Top Disasters

Compiled by
Kevin Morin
Facts Editor

In history there have been numerous natural disasters that have caused mass damage and death. Here are the top ten deadliest natural disasters.

1.1931 China Floods
July-November 1931, China
Death Toll: 1,000,000- 4,000,000
2.1887 Yellow River Flood
September-October 1887, China
Death Toll: 900,000-2,000,000
3.1556 Shaanxi Earthquake
January 23 1556, China
Death Toll: 830,000
4.1970 Bhola Cyclone
November 13, 1970, Pakistan
Death Toll: 500,000
5.1839 India Cyclone
November 25 1839, India
Death Toll: 300,000
6.526 Antioch Earthquake
May 526 A.D., Antioch (Now Turkey)
Death Toll: 250,000-300,000
7.1976 Tangshan Earthquake
July 28 1976, China
Death Toll: 242,419
8.1920 Haiyuan Earthquake
December 16 1920, China
Death Toll: 234,117
9.2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake
December 26 2004, Worldwide
Death Toll: 230,210
10.2010 Haiti Earthquake
January 12 2010, Haiti
Death Toll: 22,517

Top Five Worst’s:

Earthquakes:
1. 1556 Shaanxi Earthquake
January 23 1556, China
Death Toll: 830,000
2. 526 Antioch Earthquake
May 526 A.D., Antioch (Now Turkey)
Death Toll: 250,000-300,000
3. 1976 Tangshan Earthquake
July 28 1976, China
Death Toll: 242,419
4. 1920 Haiyuan Earthquake
December 16 1920, China
Death Toll: 234,117
5. 2010 Haiti Earthquake
January 12 2010, Haiti
Death Toll: 22,517

Infectious Diseases:
1. Smallpox
1900-1980, Worldwide
Death Toll: 300,000,000
2. Measles
Last 150 years, Worldwide
Death Toll: 200,000,000
3. Malaria
20th century-present, Worldwide
Death Toll: 80,000,000-250,000,000
4. Tuberculosis
20th century-present, Worldwide
Death Toll: 40,000,000-100,000,000
5. AIDs
1981-present, Worldwide
Death Toll: 25,250,000

Famines:
1. Great Chinese Famine
1958-1961, China
Death Toll: 15,000,000-43,000,000
2. Indian Famine
1896-1902, British India
Death Toll: 19,000,000
3. Bengal Famine
1769-1771, India
Death Toll: 15,000,000
4. Northern Chinese Famine
1876-1879, China
Death Toll: 13,000,000
5. Great European Famine
1315-1317, Europe
Death Toll: 7,500,000

Volcanoes:
1. Mt. Tambora
1815, Indonesia
Death Toll: 92,000
2. Krakatoa
August 26-27 1883, Indonesia
Death Toll: 36,000
3. Mt. Pelee
May 7th or May 8th 1902, Martinique
Death Toll: 29,000
4. Mt. Vesuvius
August 24, 79 A.D, Pompeii
Death Toll: 25,000
5. Nevado Del Ruiz
November 13 1985, Colombia
Death Toll: 23,000