10 Things People Weirdly Blamed for Natural Disasters
When natural disasters strike, they can feel random, overwhelming, and deeply unsettling. For much of history, people didn’t have access to modern science to explain earthquakes, storms, or volcanic eruptions. Even today, when explanations do exist, fear and uncertainty can push people toward unusual conclusions.
Across cultures and centuries, humans have blamed everything from mythical creatures to modern technology for nature’s fury. Here are ten of the strangest things people have blamed for natural disasters.
10. The Giant Underground Catfish
In Japanese folklore, earthquakes were once blamed on a massive creature known as Namazu. This enormous catfish was believed to live beneath the islands of Japan, thrashing its tail and shaking the ground whenever it moved.
According to legend, the god Takemikazuchi restrained Namazu with a giant stone—but when distracted, the creature would break free and cause destruction.
After the Great Edo Earthquake, artists produced “Namazu-e” prints showing the catfish being punished or even acting as a symbol of social change. These images helped people process the disaster in a cultural and emotional way.
9. Skinny Jeans and “Immodesty”
In 2010, Kazem Sedighi claimed that immodest dress—particularly among women—could cause earthquakes. The argument was rooted in the idea that moral corruption leads to divine punishment.
Similar claims resurfaced after major quakes in parts of South Asia, where some voices blamed Western fashion trends like skinny jeans for provoking disasters.
While such statements are widely rejected by scientists, they reflect a long-standing pattern: linking natural events to moral behavior as a way of making sense of chaos.
8. Lightning Rods
After a powerful earthquake struck Massachusetts in 1755, some people blamed a surprising culprit: lightning rods.
Invented by Benjamin Franklin, these devices were designed to safely redirect lightning strikes. However, critics like Reverend Thomas Prince argued that they interfered with God’s will.
According to this belief, lightning was meant as divine punishment. By blocking it, humans had supposedly forced that anger to manifest as earthquakes instead. Some residents were so convinced that they removed lightning rods from their homes.
7. Angry Volcano Spirits
For communities living near Mount Merapi, eruptions have long been tied to spiritual beliefs. The volcano is seen not just as a natural feature but as the home of powerful unseen forces.
Rituals and offerings are performed to maintain harmony with these spirits. When eruptions occur, they are sometimes interpreted as a sign that something has gone wrong in that relationship.
In 2010, this belief had tragic consequences when the volcano’s spiritual guardian refused to evacuate, trusting tradition over scientific warnings. The eruption ultimately proved deadly, highlighting the tension between cultural belief and modern hazard management.
6. Swearing and “Foul Air”
In medieval Europe, weather was sometimes blamed on something as simple as bad language. Influenced by ideas from Aristotle and Galen, people believed that air carried both physical and moral qualities.
Speaking profanity was thought to release “corrupted” breath into the atmosphere, polluting it and disrupting natural processes. Some communities even passed laws banning swearing, believing it could prevent storms or crop failure.
During harsh periods like the Little Ice Age, these beliefs intensified as people searched for ways to control unpredictable weather.
5. Witchcraft
Few scapegoats have had more devastating consequences than accusations of witchcraft. In 17th-century Europe, natural disasters like storms and crop failures were often blamed on alleged witches.
One of the most infamous examples is the Würzburg witch trials, where hundreds of people were executed after being accused of causing destructive weather.
Fear, desperation, and social tensions fueled these accusations. Rather than accepting natural causes, communities targeted individuals—often leading to tragic outcomes.
4. The Large Hadron Collider
In modern times, advanced science itself has become a target of suspicion. The Large Hadron Collider, operated by CERN, has been blamed for everything from earthquakes to opening “portals.”
After major disasters like the 2015 Nepal earthquake, some claimed that high-energy experiments had destabilized the Earth.
In reality, the energy produced by the collider is incredibly small compared to natural processes. Still, its complexity and scale make it an easy focus for conspiracy theories.
3. The Three Gorges Dam
The massive Three Gorges Dam has also attracted unusual blame. Holding back enormous volumes of water, it has sparked speculation about its impact on Earth itself.
Some claims suggested it altered the planet’s rotation or triggered earthquakes, especially after the 2008 Sichuan quake.
While large reservoirs can influence local geology in limited ways, there is no evidence linking the dam to major disasters. The misunderstanding largely stems from misinterpreted scientific data.
2. 5G Towers
Few modern technologies have been blamed for as many unrelated events as 5G.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, conspiracy theories claimed 5G caused the virus. These ideas soon expanded to include natural disasters like wildfires and animal die-offs.
In reality, 5G uses non-ionizing radiation, which lacks the energy to cause such effects. Despite this, misinformation has persisted, especially online, where fear can spread quickly during crises.
1. Skyquakes
In recent years, mysterious booming or metallic sounds—known as skyquakes—have been reported around the world.
These noises have sparked speculation ranging from secret technology to warnings of impending disasters. Some people believe they are linked to earthquakes or extreme weather.
Scientists suggest more mundane explanations, such as sonic booms, gas releases, or atmospheric effects. While eerie, there’s no evidence that skyquakes cause natural disasters—they remain an intriguing but likely natural phenomenon.
Conclusion
From mythical catfish to cutting-edge technology, humans have blamed a wide range of unlikely culprits for natural disasters. These explanations often reveal more about human psychology than the events themselves.
When faced with chaos, people look for patterns, causes, and someone—or something—to hold responsible. While science now provides clearer answers, these strange beliefs remind us how powerful fear and imagination can be when confronting the forces of nature.
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