Natural Disasters

By Dylan Ingram

  • Galveston Hurricane of 1900, TX

    remains deadliest natural disaster in North American history. 6,000–12,000 fatality

  • 1906 San Francisco earthquake

    California Conflagration followed quake; fatalities estimated 3,000–6,000 deaths

  • Tri-State Tornado

    Lower number for single 3-state tornado; higher for 5-state outbreak
    695–727 deaths

  • 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane

    4,078+ believed dead total. About 2,500 died in Florida and 500 in the U.S. possession of Puerto Rico.

  • Ohio River flood of 1937

    took place in late January and February 1937. With damage stretching from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois,

  • Great Appalachian Storm of November 1950

    a large extratropical cyclone which moved through the Eastern United States, causing significant winds, heavy rains east of the Appalachians, and blizzard conditions along the western slopes of the mountain chain.

  • Great Chilean Earthquake

    2,290 to 6,600 killed and $3,500,000,000 (2005) in damage worldwide. 61 killed in Hilo, Hawaii. $500,000 in U.S. property damage

  • 1972 Rapid City Flood

    Average rainfall over area of 60 mi² measured at 10-15 inches (380 mm), over 6 hours in middle of night June 9–10, 1972.

  • Hurricane Hugo

    Damage figure for U.S. only. At least 111 total deaths, with 37 in the continental U.S. and 12 in the U.S. possession of Puerto Rico.

  • California wildfires of October 2007

    Large fires burnt out of control across southern California, fueled by unusually strong Santa Ana Winds; worst around San Diego; caused evacuation of over one million people. Most fires accidental; some suspected arson.