Disasters and Paranormal Activity: When Tragedy Leaves a Trace

During a recent investigation, our team encountered a case where a past disaster may have played a role in reported paranormal activity within a home. I’ll return to that case later in this article, but it prompted a larger question:

Do disasters — natural or otherwise — leave behind increased paranormal activity?

Curious, I began reviewing historical accounts, eyewitness reports, and publicly available photographs connected to major disasters. What I found was striking. Across different locations, time periods, and types of catastrophes, there are numerous claims of unexplained phenomena following large-scale loss of life.

Why Disasters Might Be Linked to Paranormal Claims

Rescue and recovery efforts following a major disaster.

From a paranormal perspective, the idea is not difficult to understand. Disasters often involve sudden, violent loss of life, leaving little time for awareness or closure. Some believe the victims may not immediately realize what has happened. Others suggest that emotional attachment — to loved ones, locations, or unfinished business — could cause individuals to linger.

Many people visiting memorials have reported sensations of presence, emotional shifts, or unexplained experiences. Whether psychological, environmental, or something beyond explanation, these reports consistently follow sites of tragedy.

What follows are several notable examples drawn from publicly reported accounts. These stories are not firsthand investigations by our team, and the images referenced are publicly available. They are included for historical and contextual purposes.

Moore, Oklahoma Tornado (2013)

May 20, 2013, an EF5 tornado tore through Moore, Oklahoma, destroying entire neighborhoods and killing 24 people — seven of them elementary school children.

Among the victims was nine-year-old Nicolas. His father, Scott McCabe, later stated that he believed his son remained present after the disaster.

An Oklahoma news outlet reported that McCabe noticed what he believed to be Nicolas’ face appearing in a Fourth of July photograph. The image showed Nicolas’ cousin playing with sparklers, while a blurred figure hovered in the background.

Skeptics quickly pointed to motion blur or camera artifact. McCabe, however, was unconvinced.

“I feel it. I feel that he’s here,” he stated. "They can say what they want. I believe he’s watching over us.”

Whether explained through grief, perception, or something unexplained, the photo remains part of the broader conversation about post-disaster experiences.

The Wellington Avalanche (1910)

Weather-related disasters are often cited as especially tragic due to their sudden and uncontrollable nature.

On March 1, 1910, near Wellington, Washington, lightning triggered the deadliest avalanche in U.S. history. Two trains — the Spokane Express and a mail train — were stranded after a week of heavy snowstorms. When rain followed the snow, conditions destabilized the mountain.

Lightning struck, the avalanche released, and trains were thrown nearly 150 feet downhill.

Ninety-six people were killed. Many bodies were not recovered for more than five months.

Today, Wellington is widely regarded by paranormal investigators as one of the most haunted locations in Washington State. Reports include:

• A woman wandering while humming or singing

• Sounds of children playing when no children are present

• Disembodied voices and screams

The prolonged recovery and isolation of victims are often cited as factors contributing to these claims.

Hurricane Katrina (2005)

Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. While the storm itself was catastrophic, the aftermath — levee failures, abandonment, and breakdown of infrastructure — compounded the devastation.

One account involves a National Guardsman who reported hearing a child’s laughter in a darkened area. He later discovered his weapon unloaded, shell casings on the floor, and the firearm several feet from where he had left it. No one else was found.

Charity Hospital in New Orleans, closed after the hurricane, has also been associated with reported sightings. Some photographs appear to show a lone figure in a window, and one image allegedly captured a lit Christmas tree — despite the building having no power for years.

These photos were sourced from public archives and were not taken by our team.

A Local Case: The Mianus River Bridge Collapse

As promised earlier, I want to return to our own investigation.

On June 28, 1983, just after midnight, a structural pin failed on the I-95 Mianus River Bridge in Connecticut. The collapse sent multiple vehicles into the river, killing three people and injuring several others.

In mid-February, our team investigated a home located along the banks of the Mianus River.

While traveling to the case, I experienced a vision: a person standing near water, and a woman observing the same body of water from her home. I mentioned this to a team member, who confirmed the house was located directly along the river and that some of the reported activity appeared related.

While waiting outside, I found myself standing exactly where I had envisioned. I then perceived three individuals walking from the river. Moments later, with my back turned, I heard what sounded like a loud crash.

When I turned, I saw a bridge collapsing into the river, vehicles falling with it. I told David, “That bridge collapsed.” I asked him to look up bridge collapses. The Mianus River Bridge immediately came up.

The homeowner has reported full-body apparitions and shadow figures moving across the property. On one occasion, an apparition appeared so lifelike that the homeowner exited the house with a firearm — only to discover no one was there.

These sightings are not necessarily isolated. Given the history of the area, it is possible others along both sides of the river have experienced similar phenomena.

Our investigation is ongoing.

Final Thoughts: Disasters and Paranormal Activity

Disasters leave permanent marks on landscapes — and on people. Whether the experiences described after these events are paranormal, psychological, environmental, or something else entirely remains open to interpretation.

I encourage readers to explore these cases for themselves. Read critically. Keep an open mind. Question sources — including ours.

History is full of tragedy. Whether those events leave behind something unseen is a question each person must answer on their own.