storm Winds In Ga Moved A House Into The Road
Man Sits On Bench With His Dog During Hurricane Harvey
A Street Completely Ripped Apart By The Floods In Germany
There Was A Hailstorm At My Cousins House, They Have No Power So They Can’t Vacuum Up The Broken Glass In Their House Yet
This Is The Power Of An Avalanche!
Sunrise Over The San Fransisco Bay Today. Pier 45 Is On Fire At The Moment
3pm In Port Macquarie, Nsw During The Wildfires
In Australia, they're referred to as "bushfires". This was back in late 2019/early 2020 when bushfires (started by lightning) took out hundreds of hectares up and down the NSW coast.
6000 People Isolated After An Avalanche Obstructed A Tunnel In Italy
MOUNTAIN: What do you mean by digging a hole in me. I will fill it up.
Wind Turbine After Being Hit By A Tornado
It's Currently -35°c Outside. The Water In The Air Freezes Making An Ice Fog
If you know, you know. Here in an area that gets below 0 F, early morning, lights in parking lots and facilities shine beams straight up due to ice crystals. Eerie.
Flooding In Auckland, Nz
Itap Of The Lightning Through My Window During A Recent Thunderstorm
Hurricane Damaged Boardwalk
Waiting For A Fish Fry In Western New York After A Blizzard!
Sister In A Bright Orange Work Suit Blending In With The #mallacoota Sky
so the nether really is real. now where are those piglins?
Before And After Hurricane Lan [fort Myers Florida]
Poll Question
What is your level of concern regarding natural disasters impacting your area in the future?
Very concerned
Somewhat concerned
Not very concerned
Not concerned at all
A lot of interesting pictures, but I am not seeing a lot of the resilience of people.
In a lot of cases, you need to take the photos anyway for insurance reporting purposes.
These were mostly taken during or directly after disasters. Many would be stunned, still under community orders to stay put. It's that way after tornadoes and blizzards in Indiana, USA. But let people get the lay of the situation first, before expecting them to sally forth into potentially dangerous situations. Ordinary citizens are told to stay put if it's safe, to allow emergency responders unhindered access. Were you in a disaster? How did you respond?
This is the road where I used to live in northern New York State. I have moved farther south twice since then. New-York-S...29946b.jpg
I feel like if they are all OK enough (survived) to take the photos AND later, post them to Reddit or BP... then I would say that those humans, are extremely resilient! And good on them!
Load More Replies...I like the pole question at the end “What is your level of concern regarding natural disasters impacting your area in the future?” I live in Florida and we will be having freezing rain, sleet, and possible snow in a couple days. FLORIDA! We already know the hurricanes are going to keep coming but dang, Mother Nature, give us a break
Okay, here are some dates for you: Dates-678f...07cd51.jpg
I would have enjoyed reading this more without the constant 'leon' ads blocking my screen
As a german: lern how to build proper houses! Half of these are due to low quality buildings
Building disaster-proof houses is very expensive and out of reach for many people. Please stop blaming it on not knowing any better. It's really tedious (and probably particularly painful for disaster victims to have to hear). But congrats on your country's superior structures. Glad to hear you are more likely to stay safe.
Load More Replies...A lot of interesting pictures, but I am not seeing a lot of the resilience of people.
In a lot of cases, you need to take the photos anyway for insurance reporting purposes.
These were mostly taken during or directly after disasters. Many would be stunned, still under community orders to stay put. It's that way after tornadoes and blizzards in Indiana, USA. But let people get the lay of the situation first, before expecting them to sally forth into potentially dangerous situations. Ordinary citizens are told to stay put if it's safe, to allow emergency responders unhindered access. Were you in a disaster? How did you respond?
This is the road where I used to live in northern New York State. I have moved farther south twice since then. New-York-S...29946b.jpg
I feel like if they are all OK enough (survived) to take the photos AND later, post them to Reddit or BP... then I would say that those humans, are extremely resilient! And good on them!
Load More Replies...I like the pole question at the end “What is your level of concern regarding natural disasters impacting your area in the future?” I live in Florida and we will be having freezing rain, sleet, and possible snow in a couple days. FLORIDA! We already know the hurricanes are going to keep coming but dang, Mother Nature, give us a break
Okay, here are some dates for you: Dates-678f...07cd51.jpg
I would have enjoyed reading this more without the constant 'leon' ads blocking my screen
As a german: lern how to build proper houses! Half of these are due to low quality buildings
Building disaster-proof houses is very expensive and out of reach for many people. Please stop blaming it on not knowing any better. It's really tedious (and probably particularly painful for disaster victims to have to hear). But congrats on your country's superior structures. Glad to hear you are more likely to stay safe.
Load More Replies...