Earthquakes, tsunamis and flooding seemed to be a recurring theme in this year's biggest environmental stories. In early January, Australia's state of Queensland was majorly flooded, with about three quarters of the region evacuated. Japan's 9.0 magnitude earthquake in March - the biggest that country has ever seen, as well as the most expensive natural disaster - saw over 15,000 deaths and 5,000 injuries throughout the region. Other photos include one of a Philippino man wading through trashy water after a fire decimated over 500 houses in April in Manila, and a youngster waving goodbye to Discovery, the space shuttle launched from Florida's Cape Canaveral on February 24. Queensland flooding 465 (photo credit: REUTERS/Daniel Munoz) boy in south Sudan 465 (photo credit: REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic) schoolboy in Pakistan 465 (photo credit: REUTERS/Adrees Latif) Discovery lifts off 465 (photo credit: REUTERS/Scott Audette) Manila flood 465 (photo credit: REUTERS/Erik de Castro) Palestinian boy in sand 465 (photo credit: REUTERS/ Mohammed Salem) Grand Prasmatic Spring 465 (photo credit: REUTERS/Jim Urquhart) Japanese earthquake 465 (photo credit: REUTERS/Asahi Shimbun )
