Earthquake in Pakistan

Over 18,000 dead in south Asian quake.:

"Pakistan said today over 18,000 people had been killed and 41,000 wounded in the huge earthquake which hit the region, describing it as the biggest disaster in the nation's history."

We keep going in for the biggest and the best in terms of disasters recently. The first, the biggest, the only. Why is that? What is going on? It is horrible to hear of so much loss and suffering for people. It's even worse when things cannot easily be put right so that you know the lives of the people are still full of pain, deprivation and suffering long after we cease to hear news reports. The number of children killed is always the most hurtful, but then you just hear of one awful, awful mess after another. Of course we help. Luckily we have a planet which can mobilise itself quickly and effectively. Some of the affected areas, though, remain unstable forever. Why do we have to keep doing the biggest and the best? Why is the planet so unstable?