Nature Doesn't Ask Permission: 22 Photos Showing Who's Really in Charge (23 photos)

Nature doesn't give fair warning. It simply acts—leaving humans to deal with the aftermath: a melted kayak, a tree crashed into the living room, a car trapped under a block of ice, or an umbrella flying away right when it was needed most. These 22 photos aren't staged, nor are they a stroke of luck. Each one captures the exact moment Mother Nature asserted her dominance, leaving onlookers with nothing to do but watch and take a picture. From thunderstorms and earthquakes to extreme heat waves and June snow, here is a vivid reminder of who really runs the show.







Before and after an unexpected downpour—both got completely soaked.





A typical English summer: storm clouds rolled in in just a few minutes.



“Looks like rain, better grab an umbrella.” Too bad the umbrella had other plans.



The earthquake struck at the worst possible moment—had to run out just as they were.



In just a few seconds, the owner realized the true value of a life jacket and renter's insurance.



The scorching heat wave in Australia melted streetlights right on the pavement.



A neighbor’s 80-foot acacia tree collapsed right through the roof.



Fleeing an erupting volcano, a motorcyclist ended up trapped in a mudflow.



A kayak left baking in the bed of a pickup truck morphed into a completely new shape.



Hail doesn't care if your car is cheap or expensive—the hood was turned into Swiss cheese.



The main water valve wasn't shut off for the winter—and the pipes let them know come spring.



Left the window slightly cracked—woke up to a layer of frost inside the car.



What a scorching hot day in Florida ends up looking like.



An overnight storm uprooted a massive tree, destroying the garage and two vintage cars.



Lightning struck the car directly, obliterating almost the entire interior.



“I think I forgot to close the window…”—woke up to a snowdrift in the bedroom.



Rain washed away the Denver Chalk Art Festival, wiping out artists' work in minutes.



A foggy visit to the Great Wall of China—instead of a panoramic view, it was a total whiteout.



Left an outdoor ping-pong table out in the rain, and it turned into an abstract sculpture.



“Just a bit of ice”—the car is completely hidden underneath.



Cutting down saguaro cacti in Arizona can cost you hundreds of dollars in fines. This one fell on its own—right onto the roof.



A morning earthquake left the car buried under rubble. Glad it was just the car.