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Learn how locals survive earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan, a furnace-hot desert in Ethiopia and a cataclysmic rise in sea level in Bangladesh.
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00:23You might be warm in bed tonight, but look at these places.
00:27Welcome to 72 of the world's most dangerous places to live.
00:32Some people choose to live here, but would you even dare to visit?
00:36In fact, thousands of tourists flock to dangerous destinations every year.
00:41Some are on extreme journeys in pursuit of an authentic experience, ticking the adventure
00:46tourism box.
00:47They're remote, hard to get to, and a risk you may never forget.
00:52These are places that may feel unnerving, unbelievable.
00:56They may trap your attention or be seemingly harmless, but the time bomb is ticking, ready
01:03to take you by surprise.
01:0572 dangerous places to live.
01:08Some call it home sweet home.
01:10Others, no looks can be deceiving.
01:13First up, a double disaster in less than an hour, wiping out entire communities.
01:24The effects of a great earthquake are felt around the world.
01:29One that hit harder than most was the 2011 magnitude 9 earthquake that struck off the northeastern
01:35coast of Japan.
01:38The terrible tsunami that followed was some 33 feet high and penetrated up to 6 miles inland,
01:45taking approximately 15,000 lives and leaving hundreds of thousands displaced.
01:52Situated in the Pacific Ocean, in the area known as the Ring of Fire, and in a meeting of several
01:58tectonic plates, Japan, one of the most earthquake-prone countries
02:02in the world, is greatly exposed to volcanic eruptions and highly susceptible to tsunamis.
02:11The 2011 earthquake struck offshore at a subduction zone where two tectonic plates collide.
02:18So far-reaching was the hit that it shifted Earth's rotational axis by 17 centimeters and shattered
02:25icebergs in Antarctica.
02:29Because earthquakes are so frequent, buildings are constructed to withstand powerful tremors.
02:35And in 2007, an early warning system was created to notify people of an immediate quake and
02:41alert industry to stop high-speed machinery such as trains and construction equipment.
02:47At 2.46 PM on that fateful day, cell phones across the country buzzed a warning, prompting
02:54people to die for cover moments before the violent shaking started.
02:59An action that saved many lives.
03:14Much worse was the aftermath of the tsunami.
03:17The tidal wave was as fast as a commercial plane with surface speeds of up to 500 mph.
03:24Hardest hit was the city of Sendai.
03:27Thousands along the coast ran for their lives, but thousands were taken.
03:33years on, many find themselves still recovering from the devastation and accepting that their
03:40geography places them at the mercy of the environment.
03:47Each danger zone featured in 72 dangerous places will be ranked according to lifestyle, potential
03:53threat, what help is available, and whether you will survive.
03:57Survival and fear are different for everyone.
03:59Will your top 10 dangerous places match ours?
04:03Many years later, Japan is still trying to pick up the pieces and reestablish homes.
04:08But being constantly on the move is key to survival in our next place to live.
04:18It's one of the lowest, driest, hottest, most dangerous spots.
04:23And then on top of that, you've got this volcano.
04:26Our resident thrill seeker, George Koronis, has a fascination with everything dangerous,
04:31and volcanoes are high on his bucket list.
04:33The first time I ever experienced a volcano and went inside a volcano was back in 2004 at
04:40a place called Erta Ale in Ethiopia, and it just so happens that it's one of the most
04:45difficult and dangerous volcanoes to get to, and one of the most inaccessible places in
04:49the world.
04:50It's in the Ethiopian Danakil Desert, which is known as the hottest inhabited place in
04:56the world.
04:56The average annual temperature in this region is just over 34 degrees Celsius, with temperatures
05:02in the 50s often topping the scale.
05:05And at night, it doesn't get much cooler.
05:07Adding to the furnace is the gara, or aptly named fire wind.
05:12Much like facing an endless hair dryer, no matter what time of the day or year, there
05:17is little relief from the heat.
05:19For a tourist, and there are few to this area, it's a massive leap out of any comfort zone.
05:24For the local AFA people, this is their everyday.
05:27They work hard in sweltering conditions, harvesting salt with primitive tools, shaping it into blocks,
05:34and sending it to market by camel.
05:36Whilst salt is their livelihood, camels keep these communities alive.
05:41The AFA have survived these unforgiving conditions for over 2,000 years, and number around 1.5 million
05:48throughout the country.
