The discovery, in a Kenyan forest, of at least 73 dead members of a sect who fasted to death to “meet Jesus” recalled similar tragedies that have shaken the world in recent years.

Apocalypse in the Guyana jungle: 914 dead

In 1978, 914 followers of the People’s Temple sect died in the jungles of Guyana, South America – most by suicide, some parents after previously killing their children.

The influence of “Reverend” Jim Jones on his followers seems to have led to the death of men, women and children. They were mostly poor African-Americans who left California believing they would build an ideal world.

The guru founded in 1973 “Jonestown”, a “genuinely socialist society” where there was supposed to be no more racism, sexism or discrimination against the elderly. Former members, however, revealed that drugs were used, that believers were starved or turned into sex slaves.

Massacre in Uganda: more than 700 dead

In 2000, more than 700 members of the Protestant sect “Restoration of God’s Ten Commandments” died in Uganda – some of the believers participated in mass suicide ceremonies, others were murdered by their leaders.

Initially, about 300 worshipers were burned alive in a church outside Kanungu in southwestern Uganda. Police later found the bodies of 400 people, mostly women and children, in mass graves.

Most of the victims were poisoned, but some were strangled or stabbed to death.

The Waco Massacre in Texas: 76 dead

In 1993, 76 members of the cult of guru David Kores, including 20 children, were found dead in the ashes of their “fortress house” in Waco, Texas.

After being under siege by federal police for 51 days, the “Davidians” set fire to the house when FBI agents attempted a raid.

David Kores, who claimed to be the Christ, died with his followers.

74 dead in the Order of the Temple of the Sun

In 1994, 48 members of the inner sect of the Order of the Temple of the Sun were found charred to death in Seri and Grange-sur-Salvan, two villages in Switzerland. Shortly thereafter, five more members were found dead in Canada.

Letters left by the faithful spoke of mass suicide, but the judicial authorities concluded that two-thirds of the victims were murdered. Among the dead were the leaders of the sect, Luc Zuret and Joseph de Mabro.

The following year, another 16 members of the sect were found dead in Vercors, southeastern France. Among them were the wife and son of a French former ski champion, Jean Viarnet.

History repeated itself in 1997, in Canada, with the death of another five believers.

Suicide of 39 people in California

In 1997, 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate cult died after mixing barbiturates with alcohol near San Diego, California.

Believers claimed they came from another planet and had been sent to America as angels.

Heresy of a priestess in South Korea: 32 dead

In 1987, 32 members of the sect of “priestess” Park Soon-Ja were found dead in Yongin, near Seoul.

According to the police, some of the victims had been poisoned. But most were strangled by a man, who was then hanged. Among the victims were the priestess and her three children.

Tokyo subway attack with sarin gas

In 1995, several members of the Aum Shinrikyo sect placed bags of sarin gas in subway cars in Tokyo, punctured them with umbrellas, and escaped to escape the toxic gases.

The attack caused panic in the Japanese capital. Thirteen people died, more than 6,300 were poisoned. Thirteen members of the sect were sentenced to death and executed in 2018. Among them was its founder, Guru Soko Asahara.