A CEREMONY to officially launch Health Ministry under-secretary Dr Abdul Aziz Hamza's book A History of Disasters on the Island - Tears on an Island will be held at the Bahrain Medical Society in Juffair today at 7.30pm.

The first-of-its-kind book covers various disasters in and around Bahrain from the late 1800s up until early 21st century.

The first major disaster highlighted is a cholera epidemic in 1904, which was dubbed the 'Year of Mercy' after 5,000 people were infected.

More than 2,000 people are said to have died during the cholera outbreak, at a time when Bahrain's population was just 30,000.

The last is the Al Dana dhow tragedy, which claimed 58 lives when it capsized off the coast of Muharraq, on March 30, 2006. The book is priced at BD15 and is on sale at Jashanmal bookstores.