05:50The Danakil Desert takes up much of Ethiopia, but in the northeastern corner of the country
05:55is the Danakil Depression.
05:57It's over 100 meters below sea level, and is considered to be one of the lowest points
06:01on Earth, not covered by water.
06:03The town of Dallol is not only one of the hottest places on Earth, but also one of the most
06:09remote.
06:11The Danakil Depression boasts a landscape foreign to the rest of the world, at times even alien-like.
06:17From hot springs that are highly acidic, to pillars of salt, caused mainly due to erosion
06:22that rise 40 meters high.
06:25In amongst this desolate ecosystem is the gateway to hell.
06:29It's a shield volcano that has a very low elevation, formed from a lot of very fluid lava,
06:35and at the summit is a very rare phenomenon, a lake of lava.
06:41There are only about five places in the world that have permanent lakes of lava, and this is
06:45one of them.
06:46George's journey to the lake of lava at Urta Ale, which means the smoking mountain,
06:51was challenging, but that's how he likes it.
06:54After several days traveling in four-wheel drives, the reality hit that the cars could
07:00go no further.
07:01We had to abandon the vehicles and hire the local nomads with camels to transport our equipment
07:07up the side of this volcano.
07:09We camped out there for a few days, and it was just spectacular.
07:12It was this beautiful, beautiful alien landscape of just rock in every single direction.
07:19Nothing living, nothing, just this pit.
07:22And the lake of lava had formed a crust over top of it, which is very rare here, and that
07:27almost never happens.
07:29My original plan was to put on my heat protective suit and rappel down inside to a ledge overlooking
07:35the lake of lava.
07:36What I ended up doing was rappelling down and setting foot on top of the crust of the lava
07:42lake.
07:42Although the surface of the volcanic crust was cool enough to walk on, the lava underneath
07:47can reach temperatures of over 1,000 degrees centigrade, or almost 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
07:54But those hidden dangers didn't deter George.
07:58I was able to walk on top of the crust.
08:01It was really extraordinarily dangerous, but it was a first for me and likely a world's
08:09first.
08:10Taking those first steps from mankind was like stepping into the unknown.
08:14With each footprint came new risk.
08:16We didn't know how thick the crust was.
08:19We knew it was brand new.
08:21George's team had only one way to test it.
08:23We were able to take boulders and throw them over the edge and watch them crash into the
08:29crust.
08:30So we knew it was pretty solid because nothing was going through.
08:33I remained tethered the entire time.
08:35But even though I was tethered to a rope, if I were to fall through, they wouldn't have
08:40much of me to pull out.
08:42There'd be a few charred bones.
08:44But the danger is ever present when walking on lava.
08:47And at one point, which was frightening, I was walking on top of the crust and the piece
08:52I was standing on dropped.
08:55Luckily, there was just an airspace underneath that dropped maybe less than a foot.
09:01But it scared the crap out of me.
09:04George's team left nothing to chance.
09:06There was a tremendous amount of preparation, planning, and equipment that went into this
09:12descent into the volcano.
09:13Urta Ale is just one element to an incredible landscape.
09:17A landscape full of dangers for the uninitiated.
09:21But for the locals, it's a case of adapting to a life of extremes.
09:27A land of wild contrasts and an incredible adaption of the human race to one of the hottest places on
09:33earth.
09:33But from one extreme to another, it's time to rug up.
09:39Minus 30 degrees Celsius is warm for a winter's day in the small Russian village of Oymyakon.
09:45In fact, if you live here, this would probably mean you could stay outside for longer than 30 minutes
09:51before needing to quickly retreat back to the wharf.
09:54But for travelers, it's a lifestyle that can be an incredible shock.
09:59Well, we've been driving all night.
10:01In fact, it's been more than a thousand kilometers from Yakutsk up to here.
10:06We're now actually finally on the outskirts of Oymyakon, which holds the record for the world's
10:11coldest inhabited place, fortunately for us.
10:14This morning, it's only a barbie minus 42.
10:18Apart from the cold, and we're talking a village record of minus 67.7 degrees Celsius,
10:25what really stands out about Oymyakon is its sheer remoteness.
10:29When you check this town out on a map, you're not going to see much else.
10:32With a population of around 500 people, working together makes this community a much warmer place to be.
10:39There is no wind.
10:41That's the reason it gets so cold.
10:43It just turns into like a giant deep freeze.
10:46And you've got these poor people that live in that deep freeze.
