Home Rule for Ireland. Herero and Namaqua Genocide in German South-West Africa (modern Namibia). Kurdish uprising in Bitlis against the Ottoman Empire in 1907. Colonization January 1, 1901, British colonies in Australia federate, forming the Commonwealth of Australia. Decolonization May 20, 1902 – Cuba gains independence from the United States June 7, 1905 – The Norwegian Parliament declares the union with Sweden dissolved, and Norway achieves full independence. October 5, 1908 – Bulgaria declares its independence from the Ottoman Empire. Prominent political events Disasters Natural disasters September 8, 1900 – A powerful hurricane hits Galveston, Texas, USA killing about 8,000. April 19, 1902 – A magnitude 7.5 earthquake rocks Guatemala, killing 2,000. May 8, 1902 – In Martinique, Mount Pelée erupts, destroying the town of Saint-Pierre and killing over 30,000. April 7, 1906 – Mount Vesuvius erupts and devastates Naples. April 18, 1906 – The 1906 San Francisco earthquake (estimated magnitude 7.8) on the San Andreas Fault destroys much of San Francisco, USA, killing at least 3,000, with 225,000–300,000 left homeless, and $350 million in damages. September 18, 1906 – A typhoon and tsunami kill an estimated 10,000 in Hong Kong. January 14, 1907 – An earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica kills more than 1,000. June 30, 1908 – The Tunguska event or "Russian explosion" near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Siberia, Russian Empire occuers resulting in the flattening 2,000 km2 (770 sq mi) of forest. It is believed to have been caused by the air burst of a large meteoroid or comet fragment, at an altitude of above the Earth's surface. December 28, 1908 – An earthquake and tsunami destroys Messina, Sicily and Calabria, killing over 80,000 people. Non-natural disasters April 26, 1900 – The Great Lumber Fire of Ottawa–Hull kills 7 and leaves 15,000 homeless. May 1, 1900 – The Scofield Mine disaster in Scofield, Utah caused by explosion killing at least 200 men. June 30, 1900 – Hoboken Docks Fire: The German passenger ships Saale, Main, Bremen, and Kaiser William der Grosse, all owned by the North German Lloyd Steamship line, catch fire at the docks in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA . The fire began on a wharf and spread to the adjacent piers, warehouses, and smaller craft, killing 326 people. May 3, 1901 – The Great Fire of 1901 begins in Jacksonville, FL, USA . July 10, 1902 – The Rolling Mill Mine disaster in