Discover the top ten deadliest natural disasters that have affected populations across the globe, according to their death toll
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Natural disasters have been a common occurrence throughout human history, and luckily, the death tolls of these events are becoming fewer and fewer thanks to technological advances in mitigation, evacuation and recovery plans.
From catastrophic earthquakes to devastating tropical cyclones, natural disasters have not only caused millions of deaths but have also produced long-term social, economic and environmental challenges that can take years to rectify.
But which disasters have been the deadliest? Here are the top ten deadliest natural disasters – according to the estimated death toll – in reverse order:
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10. Antioch Earthquake, 526 AD (~250,000)
The Antioch Earthquake, which hit the Byzantine Empire, specifically the city of Antioch in present-day Türkiye, occurred on 20 May 526 CE and is the tenth deadliest natural disaster ever recorded. The event had an estimated death toll of approximately 250,000 people, but is likely higher.
The earthquake struck without warning, with no foreshocks signalling a larger event would occur, and caused widespread destruction across the city and beyond. Being a heavily populated region, the effects of the earthquake were amplified. The initial earthquake and its similarly brutal aftershocks collapsed houses, churches and many other buildings in the city.
Historical accounts from the time describe the event as being chaotic, with little that the authorities could do to help the injured and displaced.
9. Haiyuan Earthquake, 1920 (273,407)
The Haiyuan Earthquake struck the Ningxia province in China on 16 December 1920. Its estimated magnitude was between 8.3 and 8.5, causing mass destruction across Haiyuan County.
But the earthquake wasn’t the only disaster. With such a huge seismicity, the earthquake triggered thousands of landslides, which buried entire villages, with little warning. Infrastructure and homes across the province were completely destroyed, leaving the survivors exposed to the harsh winter weather.
Aftershocks also plagued the region for over three years.
The lack of communication infrastructure made rescue efforts very difficult, along with the remoteness of the region, increasing death tolls significantly.
8. Ganja Earthquake, 1139 (~300,000)
The Ganja earthquake occurred on 30 September 1139 and was one of the biggest seismic events in history, estimated at an approximate magnitude of 7.0.
The earthquake affected the Seljuk Empire and the Kingdom of Georgia, which is now part of modern-day Azerbaijan. The city of Ganja was left in ruins, with most of its buildings collapsing due to the violent quaking. The earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, which further devastated the region.
Archaeological and historical records suggest that most casualties occurred due to building destruction and landslides caused by the mountainous terrain. It has been determined that the death toll for the event sits between 230,000-300,000, severely diminishing the region’s population.
7. Calcutta Cyclone, 1737 (~300,000)
The Calcutta Cyclone made landfall on 7 October 1737. It struck in the Bengal region of India and ultimately caused an estimated 300,000 deaths.
The deadly cyclone led to mass flooding in the low-lying areas of Calcutta, while the strong winds destroyed most buildings and overturned ships in the Hooghly River. As a result, most deaths were caused by drowning.
Due to the poor development of the region, provision for survivors was very poor; disease spread quickly, and infrastructure took years to recover, causing many more people to lose their lives.
6. Coringa Cyclone, 1839 (300,000)
On 25 November 1839, the Coringa cyclone hit India just over one hundred years after the Calcutta cyclone, this time affecting the coastline of Andhra Pradesh.
The powerful 12-metre storm surge produced by the storm swept directly through the harbour town of Coringa, destroying thousands of homes and ships in the port. With an estimated death toll of over 300,000 people, this cyclone is one of the deadliest in all of recorded history. Before the disaster, Coringa was becoming a thriving trade centre, but it never fully recovered from the destruction and remains a small village today.
Just fifty years prior, in 1789, Coringa was hit by a smaller cyclone, which killed 20,000.
5. Haiti Earthquake, 2010 (316,000)
The earthquake that struck near Petit-Trou-de-Nippes in Haiti on 12 January 2010 has been the most deadly earthquake of the 21st century so far. The earthquake measured 7.0 on the Richter Scale, killing hundreds of thousands of people. The total death toll has been disputed in the past, but a figure of 316,000 has been settled as the most appropriate estimate.
A much higher percentage of the population was displaced, with more 1.5 million people losing their homes. As a nation already struggling with poverty and underdevelopment, this disaster was very detrimental to its economy and population.
International response to the earthquake was huge with nations across the world offering financial and resources support in humanitarian aid, rescue efforts and rebuilding programmes.
4. Bhola Cyclone, 1970 (500,000)
The Bhola cyclone is another storm which has caused widespread destruction and death in the Bay of Bengal. It hit on 12 November 1970, with very little warning to the local residents.
Although figures have had to be estimated due to the lack of census data in this period, the death toll is believed to be between 350,000 and half a million people. This makes it the deadliest tropical cyclone in recorded history.
The cyclone’s 10m storm surges inundated the low-lying coastal areas on the Ganges delta, destroying every structure in its path, accompanied by winds as fast as 130 miles per hour. The storm quickly settled once it had moved inland but the lasting damage was estimated at around $86 million USD.
3. Tangshan Earthquake, 1976 (655,000)
The Tangshan earthquake, which destroyed the city of Tangshan in northeastern China, occurred on 28 July, 1976, with a magnitude of 7.5, making it the third deadliest natural disaster in history.
Striking in the early hours of the morning, most of the city’s residents were defenceless and unable to take cover from the falling debris or escape from collapsing buildings. The death toll has been estimated as being as high as 655,000 people.
The lack of immediate response and distribution of emergency resources due to political tensions at the time, limited care for the survivors, contributing to further deaths. A positive of the disaster is that it prompted a reassessment of building codes in China and brought about significant changes in the country’s approaches to earthquake response.
2. Yellow River Flood, 1887 (2 million)
The Yellow River Flood in China was the location of the second-largest deadly disaster in history. In September 1887, the river overflowed its banks due to sustained heavy rainfall and the failure of damming approaches.
The river bursting its banks indirectly caused a catastrophic total of up to two million deaths. The floodwater of the river inundated the surrounding agricultural fields, leading to widespread famine and disease.
Although the Yellow River had a history of flooding, the scale of this disaster was unprecedented.
1. Yangtze-Huai River Floods, 1931 (3.7 million)
The Yangtze-Huai or China River Floods, which occurred in 1931, are considered to be the deadliest natural disaster ever recorded. While estimates are rough, it is believed that a minimum of one million people died, but this figure is likely closer to 3.7 million.
Primarily affecting the Yangtze, Huai and the Yellow River basins between July and November, the floods were caused by a combination of excessive rainfall, snowmelt and failing dikes which were installed to prevent floods.
The submersion of vast areas of land around these rivers displaced more than 25 million people, many of whom had their homes and livelihoods destroyed. Food shortages were severe and continuous outbreaks of disease killed millions.
The Chinese government and local authorities implemented large-scale emergency plans but the scale of disaster was just too large to be managed by their existing resources.
