13 Most Insane Things to Happen on Friday the 13th
The “Friday the 13th” Virus
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We may think of computer viruses primarily as a modern day problem. But it turns out they’ve been causing chaos for decades now. The Jerusalem virus was first documented at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and initially went off on Friday the 13th, 1988. Then, on yet another Friday the 13th in January of the following year, people within the U.K. complained of computer problems on their IBM devices. This was due to systems that had been infected being scheduled to erase files on this date. Many also complained of massive slowdowns thanks to storage consumption. It was speculated that the two viruses were linked, though conflicting information exists about this.
Great Flood of 1951
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Friday July 13th, 1951 wasn’t the first day of the Great Flood of 1951, but it was arguably the moment at which the disaster reached its breaking point. Up to sixteen inches of rain fell between the ninth and thirteenth of that month. This was on top of the already insane amount of flooding that had previously put the city of Hays, Kansas almost completely under water. Seventeen people lost their lives and the total cost of damages in Kansas and Missouri amounted to over $935 million. Then-President Harry Truman once labeled it “one of the worst [disasters] this country has ever suffered from water.”
The Death of Tupac Shakur
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Hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur spent nearly a week in the hospital after suffering what would end up being fatal wounds on the night of September 7th, 1996. The rapper was shot while waiting at a red light alongside Death Row Records head Marion “Suge” Knight. Shakur was sedated upon his arrival at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, but his physical condition quickly worsened even though he was placed into a medically-induced coma. Attempts to save his life, including the removal of a damaged lung, were ultimately unsuccessful. Tupac Shakur died on Friday, September 13th of that year.
Costa Concordia Cruise Ship Crash
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This Friday the 13th disaster gave a new meaning to the old maritime idea of a captain going down with his ship, but not in a good way. Captain Francesco Schettino was handed a 16-year jail sentence on manslaughter charges after his actions aboard his cruise ship, the Costa Concordia, caused it to capsize in 2012. Thirty two people, passengers and crew members combined, passed away as a result of the accident. Captain Schettino left the ship for safety, leaving over three hundred passengers that were still on board on that terrifying Friday the 13th alone.
Two Feet of October Snow
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Dubbed Lake Storm Aphid by Buffalo, New York’s National Weather Service office, this highly unusual snow system hit on, you guessed it, Friday the 13th. The 2006 storm actually started a day earlier, but wrapped up on the 13th. By that time, about two feet of snow had fallen across the region. Now, this area of the East Coast is used to powerful lake-effect snowfall. However, Lake Storm Aphid took place in October, much earlier than usual. Thirteen people ultimately passed away, and many more were left without heat and electricity.
The Bhola Cyclone
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On Friday, November 13th 1970, the Bhola Cyclone finally dissipated in present-day Bangladesh and India. This proved to be of little comfort, however, because the cyclone, which had formed almost a week earlier, resulted in up to 500 000 fatalities. The storm was one of the worst history had ever seen, causing nearly $87 million worth of damages. Bhola was also the deadliest tropical cyclone on record, completely devastating dozens of communities. It wasn’t until the 13th that it finally calmed down after peaking at sustained wind gusts of 115 miles-per-hour in the days prior, leaving people to rebuild in the face of tragedy.
Struck by Lightning
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Just how coincidentally unlucky can one get? Well, how about getting struck by lightning on Friday the 13th, at 1:13 pm, a.k.a. 13:13 in military time? Multiple news outlets reported an unnamed boy as being struck by lightning at this exact time and date while attending an air show in Suffolk, U.K. First responders at the scene took him to a local hospital for a minor burn, while two other attendees also received care following the incident. The entire incident was terrifying, but thankfully, everyone involved was said to be okay.
Black Friday Fires
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There have been a number of deadly bushfire blazes in Australia over the years, including this one from January 13th, 1939. Bushfires are unfortunately commonplace in Australia, thanks to the deadly mix of high temperatures, low humidity, and fire-prone eucalyptus trees. 1939 was, by all accounts, a particularly hot and troublesome year for bushfires in the state of Victoria. However, this event, nicknamed “The Black Friday Bushfires,” was particularly troublesome as it reportedly impacted over 3/4 of the area’s population in one way or another. More than seventy people sadly died as a result.
Buckingham Palace Explosion
It seems morbid to think that the bombing of Buckingham Palace could be broadcast in cinemas to the U.K. populous. However, the year was 1940, and people were struggling amid the global conflict. The Palace was actually the target of multiple attacks throughout World War II, but this one from Friday, September 13th, 1940 proved to be among the most terrifying and damaging. Queen Elizabeth and King George VI were reportedly within the Palace’s walls when multiple explosives hit the structure, notably wrecking the chapel. The royals survived, but a few staff members were injured.
Sam Patch’s Death
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Sam Patch was the first American daredevil to receive public renown and fame, becoming known after surviving a dive into the Niagara River in 1829. However, a different jump on Friday November 13th 1829 proved fatal, as he attempted to land into New York’s Genesee River. He had actually done the exact same stunt a week earlier, and was successful. This time, however, he increased the difficulty level, deciding to dive from higher up. Sadly, his descent did not go as planned, and the atmospheric shift in temperature during the jump reportedly caused his death. Patch’s body was recovered the next year.
Stock Market Crash
Is Friday the 13th the best or worst day for a stock market crash to occur? We’re not sure, but this one has been labeled the “Friday the 13th mini-crash.” As its name suggests, it took place on Friday, October 13th 1989. Some pinpoint the dissolution of a buyout deal for United Airlines’ parent company, UAL Corporation, becoming public knowledge as the cause. Regardless of what exactly led to the crash though, its impacts were significant. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, for instance, was down over 190 points by the day’s end. Additionally, the NASDAQ Composite, the S&P 500 Index and the Dow Jones Transportation Average also fell, like financial dominos.
The Andes Flight Disaster
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Sixteen people made it out of the Andes Flight Disaster of 1972 alive, but not without cost. That’s because the airline tragedy became as well-known for the behavior of its survivors as it was for their miraculous rescue. The Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashed on Friday October 13th, killing 12 of the 45 people on board. Conditions were extremely difficult, and many more soon died as a result. The others were forced into cannibalism in order to survive. Over two months after the accident, after some survivors undertook an expedition to find help, the group was saved. Oddly enough, this was just one of two different Friday the 13th aviation disasters that year, with the other being a plane crash near Moscow.
Arrest of the Knights Templar
It’s been said that the idea of Friday the 13th being unlucky dates back to the arrest of the infamous Knights Templar order’s members back in 1307. This myth, however, is believed to be wholly inaccurate. But King Philip IV of France did indeed have many of the French Templar knights jailed and tormented starting on Friday, October 13th of that year, a move with far-reaching consequences. Accusations of ritualistic and occult practices soon arose from rumor and attached themselves permanently to the order. Meanwhile, official charges of corruption and fraud resulted in some of its members being killed, though the organization itself survived until 1312.