10:49But they seem to do that very well.
10:51To survive in this village, the townsfolk have expertly utilized what's on offer.
10:56From creating incredibly warm garments from the fur of the animals,
10:59to double glazing and central heating in its roughest form.
11:03The locals, they're inside what looks like very decrepit, crappy buildings.
11:09But in actual fact, the Russians are absolutely superb.
11:13At insulating things.
11:15A second window is always taped to the first one with matches in between to leave an air gap.
11:21And it's the air gap that keeps the windows very insulated.
11:24The locals only go outside for two reasons.
11:27To collect water, which they have to cut a hole in the river to get it.
11:31And to collect firewood.
11:33Because in the winter, very little else can go on up there.
11:37So if you are a visitor and you do want to venture outdoors to explore,
11:42an act that the locals would probably see as illogical, being prepared is essential.
11:48Every bit of gear that we wore there was what a mountaineer would wear to summit Everest.
11:53So, top of the line gear.
11:55If you didn't have it and something went wrong, you die.
11:58There's no, there's no oafs or buts.
12:01If your car breaks down, you don't have that gear, you die.
12:08Survival is clearly paramount.
12:10Children are only allowed to play outside for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
12:14There are central boilers run by firewood or coal that are linked to the homes to heat them.
12:19And communal cars are left running 24 hours a day,
12:23as you can't start a car in minus 50 when it's frozen solid.
12:27Daily life is often not what you expect when exploring a new destination.
12:32There are no dryers around.
12:35Nope. So, regardless of the season, everybody hangs their laundry out to dry,
12:40even when it's minus 50.
12:42How do you wear this?
12:43You'd think it'd just freeze and then bring it inside and it'd be wet again,
12:47but they say that you leave it out for three days, approximately.
12:51It's stiff, but almost completely dry.
12:53And they say nothing's fresher than frozen laundry.
12:55You wouldn't dare to put this on, Harry.
12:59There is relief from the cold.
13:01In June and July, the temperature has never dropped lower than minus 10 degrees Celsius,
13:06with the thermometer often climbing into the low 30s.
13:09I would not want to go to Omicron in the summer because, just like Alaska,
13:15you go from freezing cold to festering hot, humidity, and a squadron of mosquitoes.
13:23It's mosquito hell in Omicron in the summer.
13:27Don't even think about going there.
13:29So, the takeaway message, make this town your ultimate winter adventure, but be warned.
13:35But minus 51, yeah, it's the kind of cold that's so cold it hurts.
13:40Any exposed anything is, um, it's so cold it feels like the surface of the skin is almost burning.
13:47Colder temperatures have been recorded in Antarctica at Vostok Research Station.
13:52However, the residents of Oymyakon have no doubt they live in the coldest town in the world
13:58and enthusiastically claim the title Pole of Cold.
14:02This is the ultimate test of extreme cold.
14:05This is a cup of boiling water.
14:13Moving from the ultimate winter adventure in a community of around 500,
14:17to a hothouse with almost 18 million, it's not only a cultural onslaught,
14:21but yet another case of how on earth to survive.
14:27Sometimes we're the greatest danger to ourselves.
14:30When we live in ever-increasing numbers in one place,
14:33our welfare isn't jeopardized by the extremes of the elements or by predators.
14:39We are the threat.
14:41This is Delhi, India.
14:43And a mass migration here by millions from surrounding rural areas
14:47has placed incredible pressure on aging infrastructure.
14:51A growing demand on groundwater means the water table beneath parts of Delhi
14:55has fallen so much that wells and bores have run dry.
14:59In some areas where a water supply is accessible,
15:02it is contaminated by raw sewerage,
15:05because less than half of domestic and industrial sewerage here is treated.
15:09It's also estimated that around half of the water that is pumped around Delhi
15:13is wasted because of poor maintenance of a pipe network under high demand.
15:18For the millions of Delhi residents, even the weather is not on side.
15:23A shift in the seasonal cycles means the relief once provided
15:27by the regular monsoonal showers is no longer guaranteed.
15:31Growing up, you'd wait for what we call an andhi, a squall.
15:36It was short, it was intense, but it used to come nearly every evening,
15:40sometime in the beginning of the summer.
15:42That's completely disappeared.
15:44This year, there's not a drop.
15:46It's completely dry.
15:48Some estimates say 2017 Delhi, 15 million people are going to be without water.
