Table Archive

Top 10 Deadliest World Natural Catastrophes, 1950-2024 (1)

Rank	Date	Country/region	Event	Deaths
1	Nov. 12, 1970	Bangladesh	Cyclone Bhola	300,000
2	Jul. 27, 1976	China	Tangshan earthquake	242,769
3	Jul. 30, 1975	Taiwan, China	Super Typhoon Nina	230,029
4	Dec. 26, 2004	Indian Ocean Basin	Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami	226,408
5	Jan. 12, 2010	Haiti	Port-au-Prince earthquake	160,000
6	Apr. 1991	Bangladesh	Cyclone Gorky	139,000
7	May 2008	Myanmar	Cyclone Nargis	138,366
8	Aug. 1971	Vietnam	Vietnam floods	100,000
9	Oct. 8, 2005	Pakistan	Kashmir earthquake	88,000
10	May 12, 2008	China	Sichuan earthquake	87,652

(1) Natural disasters that cause at least 10 deaths. Does not include drought or heatwave events. As of January 2025.

Source: Aon.

Rank	Date	Country/region	Event	Deaths
1	Nov. 12, 1970	Bangladesh	Cyclone Bhola	300,000
2	Jul. 27, 1976	China	Tangshan earthquake	242,769
3	Jul. 30, 1975	Taiwan, China	Super Typhoon Nina	230,029
4	Dec. 26, 2004	Indian Ocean Basin	Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami	226,408
5	Jan. 12, 2010	Haiti	Port-au-Prince earthquake	160,000
6	Apr. 1991	Bangladesh	Cyclone Gorky	139,000
7	May 2008	Myanmar	Cyclone Nargis	138,366
8	Aug. 1971	Vietnam	Vietnam floods	100,000
9	Oct. 8, 2005	Pakistan	Kashmir earthquake	88,000
10	May 12, 2008	China	Sichuan earthquake	87,652

(1) Natural disasters that cause at least 10 deaths. Does not include drought or heatwave events. As of January 2024.

Source: Aon.

Rank	Date	Country/region	Event	Deaths
1	Nov. 12, 1970	Bangladesh	Cyclone Bhola	300,000
2	Jul. 27, 1976	China	Tangshan earthquake	242,769
3	Jul. 30, 1975	Taiwan, China	Super Typhoon Nina	230,029
4	Dec. 26, 2004	Indian Ocean Basin	Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami	227,898
5	Jan. 12, 2010	Haiti	Port-au-Prince earthquake	160,000
6	Apr. 1991	Bangladesh	Cyclone Gorky	139,000
7	May 2008	Myanmar	Cyclone Nargis	138,366
8	Aug. 1971	Vietnam	Vietnam floods	100,000
9	Oct. 8, 2005	Pakistan	Kashmir earthquake	88,000
10	May 12, 2008	China	Sichuan earthquake	87,652

(1) Natural disasters that cause at least 10 deaths. Does not include drought or heatwave events. As of January 2023.

Source: Aon.

Rank	Date	Country/region	Event	Deaths
1	Nov. 12, 1970	Bangladesh	Cyclone Bhola	300,000
2	Jul. 27, 1976	China	Tangshan earthquake	242,769
3	Jul. 30, 1975	Taiwan, China	Super Typhoon Nina	230,000
4	Dec. 26, 2004	Indian Ocean Basin	Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami	227,898
5	Jan. 12, 2010	Haiti	Port-au-Prince earthquake	160,000
6	Apr. 1991	Bangladesh	Cyclone Gorky	139,000
7	May 2008	Myanmar	Cyclone Nargis	138,366
8	Aug. 1971	Vietnam	Vietnam floods	100,000
9	Oct. 8, 2005	Pakistan	Kashmir earthquake	88,000
10	May 12, 2008	China	Sichuan earthquake	87,652

(1) Natural disasters that cause at least 10 deaths. Does not include drought or heatwave events. As of January 2022.

Source: Aon.

Rank	Date	Country/region	Event	Deaths
1	Nov. 12, 1970	Bangladesh	Cyclone Bhola	300,000
2	Jul. 27, 1976	China	Tangshan earthquake	242,769
3	Jul. 30, 1975	Taiwan, China	Super Typhoon Nina	230,000
4	Dec. 26, 2004	Indian Ocean Basin	Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami	227,899
5	Jan. 12, 2010	Haiti	Port-au-Prince earthquake	160,000
6	Apr. 1991	Bangladesh	Cyclone Gorky	139,000
7	May 2008	Myanmar	Cyclone Nargis	138,366
8	Aug. 1971	Vietnam	Vietnam floods	100,000
9	Oct. 8, 2005	Pakistan	Kashmir earthquake	88,000
10	May 12, 2008	China	Sichuan earthquake	87,652

(1) Natural disasters that cause at least 10 deaths. Does not include drought or heatwave events. As of January 2021.

Source: Aon.

Rank	Date	Year	Country/region	Event	Deaths
1	Nov. 12	1970	Bangladesh	Cyclone Bhola	300,000
2	Jul. 27	1976	China	Tangshan earthquake	242,769
3	Jul. 30	1975	Taiwan, China	Super Typhoon Nina	230,000
4	Dec. 26	2004	Indian Ocean Basin	Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami	227,899
5	Jan. 12	2010	Haiti	Port-au-Prince earthquake	160,000
6	Apr. 29	1991	Bangladesh	Cyclone Gorky	139,000
7	May 3	2008	Myanmar	Cyclone Nargis	138,366
8	Aug. 31	1971	Vietnam	Vietnam floods	100,000
9	Oct. 8	2005	Pakistan	Kashmir earthquake	88,000
10	May 12	2008	China	Sichuan earthquake	87,652

(1) Natural disasters that cause at least 10 deaths. Does not include drought or heatwave events. As of January 2020.

Source: Aon.

Rank	Date	Year	Country/region	Event	Deaths
1	Jan. 12	2010	Haiti	Haiti earthquake	316,000
2	Nov. 13	1970	Bangladesh	Bhola cyclone	300,000
3	Jul. 27	1976	China	Tangshan earthquake	242,769
4	Aug. 8	1975	Taiwan, China	Super Typhoon Nina	230,000
5	Dec. 26	2004	Indian Ocean Basin	Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami	227,899
6	Apr. 29	1991	Bangladesh	Cyclone Gorky	139,000
7	May 3	2008	Myanmar	Cyclone Nargis	138,366
8	Aug. 31	1971	Vietnam	Flooding	100,000
9	Oct. 8	2005	Pakistan	Kashmir earthquake	88,000
10	May 12	2008	China	Sichuan earthquake	87,652

(1) Natural disasters that cause at least 10 deaths. Does not include drought or heatwave events. As of September 13, 2019.

Source: Aon.