On December 26, 2004, a 9.0 earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused a devastating tsunami that effected every country in the region, traveled 3,000 miles to the east coast of Africa and continued on effecting waters all over the globe. Shortly thereafter, storms generating in the Pacific Ocean swept into the Western United States and for fifteen days dropped up to 31 inches of rain in some lowland areas and up to 20 feet of snow in the mountain regions. Saturated hillsides turned into sliding mud rivers burying several homes and taking several lives as the land gave way. The force of overflowing river waters eroded the foundation of nearby houses, and they were lost to the river. Creeks became rapid rivers and took out bridges and roads. Landslides and rockslides took out highways and buried people in their cars. Flood waters rose making roads impassable, and rescue efforts dangerous. Volcanoes have since erupted in various places around the globe. Do these events have any relationship to one another, or is this simply coincidental? Question: "What, if any, effect do natural events that occur in one region of the earth have upon other regions in general and upon California in particular?"