The earthquake was an act of God.

In America, an ‘act of God’ refers to a natural disaster like a flood, hurricane, earthquake, typhoon, tornado, hail storm, or cyclone.  These are things which cannot be controlled by people.

那地震，天災也。

美語中 act of God 指天然災害，例如洪水、颶風、地震、颱風、龍捲風、冰雹…等等。這些災害，人類「無能為力、莫可奈何」，只好視之為 act of God.