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Top 10 Deadliest World Catastrophes, 1970-2017
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Rank Date Country Event Victims (1)
1 Nov. 11, 1970 Bangladesh Storm and flood catastrophe 300,000
2 Jul. 28, 1976 China Earthquake (Mw 7.6) 255,000
3 Jan. 12, 2010 Haiti Earthquake (Mw 7.0), aftershocks 222,570
4 Dec. 26, 2004 Indonesia, Thailand et al. Earthquake (Mw 9), tsunami in Indian Ocean 220,000
5 May 2, 2008 Myanmar (Burma), Bay of Bengal Tropical cyclone Nargis, Irrawaddy Delta flooded 138,373
6 Apr. 29, 1991 Bangladesh Tropical cyclone Gorky 138,000
7 May 12, 2008 China Earthquake (Mw 7.9) in Sichuan, aftershocks 87,449
8 Oct. 8, 2005 Pakistan, India, Afghanistan Earthquake (Mw 7.6), aftershocks, landslides 74,310
9 May 31, 1970 Peru Earthquake (Mw 7.9) triggers rock slide and floods 66,000
10 Jun. 15, 2010 Russia, Czech Republic  Heat wave with temperatures up to 40◦ Celsius 55,630

(1) Dead and missing.

Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 1/2018.

 

Archived Tables

THE TEN DEADLIEST WORLD CATASTROPHES, 1970-2008 (1)
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Rank Date Country Event Victims
1 Nov. 14, 1970 Bangladesh, Bay of Bengal Storm and flood  300,000
2 Jul. 28, 1976 China Earthquake (magnitude 7.5) 255,000
3 Dec. 26, 2004 Indonesia, Thailand et al. Earthquake (magnitude 9), tsunami in Indian Ocean 220,000
4 May 2, 2008 Myanmar (Burma), Bay of Bengal Tropical cyclone Nargis; lrrawaddy Delta flooded 138,373
5 Apr. 29, 1991 Bangladesh Tropical cyclone Gorky 138,000
6 May 12, 2008 China Earthquake (magnitude 7.9) in Shichuan, aftershocks 87,449
7 Oct. 8, 2005 Pakistan, India, Afghanistan Earthquake (magnitude 7.6); aftershocks, landslides 73,300
8 May 31, 1970 Peru Earthquake (magnitude 7.7); rock slides 66,000
9 Jun. 21, 1990 Iran Earthquake (magnitude 7.7); landslides 40,000
10 Jun. 1, 2003 France, Italy, Germany et al. Heat wave and drought in Europe 35,000

(1) Dead and missing.

Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 2/2009.

 
THE TEN DEADLIEST WORLD CATASTROPHES, 1970-2009 (1)
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Rank Date Country Event Victims
1 Nov. 14, 1970 Bangladesh, Bay of Bengal Storm and flood 300,000
2 Jul. 28, 1976 China Earthquake (magnitude 7.5) 255,000
3 Dec. 26, 2004 Indonesia, Thailand et al. Earthquake (magnitude 9.0); tsunami in Indian Ocean 220,000
4 May 2, 2008 Myanmar (Burma), Bay of Bengal Tropical cyclone Nargis; lrrawaddy Delta flooded 138,373
5 Apr. 29, 1991 Bangladesh Tropical cyclone Gorky 138,000
6 May 12, 2008 China Earthquake (magnitude 7.9) in Shichuan, aftershocks 87,449
7 Oct. 8, 2005 Pakistan, India, Afghanistan Earthquake (magnitude 7.6); aftershocks, landslides 73,300
8 May 31, 1970 Peru Earthquake (magnitude 7.7); rock slides 66,000
9 Jun. 21, 1990 Iran Earthquake (magnitude 7.7); landslides 40,000
10 Jun. 1, 2003 France, Italy, Germany et al. Heat wave and drought in Europe 35,000

(1) Dead and missing.

Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 1/2010.

 
THE TEN DEADLIEST WORLD CATASTROPHES, 1970-2010 (1)
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Rank Date Country Event Victims
1 Nov. 14, 1970 Bangladesh, Bay of Bengal Storm and flood catastrophe 300,000
2 Jul. 28, 1976 China Earthquake (M 7.5) 255,000
3 Jan. 12, 2010 Haiti Earthquake (Mw 7.0) 222,570
4 Dec. 26, 2004 Indonesia, Thailand et al. Earthquake (Mw 9.0), tsunami in Indian Ocean 220,000
5 May 2, 2008 Myanmar (Burma), Bay of Bengal Tropical cyclone Nargis; Irrawaddy Delta flooded 138,300
6 Apr. 29, 1991 Bangladesh Tropical cyclone Gorky 138,000
7 May 12, 2008 China Earthquake (Mw 7.9) in Sichuan, aftershocks 87,449
8 Oct. 8, 2005 Pakistan, India, Afghanistan Earthquake (Mw 7.6); aftershocks, landslides 73,300
9 May 31, 1970 Peru Earthquake (M 7.7); rock slides 66,000
10 Jun. 15, 2010 Russia Heat wave in Russia 55,630

(1) Dead and missing.

Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 1/2011.

 
THE TEN DEADLIEST WORLD CATASTROPHES, 1970-2011 (1)
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Rank Date Country Event Victims
1 Nov. 14, 1970 Bangladesh, Bay of Bengal Storm and flood catastrophe 300,000
2 Jul. 28, 1976 China Earthquake (M 7.5) 255,000
3 Jan. 12, 2010 Haiti Earthquake (Mw 7.0) 222,570
4 Dec. 26, 2004 Indonesia, Thailand et al. Earthquake (Mw 9.0), tsunami in Indian Ocean 220,000
5 May 2, 2008 Myanmar (Burma), Bay of Bengal Tropical cyclone Nargis; Irrawaddy Delta flooded 138,300
6 Apr. 29, 1991 Bangladesh Tropical cyclone Gorky 138,000
7 May 12, 2008 China Earthquake (Mw 7.9) in Sichuan, aftershocks 87,449
8 Oct. 8, 2005 Pakistan, India, Afghanistan Earthquake (Mw 7.6); aftershocks, landslides 73,300
9 May 31, 1970 Peru Earthquake (M 7.7); rock slides 66,000
10 Jun. 15, 2010 Russia Heat wave in Russia 55,630

(1) Dead and missing.

Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 2/2012.

 
THE TEN DEADLIEST WORLD CATASTROPHES, 1970-2013
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Rank Date Country Event Victims (1)
1 Nov. 14, 1970 Bangladesh, Bay of Bengal Storm and flood catastrophe 300,000
2 Jul. 28, 1976 China Earthquake (Mw 7.5) 255,000
3 Jan. 12, 2010 Haiti Earthquake (Mw 7.0) 222,570
4 Dec. 26, 2004 Indonesia, Thailand et al. Earthquake (Mw 9), tsunami in Indian Ocean 220,000
5 May 2, 2008 Myanmar (Burma), Bay of Bengal Tropical cyclone Nargis, Irrawaddy Delta flooded 138,300
6 Apr. 29, 1991 Bangladesh Tropical cyclone Gorky 138,000
7 May 12, 2008 China Earthquake (Mw 7.9) in Sichuan, aftershocks 87,449
8 Oct. 8, 2005 Pakistan, India, Afghanistan Earthquake (Mw 7.6), aftershocks, landslides 73,300
9 May 31, 1970 Peru Earthquake (M 7.7), rock slides 66,000
10 Jun. 15, 2010 Russia Heat wave in Russia 55,630

(1) Dead and missing.

Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 1/2014.

 
TOP 10 DEADLIEST WORLD CATASTROPHES, 1970-2014
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Rank Date Country Event Victims (1)
1 Nov. 11, 1970 Bangladesh Storm and flood catastrophe 300,000
2 Jul. 28, 1976 China Earthquake (M 7.5) 255,000
3 Jan. 12, 2010 Haiti Earthquake (Mw 7.0), aftershocks 222,570
4 Dec. 26, 2004 Indonesia, Thailand et al. Earthquake (Mw 9), tsunami in Indian Ocean 220,000
5 May 2, 2008 Myanmar (Burma), Bay of Bengal Tropical cyclone Nargis 138,300
6 Apr. 29, 1991 Bangladesh Tropical cyclone Gorky 138,000
7 May 12, 2008 China Earthquake (Mw 7.9) in Sichuan, aftershocks 87,449
8 Oct. 8, 2005 Pakistan, India, Afghanistan Earthquake (Mw 7.6), aftershocks, landslides 74,310
9 May 31, 1970 Peru Earthquake (M 7.7), massive avalanche and floods 66,000
10 Jun. 15, 2010 Russia, Czech Republic  Heat wave with temperatures up to 40 Celsius 55,630

(1) Dead and missing.

Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 2/2015.

 
Top 10 Deadliest World Catastrophes, 1970-2016
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Rank Date Country Event Victims (1)
1 Nov. 11, 1970 Bangladesh Storm and flood catastrophe 300,000
2 Jul. 28, 1976 China Earthquake (Mw 7.6) 255,000
3 Jan. 12, 2010 Haiti Earthquake (Mw 7.0), aftershocks 222,570
4 Dec. 26, 2004 Indonesia, Thailand et al. Earthquake (Mw 9), tsunami in Indian Ocean 220,000
5 May 2, 2008 Myanmar (Burma), Bay of Bengal Tropical cyclone Nargis, Irrawaddy Delta flooded  138,300
6 Apr. 29, 1991 Bangladesh Tropical cyclone Gorky 138,000
7 May 12, 2008 China Earthquake (Mw 7.9) in Sichuan, aftershocks 87,449
8 Oct. 8, 2005 Pakistan, India, Afghanistan Earthquake (Mw 7.6), aftershocks, landslides 74,310
9 May 31, 1970 Peru Earthquake (Mw 7.9) triggers rock slide and floods 66,000
10 Jun. 15, 2010 Russia, Czech Republic  Heat wave with temperatures up to 40◦ Celsius 55,630

(1) Dead and missing.

Source: Swiss Re, sigma, No. 2/2017.