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Most significant natural disasters worldwide by death toll up to 2018
Most significant natural disasters worldwide by death toll up to 2018
The 10 most significant natural disasters worldwide by death toll from 1980 to 2018
by Erin Duffin,
last edited
Apr 29, 2019
The statistic shows the most significant natural disasters by death toll from 1980 to 2018. In 2010, the earthquake in Haiti killed 159,000 people.
Ten deadliest natural disasters worldwide since 1980
According to data published by Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft (or Munich Reinsurance Company), the leading global reinsurance group worldwide as of 2017, the tsunami struck in 2004 was the deadliest natural disaster to occur worldwide between the years 1980 and 2016. In that event, an estimated 222,000 people were killed (though other estimates suggest higher death tolls). Second deadliest was the earthquake that affected Haiti in January 2010. There were 159,000 fatalities reported in that event.
The earthquake in Haiti in 2010 was also the deadliest earthquake to occur between 1990 and 2016, according to a ranking of great earthquakes by death toll published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). According to the USGS, the earthquake in Haiti took 316,000 lives, injured 300,000, displaced 1.3 million, destroyed 97,294 and damaged 188,383 houses. Sixty percent of the country’s hospitals and eighty percent of the country’s schools were destroyed. It was the worst earthquake to hit the Caribbean in 200 years, with a magnitude of 7.0 at its epicenter only 25 kilometers away from Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Poor construction practices were to blame for many of the deaths—Haiti’s buildings were not earthquake resistant and were not built according to building code, due to a lack of licensed building professionals. High population density was also to blame for the fatalities. One fourth of the country’s inhabitants lived in the Port-au-Prince area, meaning one half of the country’s population was directly affected by the earthquake.
In response to the earthquake, Haiti received 340,000 pounds of food aid from the United States in 2010. The United States donated 1.17 billion U.S. dollars worth of relief aid, which accounted for 34.7 percent of the total amount donated.
The 10 most significant natural disasters worldwide by death toll from 1980 to 2018
Loading statistic...
| Death toll | |
|---|---|
| Earthquake, tsunami (Thailand*, December 26, 2004) | 220,000 |
| Earthquake (Haiti, January 12, 2010) | 159,000 |
| Cyclone Nargis, storm surge (Myanmar, May 2-5, 2008) | 140,000 |
| Tropical cyclone, storm surge (Bangladesh, April 29-30, 1991) | 139,000 |
| Earthquake (Pakistan**, October 8, 2005) | 88,000 |
| Earthquake (China, May 12, 2008) | 84,000 |
| Heat wave, drought (Central Europe***, July-August 2003) | 70,000 |
| Heat wave (Russia, July-September 2010) | 56,000 |
| Earthquake (Iran, June 20, 1990) | 40,000 |
| Earthquake (Iran, December 26, 2003) | 26,200 |
| Death toll | |
|---|---|
| Earthquake, tsunami (Thailand*, December 26, 2004) | 220,000 |
| Earthquake (Haiti, January 12, 2010) | 159,000 |
| Cyclone Nargis, storm surge (Myanmar, May 2-5, 2008) | 140,000 |
| Tropical cyclone, storm surge (Bangladesh, April 29-30, 1991) | 139,000 |
| Earthquake (Pakistan**, October 8, 2005) | 88,000 |
| Earthquake (China, May 12, 2008) | 84,000 |
| Heat wave, drought (Central Europe***, July-August 2003) | 70,000 |
| Heat wave (Russia, July-September 2010) | 56,000 |
| Earthquake (Iran, June 20, 1990) | 40,000 |
| Earthquake (Iran, December 26, 2003) | 26,200 |
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by Erin Duffin,
last edited
Apr 29, 2019
The statistic shows the most significant natural disasters by death toll from 1980 to 2018. In 2010, the earthquake in Haiti killed 159,000 people.
Ten deadliest natural disasters worldwide since 1980
According to data published by Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft (or Munich Reinsurance Company), the leading global reinsurance group worldwide as of 2017, the tsunami struck in 2004 was the deadliest natural disaster to occur worldwide between the years 1980 and 2016. In that event, an estimated 222,000 people were killed (though other estimates suggest higher death tolls). Second deadliest was the earthquake that affected Haiti in January 2010. There were 159,000 fatalities reported in that event.
The earthquake in Haiti in 2010 was also the deadliest earthquake to occur between 1990 and 2016, according to a ranking of great earthquakes by death toll published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). According to the USGS, the earthquake in Haiti took 316,000 lives, injured 300,000, displaced 1.3 million, destroyed 97,294 and damaged 188,383 houses. Sixty percent of the country’s hospitals and eighty percent of the country’s schools were destroyed. It was the worst earthquake to hit the Caribbean in 200 years, with a magnitude of 7.0 at its epicenter only 25 kilometers away from Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Poor construction practices were to blame for many of the deaths—Haiti’s buildings were not earthquake resistant and were not built according to building code, due to a lack of licensed building professionals. High population density was also to blame for the fatalities. One fourth of the country’s inhabitants lived in the Port-au-Prince area, meaning one half of the country’s population was directly affected by the earthquake.
In response to the earthquake, Haiti received 340,000 pounds of food aid from the United States in 2010. The United States donated 1.17 billion U.S. dollars worth of relief aid, which accounted for 34.7 percent of the total amount donated.
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- Munich Re
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- Release date
- January 2019
- Region
- Worldwide
- Survey time period
- 1980 to 2018
- Supplementary notes
-
* In addition to Thailand also Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives and Malaysia were affected.
** In addition to Pakistan also India and Afghanistan were affected.
*** Affected countries were France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Great Britain. - Open this statistic in...
Source
- Source
- Munich Re
- Show further sources information
- As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic.
- Show publisher information
- Release date
- January 2019
More information
- Region
- Worldwide
- Survey time period
- 1980 to 2018
- Supplementary notes
-
* In addition to Thailand also Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives and Malaysia were affected.
** In addition to Pakistan also India and Afghanistan were affected.
*** Affected countries were France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Great Britain. - Open this statistic in...
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