15:54It's quite scary living in Delhi and knowing that.
15:59Also under pressure is the road network.
16:03Every day, the arteries to the heart of India are blocked by millions of vehicles and pedestrians.
16:09For locals, this kind of mayhem is entirely normal.
16:13Delhi is a mad, chaotic place at first glance, but there is a method to the madness somewhere.
16:20While near misses and little nudges don't seem to cause much road rage,
16:24the reality is that accidents kill motorists and pedestrians every day.
16:28Something that will not surprise any visitors sharing these roads with locals.
16:34I'm used to driving in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and in Naples, in Italy.
16:39And I'm talking about some really crazy traffics, but I have never seen anything like that.
16:45There's no common sense.
16:47The vehicles, since you have the right of the way, are the ones with the craziest drivers.
16:53With the penalty for many serious traffic offenses costing about the price of a chocolate bar,
16:58the law doesn't seem strict enough to prevent rampant violation of traffic rules.
17:03There are no rules. Everything is possible.
17:06I have many near misses with people, with animals, and even with trucks and
17:11tractors on the roads that were coming on the wrong side of the road.
17:16If you can drive the New Delhi traffic, you can drive anywhere else in the world.
17:21With the amount of vehicles on the roads increasing daily, pollution is also skyrocketing.
17:26Making Delhi one of the most polluted places in the world.
17:30Tiny airborne particulates, known as PM2.5, the residual byproduct left behind when fossil fuels
17:38are burned, are at a dangerously high level, 20 times higher than deemed safe by the World Health
17:43Organization. These microscopic fragments are so fine, they're able to penetrate deep into the lungs,
17:50causing chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, and even heart disease.
17:55Delhi is one of the world's most popular postcodes, but with the triple threat of toxic air,
18:00water shortages, and wall-to-wall traffic that is so out of control, it's Delhi's leading cause of death.
18:07This is one place where you won't find safety in numbers.
18:14From living on top of each other in a city, to cramped conditions at sea,
18:19it's all aboard for a lifestyle that pushes your boundaries.
18:25Sailors, those truly great adventurers who have bravely attempted to tame the angry sea
18:30cities since the beginning of civilization, know too well what it's like to live in rough, confined conditions.
18:39There are plenty of willing souls wanting to put themselves in harm's way sailing around the globe,
18:44and one of the biggest challenges for a modern sailor to tackle is the Clipper Around the World Yacht Race.
18:51Every two years, this epic race is held, and across 11 months, crews drawn from 44 nations chance their hands
18:59sailing 14 races, covering 40,000 nautical miles. Many of the race stages make their way through some
19:07of the most dangerous waters on Earth, including the Southern Ocean. Why do it, you ask?
19:13I needed a challenge. I needed something big to, you know, just big to do, and I think the Southern
19:20Ocean's
19:20what's really appealing to me. But what makes this race special is that Clipper Yachts are crewed by
19:26amateur sailors. Many have never set foot on a yacht. It's a new challenge. It's something entirely
19:34different for me, and I feel like right at this point in my life, that's what I need to keep
19:38me motivated,
19:39keep me training. It's not enjoyable to walk into a challenge being a complete beginner,
19:45and I'm someone who gets really frustrated when I don't know things. Each Clipper Yacht has at
19:50least one experienced crew member, the Skipper. But even they are facing a huge task, guiding a rookie
19:57team around the globe through treacherous waters and into real risk. I think, to be honest, they're a
20:04little bit nervous. You know, we're going to go out and go and find some pretty heavy, heavy weather systems.
20:09So that is certainly playing with the crew's minds. It's going to be colder further south. It's going to be
20:14more physically demanding.
20:17When tackling waves as high as a nine-storey building, winds 100 miles an hour, things can go wrong.
20:24And when they do, the stakes are high.
20:38Andrew Taylor was suddenly alone, set adrift in a raging oceanic storm, out of sight from his yacht, with no
20:46way back.
20:47I didn't know if you were looking for me or not. The next thing I knew, I hit the runner.
20:52It's a big flash of verbal, smack on the runner.
20:56Jeez, it's about to be, isn't it?
21:01This story ended well, with Andrew Taylor rescued by his teammates and safely back ashore for medical treatment.
21:08But it only takes a moment, a shift of wind or a rogue wave, and then there can be a
21:13very different outcome.
21:22When you're living on a yacht, there's the chance you can sail from harm's way.
