Worst Natural Disasters List

A look at some of the deadliest natural disasters around the world in the past 40 years:

_ May 12, 2008: Earthquake (magnitude 7.9) hits Sichuan province in central China. More than 69,000 people are killed and over 17,000 remain missing.

_ May 2-3, 2008: Cyclone Nargis strikes Myanmar, killing at least 78,000 and leaving 56,000 others missing.

_ October 2005: Northern Pakistan earthquake (magnitude 7.6) kills about 78,000 people.

_ August 2005: U.S. Gulf Coast Hurricane Katrina kills at least 1,600 people in Louisiana and Mississippi.

_ December 2004: Indian Ocean tsunami (triggered by magnitude 9.0 earthquake) kills 230,000 in a dozen countries.

_ December 2003: Southeastern Iran earthquake (magnitude 6.5) kills 26,000.

_ August 1999: Western Turkey earthquake (magnitude 7.4) kills 17,000.

_ October 1998: Central America Hurricane Mitch kills 9,000.

_ April 1991: Bangladesh cyclone kills 140,000.

_ June 1990: Northwestern Iran earthquake (magnitude 7.7) kills 50,000.

_ July 1976: Northeastern China earthquake (magnitude 8.2) kills 240,000, with some estimates at 655,000.

_ November 1970: Bangladesh cyclone kills 300,000. World's deadliest cyclone on record.

Comments

[fritzson]

09:20 PM on 06/13/2008

This is only because of our definition of "natural disaster". On the following list, the worst of these so-called *natural* disasters is in a three way tie for 19th place:

http://www.scaruffi.com/politics/dictat.html

[yellowdawgdem]

04:16 PM on 06/11/2008

You forgot to list the Bush/Cheney administration. ☺☺☺