In 2014, there were 189 natural catastrophes worldwide, the mostever recorded by Swiss Re publicationSigma, though the cost of these eventsdropped to $35 billion, from $44 billion the year prior.
|The most devastating catastrophe of that year was the August3rd earthquake in China, where 731 people lost theirlives.
|It's no surprise that an earthquake ranks at the top of thelist. While hurricanes are the costliest catastrophes for insurers, throughouthistory, earthquakes have generally been the deadliest. The mostlethal earthquake on record occurred on Jan. 23, 1556, when anearthquake in Shaanxi, China, struck in the earlyevening, killing approximately 830,000 people.
|Why are earthquakes so deadly? Despite intensive analysis of factors such as increases inradon gas concentrations, changes in electromagnetic activity,foreshocks and even unusual animal behavior, researchers have beenunable to uncover reliable precursors to these events.
|“When you really bring the whole weight of statistical rigor to[the study of earthquake precursors], nothing stands up,” saysSusanHough, a geophysicist at California Institute of Technology inPasadena.
|It makes sense, then, that on a list of the worst catastrophesfrom the past several decades, earthquakes predominate, though heatwaves, cyclones and floods also make an appearance.
|Keep reading to view the 10 deadliest catastrophes of the past44 years:
||
Children play in a fountain after a sunny and hot day inAlexandrov Garden at the Kremlin Wall in Moscow, Russia. (Photo:Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo)
|10. Heat wave with temperatures up to 40 degreesCelsius (Russia, Czech Republic)
Date: June 15, 2010.
|Victims: 55,630.
|
In this Nov. 26, 2012 photo, the door to an outhouse standsnear a home, unseen, on top of a mountain in the Nueva Rinconadaneighborhood on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. Seismologists,engineers and civil defense officials agree that Lima is due for anearthquake but is acutely vulnerable and sorely unprepared. (Photo:Rodrigo Abd/AP Photo)
|9. Earthquake (7.7 magnitude), massive avalanche andfloods (Peru)
|
Date: May 31, 1970.
|Victims: 66,000.
|
A girl walks in rubbleof destroyed homes caused by an earthquake in Chitral town,northern Pakistan, Oct. 29, 2015. (Photo: Anjum Naveed/APPhoto)
8. Earthquake (7.6 magnitude), aftershocks, landslides(Pakistan, India, Afghanistan)
|
Date: Oct. 8, 2005.
|Victims: 74,310.
|
In this April 4, 2009file photo, mourners light up fire crackers, burn incense and makeofferings to those who died in May 12, 2008 earthquake, on thegrave sweeping day in Beichuan, Sichuan, China. (Photo: ElizabethDalziel/AP Photo)
7. Earthquake (7.9 magnitude), aftershocks(China)
|
Date: May 12, 2008.
|Victims: 87,449.
|
A Bangladeshi mansleeps on a boat anchored on the highly polluted River Buriganga inDhaka, Bangladesh, March 28, 2016. The Buriganga has become a largemass of extremely polluted water, contaminated by hazardouspollutants such as industrial and household waste, sewage, medicalwaste, oil, plastics and dead animals. (Photo: A.M. Ahad/APPhoto)
6. Tropical cyclone Gorky (Bangladesh)
|
Date: Apr. 29, 1991.
|Victims: 138,000.
|
In this photoreleased by China's Xinhua News Agency, people walk past fallentrees at a street in Myanmar's biggest city Yangon on May 3, 2008.Tropical Cyclone Nargis ripped through Yangon, tearing off roofs,uprooting trees and knocking out electricity. (Photo: ZhangYunfei/Xinhua via AP Photo)
5. Tropical cyclone Nargis (Myanmar, Bay ofBengal)
|
Date: May 2, 2008.
|Victims: 138,300.
|
In this Jan. 10,2005 file photo, an elephant, which belongs to the forest ministry,removes debris in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, after a tsunami, triggeredby a massive earthquake off the Indonesian coast, left more than220,000 people dead in 14 countries and caused about $10 billion indamage. Countries from Indonesia to India to Africa's east coastwere hit, leaving shocking scenes of death and destruction. (Photo:Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)
4. Earthquake (9.0 magnitude), tsunami in Indian Ocean(Indonesia, Thailand and elsewhere)
|
Date: Dec. 26, 2004.
|Victims: 220,000.
|
A man with two childrensits in the rubble of the earthquake damaged cathedral during amass in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jan. 12, 2011, one year after amagnitude-7.0 earthquake devastated the capital and killed morethan 220,000 people and left millions homeless. (Photo: RamonEspinosa/AP Photo)
3. Earthquake (7.0 magnitude), aftershocks(Haiti)
|
Date: Jan. 12, 2010.
|Victims: 222,570.
||
Almost an entire wall of a house in Beijing lies in a heapon the sidewalk, July 31, 1976, after a severe earthquake rockedthe Chinese capital. (Photo: John R. Zelenik/AP Photo)
|2. Earthquake (7.5 magnitude) (China)
|
Date: July 28, 1976.
|Victims: 255,000.
|
Villagers look at the remains ofseveral homes in Manpura, Bangladesh, after a cyclone hit the area,105 miles south of Dacca, on Nov. 17, 1970. Many of the villagerswere swept away by a tidal wave during the cyclone. (APPhoto)
1. Storm and flood catastrophe(Bangladesh)
|
Date: Nov. 11, 1970.
|Victims: 300,000.
|Editor's Note: Victim counts include dead and missing.Source: Sigma Re, Sigma No. 2/2015.
|Want to continue reading?
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