21:26But spare a thought for our next community. Danger hits hard, and there is practically no way to escape.
21:35When it comes to natural disasters, Haiti seems to have a target on its back.
21:41This third world country is geographically placed in an area constantly working against it.
21:47While the country enjoys the tropical waters and exotic marine life of the Caribbean Sea,
21:52it also means dealing with earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, storms, floods, and mudslides.
22:00Combine that with poverty, disease, poor building standards, deforestation, and some serious bad luck,
22:06and you'd be hard-pressed to find anywhere more trying to live.
22:11But millions call this home and have to make do, rebuilding and attempting to move on after disaster strikes.
22:18It's right on track for passing hurricanes, plus it sits helplessly on the boundary of two tectonic plates.
22:262008 saw the country in turmoil when it was hit by not one, but four tropical storms and hurricanes.
22:33The people of Haiti have a strong will in the face of ruin, still picking up the pieces of their
22:38homes.
22:40Two years on, even greater disaster rocked the country.
22:43A magnitude 7 earthquake devastated Haiti and triggered several tsunamis.
22:49Many thousands of people lost their lives and millions were displaced.
22:54Years later, the country is still rebuilding.
22:57The horror of 2010 will forever stay in the minds of the locals.
23:02While misfortune is involved, their vulnerability is increased by poverty,
23:06making it harder to shelter against the storms.
23:10But this is life, and despite the circumstances, there's still reason to smile.
23:15There is a vibrant, colorful side to Haiti that beckons the keen explorer.
23:22From toughing it out in Haiti to a way of life that's crumbling, eroding,
23:27leaving many homeless and forced to leave their cultural heritage.
23:36In the shimmering sub-Saharan desert of West Africa is the UNESCO World Heritage Site,
23:43Land of the Dogans.
23:44The Dogan are a traditional people living on the cliff of Bandiagara in villages scattered
23:50between the three natural regions, sandstone plateau, escarpment and plains.
23:56For thousands of years, the Dogan people have entrenched themselves in the landscape,
24:01hanging to cliff faces and using the elements to live high on the plateau.
24:05As if it weren't challenging enough to live in a desert that sees temperatures of well over 50 degrees
24:11Celsius and contend with both droughts and torrential rains, the community has built houses out of mud
24:17along and under sandstone cliffs, mostly along a 200 kilometer stretch of escarpment.
24:24Like many other ancient civilizations, the exact origins of the Dogan are closer to myth than fact.
24:31One legend speaks of the magical flying powers of the first inhabitants of the region,
24:36whose remains are too high up to reach today.
24:40The Dogan are known for their art, music and craft, especially their masks used in their intricate
24:46rituals, rites of passage, ancient worships and dances.
24:50The cultural traditions are among the best preserved in West Africa, and the community's religion is
24:57heavily linked to their architectural heritage and environment.
25:00In certain places, however, structures have become fragile, and the link between traditional practices
25:06and where they live have become vulnerable.
25:09The site is an impressive amalgamation of culture, geology and environmental features,
25:15but degradation of the environment is leading to populations leaving the villages on the steep escarpments
25:21of the plains. The land of the Dogan is fragile, but despite the incredibly harsh environment they live
25:28and survive in, life here remains peaceful, colorful, and authentic to their age-old traditions.
25:37From a life carved into a sandy landscape to the white sands of an island paradise, two very different
25:43cultures, both dealing with the force of nature. Say aloha to Hawaii, land of endless sun, tropical rainforests,
25:55pristine beaches, and gnarly waves to surf. While the lifestyle here is as laid back as they come,
26:02it took something extraordinarily intense and explosive to make Hawaii what it is today.
26:10The island chain of Hawaii are all volcanoes of various ages. What's happened there is that the
26:16Pacific plate is slowly drifting over top of this mantle plume, this hot spot, and as that surface
26:26travels over the hot spot, new islands are formed, and then they eventually erode and a new island forms.
26:31So the further west you are in Hawaii, the older the islands are. The big island of Hawaii,
26:37the newest island, is still being formed today. The Aloha State, stretching over 350 miles across
26:45the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This geologically unique island paradise faces destruction by the
26:50very force that created it, especially on the big island of Hawaii, where Kilauea and Mauna Loa's
26:57activity is a very real ongoing threat. Choosing to live in a paradise born by such red-hot beginnings
27:05means being aware of what could happen. The thing with the volcanoes in Hawaii is that the lava tends
27:12to be very slow moving and they don't tend to be explosive. Don't let this deceive you. Whatever lies
27:18in the way of a lava flow will flee, be trapped, or go up in flames. Kilauea has been erupting
27:25since the
27:26early 80s and it's very active. It's erupting pretty much every day in one manner or another. And the lava
27:33always has the right of way. There have been entire neighborhoods that are now completely buried in lava.
