On Dec. 26, 2004, a 9.2-magnitude earthquake shook Southeast Asia, triggering the worst tsunami in recorded history.

The most important natural disasters and examples of their environmental effects are listed in Table 1. Technological or manmade disasters include nuclear accidents, bombings, and bioterrorism.

Another major barrier for rural students is transportation. In many rural communities, students rely on school buses to get to and from school. When natural disasters damage roads or disrupt ...