14 Deadliest Natural Disasters of All Time

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

Southern and Southeast Asia were beaten by a massively destructive tsunami in 2004. An undersea earthquake measured at magnitude 9.1 is the underlying cause of the tsunami. The Indonesian island Sumatra's coast is the closest to where the earthquake originated. Striking at 7:59 AM on the morning of December 26, it took seven hours for the rippling waves to cease. Incredibly immense waves reported to be 30 feet high or more crashed upon the shorelines. Coastal areas located as far away as East Africa felt the devastating effect of this deadliest of natural disasters.

Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, and Thailand received shattering amounts of destruction. Officials for Indonesia estimate that 200,000 people alone died in Sumatra's Aceh province. Tens of thousands more were reported missing, and a very large number of them originate from the Indian territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Maldives had hundreds of casualties coupled with some economic damages and thousands of tourists reported dead or missing. Lack of food, clean water, and the difficulty of sending aid extended the list of casualties greatly in remote locations. Fishing grounds, farmlands, resorts, and villages were overloaded with dead bodies, debris, and salt water.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

China's remote province of Gansu in 1920 had a rural district called Haiyuan on its eastern side. On the evening of December 16, an earthquake's epicenter would form under its outskirts. Northwest China's predominant form of home construction at this time was cave dwellings dug out of loess—sediment of fine yellow soil. This form of building was also incredibly susceptible to collapse under seismic activity. Over 675 major loess landslides were the results of a terrible 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Most of the destruction's death toll would be in rural areas where building collapses happened on a massive scale. Estimated damages for property losses are $20 million US dollars of 1920 value in Gansu. Exposure, starvation, and bandits also contribute to the final tally of lives. It is impossible to distinguish between lives lost in the initial quake and the pursuing months of chaos.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

In 1976 on July 28 a Chinese coal-mining focused city located east of Beijing would be the epicenter of the Great Tangshan Earthquake. Most of the deaths associated with this tremor are related to building collapse. Unreinforced masonry homes were the predominant dwelling in this area. Property damage from the quake extended the 68 miles between Tangshan and Beijing. At 3:42 AM a magnitude 7.5 disaster struck near Tangshan and would be felt close to 700 miles away in all directions. It would also introduce a previously unknown major fault now called the Tangshan Fault. Later on the same day, a massive 7.1 magnitude aftershock would cause additional chaos. Over 700,000 additional people would be injured on top of the final death toll. Estimated 85 percent of all unreinforced structures were destroyed in Tangshan alone. The extreme estimates would list death toll for this deadliest natural disaster at over 655,000.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

The Syria region and Antioch were part of the Byzantine Empire in 526 AD. During late May at midmorning, a massive earthquake would create one of the deadliest natural disasters. Quickly following the quake, a massive fire would also destroy what remained. These areas are historically earthquake hot due to the surrounding continental plates and resulting fault lines. 18 months of aftershocks followed the estimated 7.0 magnitude tremor. In historical reports, the only reported houses to remain standing after the initial quake were located closest to mountains. However, most of the damage accounted for is predominantly the fire caused by the earthquake. For example, the Great Church built by Constantine would survive the damage caused by the quake only to be destroyed days later. Seven days after the quake the fire would claim much.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

Today Coringa is a small India village near the Godavari River. Prior to 1839, it had grown into a bustling port city. Even in 1789 a loss of 20,000 people due to cyclone did not halt its growth. However, in 1839 storm surge waves would reach an intimidating estimate of 40 foot in height. Over 20,000 vessels would be lost to the destructive winds and water. This destruction is why Coringa is just a tiny village today. This storm would become the third largest loss of life from any tropical cyclone worldwide, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters. Henry Piddington of the British East India Company actually coined the term cyclone after witnessing the swirling circles in 1789 and 1839.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

Gulf of Tonkin is where the typhoon smashed in 1881. Tidal waves flooded the city of Haiphong in northeastern Vietnam. Located on a branch of the Red River delta, Haiphong is roughly 10 miles from the Gulf of Tonkin. Connected to the seas by an access channel developed by the French in 1874 gave Haiphong regional economic importance. During the floods caused by the typhoon, the access channel intensified the extensive floodwater destruction. The total death toll from this deadliest natural disasters actually ties with the India Cyclone. Many of the deaths resulting from this are unknown, as the number of deaths from disease and starvation isn't accounted for.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

East Pakistan and India's West Bengal are the locations for the next of the deadliest natural disasters. Remaining the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded, it struck on November 12, 1970. Most of the deaths are tied to the low-lying islands of the Ganges Delta. It was the sixth cyclonic storm to populate the North Indian Ocean during the cyclone season. Forming initially on November 8, it traveled from the Bay of Bengal and grew to 115 mph before making landfall. The storm surge wiped out many villages and devastated many offshore islands. In Upazila, Tazumuddin, over 45% of the total population (167,000) perished. Once over land the storm would begin to weaken rapidly. While being the deadliest tropical cyclone recorded, it is not the strongest.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