27:39Every now and then Kilauea does have explosive activity, but not recently.
27:47One of the interesting things that happens at Kilauea, the lava will flow from the volcano and pour
27:52over the side. Once it hits the seawater, it cools, hardens, and forms a bench of rock that is extending
27:59the actual real estate of the island. And there are times when there's been tourists out there at Kilauea,
28:06very close to these lava benches. And if that collapses, it can just be extremely dangerous.
28:12You can have local tsunamis. You can have lava flying through the air. You can have small
28:15explosions, steam, just all kinds of hazards. Flying rocks, killer gas clouds, and scalding
28:22hot ocean waves are not on the minds of most holiday makers who want to relax and enjoy the
28:27beautiful scenery. But forgetting to pack your safety comes first attitude could see you striking
28:33misfortune. Also home to the world's largest volcano, Hawaii's Mauna Loa isn't shy to blow its top.
28:41Every few decades, it has a large eruption of very fast moving fluid lava. It erupts tremendous
28:49volumes of lava, usually spurting from these lava fountains that can be hundreds of meters in the air.
28:56Very dramatic when it does eventually go. What's more of a threat is the poison gas,
29:02sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide. Those gases can kill you dead. Things such as acid rain caused by
29:08sulfur dioxide gas can destroy crops and cause famine. All of that from a threat that's plain to
29:14see. But there's more where that came from. What a lot of people don't know is that beneath the surface,
29:21off the coast of the big island, is Loihi. It's a new island that is yet to be born. It
29:26is still
29:27deep under water. And the volcano there is part of the same system that created all of the Hawaiian
29:32islands. And that lava is slowly building up. At some point, it will become a tropical paradise.
29:39Just remember, when in Hawaii, do as the Hawaiians do and respect their land. Leave the lava rocks behind
29:46as they're governed by Pele, the goddess of fire and considered sacred. If taken off the island,
29:52it's believed you'll suffer a misfortune. The choice is yours. Hawaii, it's one of these rare gems on earth
29:59where you can get up close to actual liquid rock. How cool is that?
30:12Hawaii draws millions of visitors each year. But our next spot, once on the tourist go-to list,
30:19presents a community coming to terms with loss. Sometimes it's not the place, the elements,
30:27or predators that make a location dangerous. In Uganda, the threat literally lies within.
30:34But in Uganda, every single day a child dies of malaria. And yet, malaria can be treated with less
30:41than a dollar if you treat it effectively in its early stages. And so, with less than a dollar,
30:47we can save a child. Danger in this Central African nation comes from disease. And where this
30:53preventable mosquito-borne infection is claiming thousands of children, there's a good chance any
30:59young Ugandan who has avoided malaria is one of a generation of orphans. Their parents victims of
31:05another disease for which there is still no cure. Uganda is one of the countries that has led the fight
31:12against HIV-AIDS. But in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, HIV had a free ride on this country,
31:22ravaging the population, leaving many children without parents. Uganda is a nation of 33 million people,
31:31and with 2,500,000 children that are without parents.
31:37From the moment his own family was devastated by HIV-AIDS, David Zajon has been dealing with the
31:43epidemic's consequences head-on. I am the youngest of four boys, and I am the only one who lives.
31:51All my brothers died because of AIDS. In 1995, when my eldest brother was dying on his hospital bed,
32:00the last statement he made before a day was, David, please take care of the children.
32:06I was in my second year of high school. I was 17 years of age. So I dropped out of
32:13school to become
32:14a parent, a full-time parent, taking care of the three children that my brother left behind.
32:21And so in my heart I thought and felt that I was going to do more for orphaned children than
32:28just for
32:29my nephews and niece. When David got married, his new wife was in a similar position,
32:36and the couple started life together with an instant family of 11 nieces and nephews,
32:41all orphaned due to disease. And so for us it was an indicator that we had a role to play
32:48in reversing
32:49the impact and the effect of orphanhood due to HIV-AIDS and poverty and disease here in Uganda.
