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Matt 24:6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains.

9“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

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When Jesus Himself said earthquakes would be a sign, who are we to say earthquakes are unimportant?
1 Thessalonians 5:3
While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
The price of ignoring what God says is not small

/Thomas

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Originally posted by Mike Lowe:
There is a purpose behind it all. God is trying to get our attention, to wake us up. Time is running out. How we respond to death and disaster either tells for or against the kingdom and character of God. Tragic times calls for triumphant action. Let's get busy being Christlike and help these poor people out.

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"In the last scenes of this earth's history, war will rage. There will be pestilence, plague, and famine. The waters of the great deep will overflow their boundaries. Property and life will be destroyed by fire and flood. Disasters will come unexpectedly upon the world. This should show us that the souls for whom Christ has died should be fitting up for the mansions that He has gone to prepare for them. There is rest from earth's conflict. Where is it? -- 'That where I am, there ye may be also' (John 14:3). Heaven is where Christ is. Heaven would not be heaven to those who love Jesus, if He were not there."
{Manuscript 41, 1896, p. 4}

"Those who seek to make it appear that there is no special meaning attached to the judgments that the Lord is now sending upon the earth will soon be forced to understand that which now they do not choose to understand."
{RH 08-20-03 para. 17}

"Calamities are becoming more and more common, but every report of calamity by sea or by land is a testimony of the fact that the end of all things is near. The world is filled with iniquity, and the Lord is punishing [the world] for its wickedness. As crime and iniquity increase, these judgments will become more frequent and more marked, until the time shall come when the 'earth shall no more cover her slain' (Isaiah 26:21)."
{APOC 214.8}

"Already the restraining Spirit of God is being withdrawn from the earth. Hurricanes, storms, tempests, fire and flood, disasters by sea and land, follow each other in quick succession. Science seeks to explain all these. The signs thickening around us, telling of the near approach of the Son of God, are attributed to any other than the true cause. Men cannot discern the sentinel angels restraining the four winds that they may not blow until the servants of God are sealed; but when God shall bid His angels loose the winds, there will be such a scene of His avenging wrath as no pen can picture."
{RH 01-11-87 para. 14}

"At this time, when awful calamities are sweeping away the most costly structures as if by a breath of fire from heaven, many sinners are afraid, and stand trembling before God. Now is our opportunity to make known the truth to them."
{RH 05-24-06 para. 13}

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"Frequently we hear of earthquakes, of tempests and tornadoes, accompanied with thunder and lightning. Apparently these are capricious outbreaks of seemingly disorganized, unregulated forces. But God has a purpose in permitting these calamities to occur. They are one of His means of calling men and women to their senses. By unusual workings through nature God will express to doubting human agencies that which He clearly reveals in His Word. He will answer the question, 'Who hath gathered the wind in His fists?' He will reveal Himself as the One who 'maketh the clouds His chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind.' 'He bringeth the wind out of His treasuries.' 'The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever.' 'He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth.' 'He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: He toucheth the hills, and they smoke.'"
{19MR 279.3}

"Local disturbances in nature are permitted to take place as symbols of that which may be expected all over the world when the angels loose the four winds of the earth. The forces of nature are under the direction of an Eternal Agency. Science, in her pride, may seek to explain strange happenings on land and on sea; but science fails of tracing in these things the workings of Providence."
{19MR 280.1}

"God keeps a reckoning with nations as well as with individuals. He allows the nations a certain period of probation, and gives them evidences of His requirements, of His supremacy, and makes known to them His laws, which are to be the rule of His kingdom in the government of nations. All this He does that heathen nations may not be given up to destruction unwarned, and without light. But, after He has given light and evidence, and they still persist in insolence toward Him, then, when their iniquity is full, God takes the matter in hand, and His judgments are no longer withheld."
{Letter 13, 1893, p. 12.}