Humans face their worst challenge from natural disasters in the form of earthquakes, floods, fires, insects, disease and typhoons and hurricanes. When these natural disaster events occur, human lives may be lost, their homes damaged or destroyed, their everyday lives disrupted, side effects from illness and limited resources may occur and huge public emergency handling projects required to restore them at huge expense. Here’s my take on the worst natural disasters for the past decade.
Worst Earthquake Natural Disasters
#1 Kashmir, Pakistan Earthquake 2005
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake located near the city of Muzaffarabad in Kashmir hit on October 8, 2005 followed by many landslides. Heavy snow in the area made help difficult. Most water systems were damaged or destroyed and many suffered from malnourishment and power to the region was out for 6 days. Overall 3.5 million people were affected [12].
Cost: US$ 3.5 billion
Lives Lost: 87,350 including 19,000 children and 138,000 injured and killing 250,000 farm animals
Homes Lost: 780,000 buildings leaving 500,000 families homeless and 500,000 animals without shelter and the hospitals and schools destroyed.
Photographs of Worst Natural Disaster Kashmir, Pakistan Earthquake 2005
#2 Sichuan, China Earthquake and Flood 2008
A 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Chengdu in Sichuan, China on May 12, 2008.
Cost: US$6 billion damages to agriculture, ~US$5 billion in reconstruction costs (90 billion yuan)
Lives Lost: 24,00 including 5300+ children in a collapsed school and 80,000 injured.
Homes Lost: 374,000 initial and more than 30 million in rural areas including those affected by “quake” lakes created by the earthquake and requiring the evacuation of 250,000 people according to Reuters [1].
Photographs of the Worst Natural Disaster 2008 Sichuan, China Earthquake damage.
#3 Java, Indonesia Earthquakes 2006
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit the city of Yogyakarta, Java on May 27, 2006 leaving 1/3 of the population ( 1 million) homeless after nearby nearby Mount Merapi, which had began spewing lava, ash and vapour earlier in the month according to Reuters[2]. It was followed by a second 7.1 magnitude earthquake on July 19, 2008 which triggered a tsunami and causing more damages.
Cost: US$110.3 million
Lives Lost: 5,749 killed in the first earthquake and 640 in the second earthquake
Homes Lost: 280,000 in the first and 28,000 more in the second
Photographs of Worst Natural Disaster Java, Indonesia Earthquake 2006
#4 Worst Disease Natural Disasters
H1N1 Swine Flu
H1N! Swine Flu has hit most countries of the world and caused deaths especially to children, pregnant women, people with weakened immunity or with diabetes, heart disease or respiratory problems with many more hospitalized.
Cost: 1.5 Billion for program[5]
Lives Lost: ~10,000 as of Dec 2009 with 50 million affected in the US[4]
Photographs of Worst Natural Disaster Swine Flu H1N1
Avian Flu H5N1
Avian Flu has had fewer deaths than Swine Flu, but it has shown marked ability to jump between animals and people and other animals, and whose affects have changed and become more severe. 60% of humans that have contracted the disease have died. The disease caused the deaths of many birds especially in Asia[6][7].
#5 Worst Fire Natural Disaster Victoria, Australia, 2009
Fires caused by arson spread through Victoria, Australia on February 7, 2009 during a record heat wave. [8]
Cost: AU$ 500 Million +
Lives Lost: 173 with 414 injured
Homes Lost: 2,029 houses, 3,500+ structures in total, 7,562 displaced, affected 988,000 acres[9]
Photographs of Worst Natural Disaster February 7, 2009 Australian Bushfires
#6 2004 Haiti, Dominican Republic Worst Natural Disaster Floods
On May 18-25 2004 g in Haiti, Dominican Republic rains from Tropical Storm Noel sent the river along the border between Haiti and The Dominican Republic flooding.[10]
Cost: US$ 677,308
Lives Lost: 2000+
Homes Lost: 100 with 2939 damaged and 33,794 affected.
Photographs of Worst Natural Disaster 2004 Haiti, Dominican Republic Floods
#7 Worst Natural Disaster Hurricane Katrina, Lousisiana 2005
Category 5 Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Louisiana, United States on August 29, 2005 after causing damages and loss of life in the Bahamas. The greater than 15 foot above high tide storm surge inundated 3 states.
Cost: US$ 150 Billion-200 Billion
Lost Lives: 1,836, Disaster Mental Health services met 826,590 contacts after the storm[11]
Homes Lost: 100,000, 60,000 people displaced
Photographs of Worst Natural Disaster Hurricane Katrina
Video of Worst Natural Disaster Hurricane Katrina
#8 Worst Tsunami Natural Disaster Sumatra, 2004
On December 26, 2004, an 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Simiulue Island, Sumatra struck and triggered a tsunami.
Cost: $US 4.8 Billion
Lives Lost: 230,000 in ten countries
Homes Lost: 51,000 rebuilt,
Photographs of Worst Natural Disaster Sumatra Tsunami
#9 European Heat Wave Natural Disaster, 2003
In Europe, higher than normal temperatures, the highest recorded 39-43.3C or 102-110F at Podgorica, Montenegro led to the many emergency outreach programs that delivered water. Over 300 forest fires were started.[13]
Cost: US$ 13 billion[14]
Lives Lost: 35,000
Photographs of Worst Natural Disaster Europeans Heat Wave 2003
#10 Worst Natural Disaster Pests Locust Swarm, Western Africa, 2004
By February, 2004 swarms of locusts moved from Algeria, Morocco and the Western Sahara throughout the Sahel of Western Africa. Money was used to supply pesticides.[15]
Cost: $20 million or 280 Pounds in Africa, 3.7 million a year in Australia or 11.7 million if including agricultural losses.[16]
Lives Lost: 0, Affected Region: 7.2 Million Acres, also in Australia 450,000 hectares
Photographsof Worst Natural Disaster Locust Swarm 2004
[1] http://www.alertnet.org/db/crisisprofiles/CN_EAR.htm
[2] http://www.alertnet.org/db/crisisprofiles/ID_EAR.htm
[3] http://www.javareconstructionfund.org/ducuments/pdf/progresreportjrf_062007.pdf
[12] http://www.eeri.org/lfe/pdf/kashmir_eeri_2nd_report.pdf
[5] http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091112/vaccine_costs_091112/20091112?hub=Health
[4] http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/estimates_2009_h1n1.htm
[6]http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/outbreaks/current.htm
[7] http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/country/cases_table_2009_12_21/en/index.html
[8] http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/bushfires/
[9] http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Australia_counts_cost_of_fires_floods_999.html
[10]http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/07/MDR49002.pdf
[11] http://www.environmental-expert.com/Files%5C5306%5Carticles%5C13931%5C545.pdf
13] http://www.euro.who.int/document/Gch/HEAT-WAVES%20RC3.pdf
[14]http://www.ifrc.org/publicat/wdr2004/chapter2.asp
[15]http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2004/51093/index.html
[16]http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/146814/ABARE_report.pdf