32:57They've made it their mission to give orphans a new family environment, placing them with widows and
33:02enlisting the skills of organizations such as Australia's Fair Trady project to help build new
33:08homes as more children arrive on their doorstep in the town of Jinja.
33:13Every child is vested with potential. Every child has abilities and talents in them. All they need is
33:21someone to love them and to come alongside with them and say, you know what, I can dream with you
33:27so
33:27that you grow up to be the person you were meant to be. Living in Uganda with disease has tested
33:33the
33:33entire nation and has left a generation of orphans in its wake. But the Zajjans are living proof that
33:39disease cannot extinguish the human spirit. In the process of moving forward, Uganda is starting to
33:50refuel its reputation for safari-style adventures. And tourism is also a key feature of our next
33:56destination. At number 72 on our list, the name says it all.
34:04Scandinavia, one of the coolest corners of the globe. Along the Midwest coast of Norway, locals
34:11enjoy mild summers with the temperatures dropping below freezing in winter. Probably one of the last
34:16places you'd expect to find Hell. But you won't find millions of screaming souls burning in the fires of
34:26damnation here. You'll have a much better chance of finding around 1500 Norwegians who call Hell home.
34:32Neither will you find non-believers eternally separated from God in the afterlife here. You're
34:38more likely to find this sign at the local train station. God's expedition is Old Norse for cargo handling.
34:45Hell is old Norwegian name. Originally it was Hellir, which means cliff cave or overhang. And by the way,
34:53also Hell means luck in Norwegian. Don't ever make a bet around here based on Hell freezing over.
34:59Because in winter, Hell literally does freeze over. Pledging something come Hell or high water?
35:05Careful what you wish for. During a wintry storm surge on the waterfront here, you'll have both Hell and high
35:12water. I think people expect Hell to be hot all year around, but it's rather cold here. Sometimes in
35:19February, March, it's dropped down to 20 below zero. It's snowing, we go skating, we go skiing.
35:27Dangerous? Hardly. Remember, this is Hell on Earth, so you can leave. As well as welcoming you in,
35:34the gates of Hell here in Norway also let you out. For the locals though, their last stop will always
35:40be Hell. For them, there is no better place to live than right here. It's Hell, but it's home.
35:50Hell comes in at number 72. But what is our number one dangerous place to live? Let the countdown begin.
36:01In this series, we've ranked 72 of the most dangerous places to live in this world.
36:07But there are 13 of them that stand out from the rest. Here's our list of the worst.
36:14Number 13 is a toxic nest in a pristine environment. La Rinconada boasts its location as the highest
36:21inhabited place in the world. When in fact, it is a deadly cocktail of raw sewage, garbage,
36:26and mercury. A city that promises riches of gold, but delivers very little. From the top of the world
36:35to the bottom of the globe, number 12, Antarctica, is relentless. Every day is cold. Every day is
36:41blustery. Every day, there is no escaping the harsh elements. Pushing the cold aside,
36:48enter Vanuatu at 11 on the list. A subtropical climate, a year-round summer holiday. But with summer
36:54comes the cyclone season. On top of this, Yasser Volcano is constantly throwing up lava. A fireworks
37:01display with disaster in the waiting. Australia claims number 10, with a spot you won't find on
37:10any map. Whittanoon. Once a prosperous mining town, now a lethal legacy to a silent killer. It's no longer a
37:17case of choosing not to live here. It's more a case of enter at your own risk. Don't go. It
37:24is simply not
37:25worth your life. Taking a risk when you head to the Philippines probably isn't in your mindset when
37:31booking your holiday. But when the tide turns, it's epic. Earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons are all in the mix,
37:40putting this region at number 9. Equally epic is Japan at number 8 on our list. Not only vulnerable
37:48to mother nature, but when a 15-meter tsunami causes a nuclear accident, this takes catastrophe to a new
37:54level. Disaster awaits at number 7. Mount Vesuvius in Italy is set to create another Pompeii as it explodes
38:04over in Naples. It could happen today, tomorrow, next year. But when it erupts, millions of people
38:11will be at risk. Facing the fear of mother nature is not on everyone's agenda. But if you're keen,
38:17you can jump on board a storm chaser tour and head into the heart of Tornado Alley in the USA.
38:26With only a 13-minute lead time ahead of a deadly storm, living here comes in at number 6.
