An earthquake — the strongest ever recorded — hit Italy’s Campi Flegrei supervolcano area. In the U.S., a deadly storm unleashed nearly 100 tornadoes in three days, and in Brazil, a 200-year-old symbol of the city collapsed under strong winds. But another force destroys even faster than disasters — our ability to empathize.
Watch our overview for more details on this and other climate events that occurred from March 12 to March 18, 2025.
United States
From March 14–16, a powerful storm front swept the U.S., causing chaos and at least 42 deaths. Tornadoes, dust storms, heavy rains, and wildfires affected areas from California to Alabama. Missouri was hit hardest, with 12 deaths and over 500 homes destroyed in Poplar Bluff. Arkansas saw 10 tornadoes, including two EF4s — an event unseen for 28 years.
Peru
Heavy rains triggered floods, mudslides, and landslides. On March 12, a mudslide buried 100 meters of a key highway linking Peru and Brazil. Several vehicles were swept away, killing at least three and leaving nine missing.
Spain
On March 13, a powerful storm hit Torremendo, toppling trees, power lines, and building facades. The storm lasted just 10 seconds but left significant destruction. Miraculously, there were no casualties.
Brazil
On March 12, São Paulo was hit by severe rains, hail, and winds that uprooted over 340 trees, including a historic 200-year-old one. Roads were blocked, and 174,000 homes lost power. A tree crushed a taxi, injuring passengers and killing the driver. In Rio de Janeiro, the storm disrupted transportation.
Italy
On March 14, floods swept through Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. Florence saw a month’s worth of rain in hours, closing schools and public institutions. At least five tornadoes and hailstorms hit Ferrara. On March 13, a magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck Campi Flegrei at a depth of 2.5 km — the strongest ever recorded there.
Romania
On March 13, storms hit Romania with heavy rains and winds. In Bucharest, 61 trees fell, damaging vehicles. A falling tree killed one person in Vrancea. The storm tore roofs off buildings and overturned a truck.
As climate disasters increase, so do casualties. Survivors often say mutual aid saves lives, but in critical hours, emergency services may be unable to help.
Psychologically, people empathize with a single victim, but as numbers rise, tragedy becomes statistics. Fear grows: "What if I’m next?" If disasters continue escalating, compassion may fade, replaced by selfishness.
Scientists warn that without urgent action, climate disasters will reach catastrophic levels.
Do we want a world where everyone fends for themselves? If not, we must act now to fight the climate crisis.