1556 is the year for the deadliest earthquake in history, one of the deadliest natural disasters. It formed in the late evening, with aftershocks continuing through the following day. The epicenter of the quake is believed to be the Wei River Valley of the Shaanxi Province. In the near city of Huaxian, every single building and home collapsed as a result of this deadliest natural disaster. More than half of the city residents in Huaxian were killed. In some places, over 60-foot deep crevices opened. Serious damage was found up to 300 miles away in all directions. Landslides were another massively contributing factor to the total death toll from this quake. Counting casualties is imprecise in large-scale disasters, and even more so prior 20th century. This disaster is also estimated to measure approximately an 8.0 magnitude.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

China is historically flood-prone. In the last 2000 years, the Yangtze River alone has flooded over 1000 times. Hwang Ho, or Yellow River, is responsible for the most catastrophic of China's floods though. Over 3000 miles long, it begins well above sea level in the province of Qinghai and winds its way down to the Yellow Sea. Westerners dub it "China's Sorrow" due to the amounts of people killed. Centuries of farmers living near the Yellow River had built dikes on it to contain rising waters caused by silt accumulation on the riverbed. On September 28, 1887, massive flooding overcame the dikes after massive amounts of rainfall across multiple days. The first of the dikes to give way were believed to be in Huayankou. An estimated 50,000 square miles were affected by the flooding. Over 2 million were left homeless in the aftermath. Lack of basic necessities claimed countless lives along with the flood itself.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

China's spring of 1931 held the roots of an unfolding deadliest natural disasters. The winter of 1930-1931 was particularly harsh and left large amounts of snow and ice across the rivers. This frozen reservoir of unanticipated water unfolded into a terribly tragic scene. Years upon years of expanding growth and dike creation across its river networks would cause massive flooding. An area the size of England plus half of Scotland would be affected by the flooding. 52 million people were affected by the flooding of Yangzi, Huai, Yellow River, and Grand Canal. The majority of the damage and chaos were concentrated on the eight central provinces of China. Over 150,000 people drowned in the very first flood phase alone. The initial hazard of inundation was followed by an extreme subsistence crisis as all the summer harvest was destroyed. All the stored grain sources were also destroyed as it continued to lay waste to the provinces.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

In the medieval ages, the Black Death was one of the most widespread worst natural disasters of all time. Death literally traveled from the distant reaches of Asia to the other edge of Europe. Recurrences of this plague would surface many times over. Along all the trade routes, fleas carried this hidden killer to the far corners of the world. Cities were most greatly affected by this terrible occurrence. Monastic communities had the highest incidence of victims during these times. It struck regardless of rank or power. Aragon's Queen, Castile's King, English Princesses, and archbishops were all being struck down. The papal court at Avignon was reduced fully by 25 percent, while entire families and communities were exterminated. The severe reduction in overall population resulted in all manner of problems. Anti-Semitism resulting in being burned at the stake, the severe economic decline of nations, and an incredible lack of raw labor. French Chronicler Jean Froissart estimates that around one-third of the European population was decimated.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

Between 1958 and 1961, China would be hit by repeated disaster after disaster. These events stacking on each other compounded into one of the deadliest natural disasters. The Chinese government refers to this period as "Three Years of Natural Disasters." It would leave more than 100 million acres of agricultural land useless and millions of people affected. The great sorrow began with intense flooding in mid-1959 of the Yellow River. Following up the aftermath of that initial flooding were diseases and insect infestations across the affected zones. Later, severe and significant drought hit many of the food crop producing areas. 25 to 50 percent of crop production fell that year. 11 major typhoons hit the southern provinces in 1960. Finally, in 1961 the northern provinces endured months of intense drought while the southern flooded finished off this deadliest natural disasters.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

Measles is caused by a virus passed through direct contact or through the air. It infests the respiratory tract before spreading throughout the body. Only humans are affected by measles. Roughly 10 to 12 days after exposure to the virus, a high fever will be noticed. Runny nose, cough, watery eyes, and small white spots on the inside of the cheeks develop in the initial stage. After several days, a rash spreads across everything until it reaches the hands and feet.

Measles-related deaths are usually through complications from the disease. Children under 5 and adults over 30 are usually where most serious complications occur. It is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. Before 1963, when the vaccine was introduced, every two to three years a measles outbreak would pop. An estimated 2.6 million people would die each year in these outbreaks. Before vaccination, the death rate for this deadliest natural disasters was roughly 30 percent of all cases.

Summary of Historical Natural Disaster

Historically, smallpox is a pandemic which decimated people throughout civilizations timeline. Ancient Egypt, China, India, and Rome all have recorded outbreaks of this disease. Over one-third of the Central and South America population was devastated by the epidemic. It is also one of the success stories in the vaccination world. October 1977 is the last year that a naturally occurring case was diagnosed.

As recently as 1967, over 15 million cases were occurring yearly. It was caused by infection by variola virus and spread through direct contact or airborne inhalation of fluids from an infected person. Initial symptoms are fever and vomiting, followed by the formation of sores in the mouth and skin. Fluid-filled bumps with a center dent would spread across the infected person's entire body. The bumps would scab over and fall off, leaving scars as a reminder for all who survived this deadliest natural disaster. Vaccination is the only reason for the final all-clear on smallpox. It was actually discovered by Edward Jenner in 1798 but took almost 200 years before the final eradication of the disease.