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Top 10 Natural Disasters Since 1900
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1920 Haiyuan earthquake, China
(200,000 deaths) There were large numbers of landslides and ground cracks throughout the epicentral area. Some rivers were dammed, others changed course. Seiches from this earthquake were observed in 2 lakes and 3 fjords in western Norway. Although usually called the Kansu (now Gansu) earthquake by Western sources, the epicenter and highest intensities are clearly within Ningxia Autonomous Region. -
1923 Kwanto earthquake, Japan
(142,800 deaths) Extreme destruction in the Tokyo – Yokohama area from the earthquake and subsequent firestorms, which burned about 381,000 of the more than 694,000 houses that were partially or completely destroyed. Although often known as the Great Tokyo Earthquake (or the Great Tokyo Fire), the damage was apparently most severe at Yokohama. -
1931 Chinese Floods
1931 Chinese floods (est. 3.7 million deaths) The summer flood along the Yangtze River during July-August 1931 was the most severe, with over 51 million people affected (one quarter of China’s population). An estimated 3.7 million people died due to disease, starvation or drowning. -
1948 Turkmenistan earthquake,
110,000 deaths) Extreme damage in Ashgabat (Ashkhabad) and nearby villages, where almost all brick buildings collapsed, concrete structures were heavily damaged and freight trains were derailed. Damage and casualties also occurred in the Darreh Gaz area, Iran. Surface rupture was observed both northwest and southeast of Ashgabat. -
1970 Pakistan cyclone
(300,000 deaths) On Nov. 12 a moderately strong 115-mph hurricane’s 20-foot storm surge, cresting with a high tide, struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and killed approximately 300,000 people. Initial reports were that more than 1 million died but those estimates were later proven to be too high. -
1971 Flooding in Vietnam
(100,000 deaths) A severe flood of the Red River in North Vietnam killed an estimated 100,000 people, but because the Vietnam War was going on at the time there has been little information known about the event. -
1975 Super Typhoon Nina
(229,000 deaths) This storm contributed to the failure of the Banqiao Dam after 41 inches of rain fell in a single day, more than the area receives during a typical year. -
1976 Tangshan earthquake
(255,000 deaths) Official casualty figure is 255,000 deaths. Estimated death toll as high as 655,000. 799,000 injured and extensive damage in the Tang-Shan area. Damage extended as far as Beijing. This is probably the greatest death toll from an earthquake in the last four centuries, and the second greatest in recorded history. -
1991 Bangladesh Cyclone 02B
(138,000 deaths) Another cyclone struck the Chittagong region in Bangladesh in 1991 killing over 138,000 people and causing damage in excess of 1.5 billion dollars. The tropical cyclone devastated the coastal area southeast of Dacca with winds in excess of 130kts and a 20 foot storm surge. -
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami/earthquake
(227,898 deaths) This is the third largest earthquake in the world since 1900. In total, 227,898 people were killed or were missing and presumed dead and about 1.7 million people were displaced by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 14 countries in South Asia and East Africa. The tsunami caused more casualties than any other in recorded history and was recorded nearly worldwide on tide gauges in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