38:34The wind is also a major factor in an Australian bushfire. Much of the country is susceptible,
38:39and when the wind suddenly changes direction, so does the fire. Staying to defend your property
38:45could cost you your life. If it's a hot spot of trouble you're looking for, then head to Guatemala.
38:52Coming in at fourth on our list, this country is one of the most vulnerable in the world. From landslides
38:58and hurricanes to volcanic activity. Catastrophe in this country not only happens, it is expected,
39:04and it's expected to be big.
39:10The big factor behind so many of the dangerous places to live in the world is climate change,
39:16and our next couple of positions will be hit the most. The Maldives at number 3 has a high point
39:22of
39:22less than 2 meters above sea level. One severe storm could take out several islands, but the rising
39:28sea levels could take it all. Kiribati isn't waiting for a storm. In less than 100 years, these low-lying
39:37coral atolls will most likely disappear. Submerging into a rising ocean with no land left, this will mean
39:45the relocation of an entire country. We will see total massive destruction. But taking number one spot on
39:55our list of 72 dangerous places to live is up next. The largest mangrove forest in the world is the
40:05Sundarbans, a vast river delta on the border between Bangladesh and India. Over 4 million people live in
40:12the delta country, and on two fronts, this has become one of the most dangerous places to set up home.
40:20Satellite imagery shows that the sea level in the Sundarbans has risen at a rate over 3 centimeters
40:26each year for the past two decades. To many scientists, the Sundarbans appear to be a lost cause.
40:33At this rate, its largest island, Sagar, will be gone by 2020.
40:40As well as sea level rises, Bangladesh is also in an area of extreme weather.
40:46For Bangladesh, it's not so much the monsoon floods or the water coming from the highlands
40:52down to the coast, which causes the flooding. It's actually water which is driven from the ocean
40:58onto the land by very large and intense cyclones.
41:02Most of the islands are becoming uninhabitable, and yet many millions stay on, even though nature
41:09will eventually claim all of the land. Bangladesh is a risky place to live. It's only going to get
41:15riskier with climate change. It suffers from only being a few meters above sea level. So when you have
41:22a really high energy event like a cyclone, the storm surge that's associated with this cyclone can create a
41:30wall of water, which can be 2, 3, 5, even 7 meters higher than normal, which can have hugely devastating
41:37effects on the coastal areas of Bangladesh. The Sundarbans covers 10,000 square kilometers,
41:44with 60% in Bangladesh and the remainder in India. The Ganges River reaches its end in the delta,
41:51creating hundreds of small islands, most of which are inhabited. The extreme weather effects create
41:58another reason why the Sundarbans are not on the top of desirable places to live. Climate change is pitting
42:04man against tiger, with deadly consequences. 500 tigers are estimated to live in this UNESCO-listed
42:12heritage region. These Royal Bengal Tigers are the largest of the tiger species, and their numbers are
42:18decreasing. So too are the food supplies. As the waters rise, fresh water becomes saline, and food becomes scarce,
42:25for both the tigers and the people, bringing them closer together. The official figure on tiger-related
42:32deaths in the Sundarbans is put at 60 fatalities per year. Unofficially, this figure is much higher.
42:39The rising waters mean more of the villagers are venturing into the forest for food,
42:43and the tigers have worked this out, and can see a new food opportunity. The consequence of rising waters
42:50means much more than loss of land for the locals. The people of the Sundarbans are living on borrowed time.
42:57Their islands will be totally gone within 50 years. In the meantime, the battle between man and beasts
43:03will continue with no real winner. Nature and humanity are the losers here. Can we imagine a world without
43:10Bengal tigers? Couple this with the huge loss of human life every year in this unfortunate delta area,
43:17and what we have is a disaster that should not have happened. The Sundarbans is Asia's largest carbon sink,
43:25an area that mops up carbon dioxide. Scientists agree that it must survive to help prevent global warming.
43:32In the short term, this is more about homes and tigers, both of which are destined to be no more.
43:46Thousands upon thousands of people have died in this region due to natural disasters. Cyclones, flooding,
43:53rising sea levels, and even tigers have taken their toll, and will continue to do so for many
43:59centuries to come. Until, of course, the land disappears to the sea.
44:06For all of the places on our list of 72, there are many reasons to visit, explore,
44:12embark on an adventure, and take in the culture. As well as the opportunity to meet an incredible
44:17number of amazing people who live there. People who call these dangerous places home sweet home.
44:46ossians,
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