Blog note. Jesus indicated that ‘fearful sights’ (various natural disasters) would occur leading up to the time known as the Tribulation and Great Tribulation (a combined seven year period of great destruction on earth). Although these types of things have occurred in the past for centuries and thousands of years, they could be identified as the ‘season of the times’ due to the ferociousness of these events. They would be occurring in greater intensity, severity, frequency, size, duration, scope … just like the pains that a woman experiences in labor the farther along she is in the labor process. We are in the ‘season of the times’ that comes just before the seven (7) year Tribulation/Great Tribulation period

… And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. (Luke 21:11).

… And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; (Luke 21:25)

… Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken; (Luke 21:26)

… This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2 Timothy 3:1)

Jesus is giving a series of prophecies about what to look for as the age of grace comes to a close. These verses are several of many such prophecies from throughout the Bible. 2017 was the worst year in recorded history for the intensity, frequency, severity, duration and occurrence of a large number of severe natural disasters worldwide. Earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, torrential flooding, unprecedented wildfires in unusual places, devastating droughts, excessive/scorching heat setting records everywhere, record snowfalls in Europe and Russia. Snow in the Arabia. This list can go on. Most studied Eschatologists believe these ‘fearful sights’ and massive natural disasters are all part of the ‘CONVERGENCE’ of signs that this Biblical and prophetic age is closing. Most people who study prophecy are familiar with the routine reference(s) made that these things will be like a woman having labor pains, growing in intensity, frequency, size and duration.

Rising number of fatal landslides makes 2019 the worst year on record

Posted by Julie Celestial on September 20, 2019 Watchers.news

A new update on landslides from the 2019 northern hemisphere monsoon season by Dr. Dave Petley, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) at the University of Sheffield, UK, showed how an unusually high number of landslides resulted in thousands of fatalities this year, making 2019 the worst year on record. In addition, the last couple of years have been notably worse than the long-term average.

The graph below provided in the study shows the cumulative number of landslides and the cumulative total number of victims all around the world up to September 11, 2019.

According to Petley, the effects of the 2019 northern hemisphere summer monsoon season showed “a distinctive increase in the rate of fatal landslides from about day 180 (29^th June, marked with the first vertical dashed line).”

“This dramatically increased rate persists until about day 230 (18^th August), when the number of recorded events reduces back to close to the normal (background) rate.”

Several landslides that occurred after this event is in the areas affected by the monsoon even though they are not recorded in the database yet. For instance, Nepal was hit by some deadly landslides at the end of last week, killing six.

Petley continued, “As of the end of August I had recorded 315 fatal landslides in 2019 (this number will rise as noted above), against 319 at the same point in 2018. The average for the period 2003 to 2018 (i.e. the entire range of the dataset) is 266 landslides, so the last couple of years have been notably worse than the long term average.”

He also highlighted an interesting aspect that he could not ‘really explain at the moment.’

The first graph below shows the record of fatal landslides in August from 2003 to 2019, while the next graph shows data in July from 2003 to 2019.

“It shows a generally increasing trend,” Petley said. “Again, there is a clear rising trend. But from 2011 onwards the pattern seems to have changed, with the number of recorded landslides become highly variable from year to year.”

“This apparent change in pattern may or may not be significant, but requires further investigation.”

July 2019 was record-breaking landslide month for fatal landslides

In his July recap, Petley said he recorded the highest monthly number of fatal landslides.

“Regular readers will know that I have been collating this data since September 2002, a dataset that is now approaching 17 years in duration. This has formed the basis of a number of papers over the years (e.g. Petley 2012), most recently with my post-doctoral researcher Dr. Melanie Froude (Froude and Petley 2018).  The data for the period 2004-2017 can be mapped using our online tool.”

In 2019, Petley recorded a total of 100 fatal landslides (over 355 deaths), breaking the previous record by a considerable margin, he noted in his July update.

For comparison, there were over 50 fatal landslides in 2018, causing 150 fatalities.

“Most of the landslides in July 2019 were triggered by short-duration, high-intensity rainstorms.  Whilst a single month does not prove the link by any means, July 2019 serves to illustrate once again the challenges that we will face in the future.”