It is his creation after all. He hasn’t wound it up like a toy and left it to its own devices. Certainly he has left humans in charge of it (to the extent that they are capable of looking after it at least). He may rightly blame the humans. But he is their boss. Does not the blame rest with him in the end?
Yes all of the above are possible. But most of these kind of questions are posed from the point of view that disasters are disallowed events. That they should not happen. That humans have inalienable rights to a disaster free world. The Bible I think suggests the opposite.
So is God just cruel? Quite the contrary. It is his creation and humans are the people he made to be his friends. He holds them accountable for that friendship, and for their care of his creation. He is much more upset by all these events than we are. And he has gone to great lengths to deal with the problem. Two problems actually.
A world: subjected to decay, futility, frustration. He will make a new creation that will not be like that ever again. Humans: who think they are gods and who live in a world appropriate for such delusions. Through his Son’s death he has rescued a new race from the old human race who will live in his new creation forever. In the meantime he opens his arms of love and reconciliation to all who turn away from being their own gods. He cares for (and so do his people) those who suffer and hopes that they will turn to him before the great catastrophe overtakes them.
Dale