During this same decade, devastating record-breaking droughts, storms, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and tidal waves have occurred around the globe. These severe weather conditions and geological events have struck particularly hard at the U.S., Great Britain and other European countries. England, Scotland, and Wales were ravaged by severe storms and flooding in recent years, right on the heels of the "mad cow" disaster that nearly wiped out the once-proud British cattle industry. Parts of Western Europe have suffered from severe heat waves, droughts, fires and floods. The longest droughts in a century have plagued vast areas of America, Australia and South Africa.
