Some photos speak for themselves. Some gestures communicate more than words ever could, like these clasped hands, which seek comfort in the face of fear of the unknown. The picture was taken Oct. 8, 2005, when aftershocks were still being felt from the strongest earthquake ever to strike Kashmir, in northern India.
Those clasped hands symbolize terror and panic; they speak of fragility and helplessness, of endurance in the face of chaos. Unlike storms and volcanic eruptions, earthquakes are unpredictable, unleashed within seconds, and without warning. They spread destruction and death, forcing millions to flee from their homes. The day after the catastrophe revealed a terrifying scene: debris everywhere, a number of people injured and dead, others wandering desperately, children crying, and over three million survivors seeking help after losing everything. Throughout history Earth has been shaken by earthquakes of greater or lesser violence. These earthquakes have caused great harm. One of the most famous is the earthquake that rocked San Francisco in 1906. Registering 8.3 on the Richter scale, the temblor left nearly three thousand dead and was felt as far away as Oregon to the north, and Los Angeles in southern California. <...>
