History of Natural disaster in Timeline

Natural disasters are devastating events caused by natural hazards. These hazards encompass a wide array of phenomena, including avalanches, droughts, earthquakes, floods, heat waves, landslides, tropical cyclones, and volcanic activity. Additional hazards range from blizzards and dust storms to ice storms, sinkholes, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and tsunamis. These events can cause significant damage to communities and societies.

1906: San Francisco Earthquake Disaster

The 1906 San Francisco earthquake disaster was caused by an earthquake natural hazard. The disaster significantly harmed the community.

1951: 1951 Refugee Convention

In 1951, the Refugee Convention was established as a cornerstone document for refugee protection and population displacement.

1953: Tangiwai disaster caused by a lahar

In 1953, the Tangiwai disaster was caused by a lahar, a volcanic mudflow or landslide.

1958: Landslide at Lituya Bay, Alaska

In 1958, a tsunami was caused by a landslide at Lituya Bay, Alaska.

1967: 1967 Protocol

In 1967, a protocol was added to the Refugee Convention, further solidifying the protection of refugees and displaced populations.

1970: Bhola Cyclone

The deadliest hurricane ever was the 1970 Bhola cyclone.

1972: Iran Blizzard

In 1972, the Iran blizzard was one of the deadliest blizzards in history; an area the size of Wisconsin was entirely buried in snow.

1976: Challenge to the term "natural disaster"

In 1976, the term "natural disaster" was already being challenged, marking a shift in understanding towards recognizing the role of human factors in disasters.

1976: Natural Disaster Misnomer

In 1976, the term 'natural disaster' was already being questioned as a misnomer, with emphasis on the fact that disasters result from natural hazards impacting vulnerable communities, but are often exacerbated or caused by human actions and inactions, such as poor planning and failure to prepare.

1980: Geophysical Events

Between 1980 and 2011 geophysical events accounted for 14% of all natural catastrophes.

July 12, 1984: Hailstorm in Munich, Germany

On July 12, 1984, a particularly damaging hailstorm hit Munich, Germany, causing about $2 billion in insurance claims.

1985: Armero tragedy caused by a lahar

In 1985, the Armero tragedy occurred in which the town of Armero was buried by a lahar and an estimated 23,000 people were killed.

1993: Superstorm

In 1993, the Superstorm originated in the Gulf of Mexico and traveled north, causing damage in 26 American states as well as in Canada and leading to more than 300 deaths.

1995: Natural Disasters Occurrences

Between 1995 and 2015, the greatest number of natural disasters occurred in America, China and India.

1997: Millennium Drought in Australia

The 1997–2009 Millennium Drought in Australia led to a water supply crisis across much of the country. As a result, many desalination plants were built for the first time.

1998: 1998 UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement

In 1998, the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement were established to protect individuals displaced due to natural disasters.

2004: Gender Disparity in Indian Ocean Tsunami

In the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, more women died than men, partly due to the fact that fewer women knew how to swim. During and after a natural disaster, women are at increased risk of being affected by gender based violence and are increasingly vulnerable to sexual violence.

2004: Boxing Day Tsunami

The 2004 Boxing Day tsunami was caused by an undersea earthquake.

2005: Hurricane Katrina

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast of the United States. Hurricanes may become more intense and produce more heavy rainfall as a consequence of human-induced climate change.

2008: Afghanistan Blizzard

In 2008, the Afghanistan blizzard was one of the deadliest blizzards in history.

2009: Victorian Bushfires in Australia

In 2009, a summer heat wave in Victoria, Australia, created conditions which fueled the massive bushfires (collectively known as "Black Saturday bushfires"). Melbourne experienced three days in a row of temperatures exceeding 40 °C (104 °F), with some regional areas sweltering through much higher temperatures.

2009: 2009 Kampala Convention

In 2009, the Kampala Convention was established to protect people displaced due to natural disasters.

2009: Millennium Drought in Australia

The 1997–2009 Millennium Drought in Australia led to a water supply crisis across much of the country. As a result, many desalination plants were built for the first time.

2010: Waste Generation After Earthquake in Haiti

Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the generation of waste from relief operations was called a "second disaster". Millions of water bottles and styrofoam food packages were distributed, and plastic tarpaulins and tents were required for emergency shelters. This increase in plastic waste, combined with poor disposal practices, resulted in open drainage channels being blocked, increasing the risk of disease.

March 11, 2011: Tsunami near Fukushima, Japan

On March 11, 2011, a tsunami occurred near Fukushima, Japan and spread through the Pacific Ocean.

2011: Geophysical Events

Between 1980 and 2011 geophysical events accounted for 14% of all natural catastrophes.

2011: Drought Emergency in Texas

In 2011, the State of Texas lived under a drought emergency declaration for the entire calendar year and suffered severe economic losses. The drought caused the Bastrop fires.

2011: Tsunami Waste in Japan

In 2011, the tsunami in Japan produced huge amounts of debris, estimated at 5 million tonnes of waste reported by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. Some of this waste, mostly plastic and styrofoam washed up on the coasts of Canada and the United States in late 2011.

2012: Worldwide Natural Disasters

In 2012, there were 905 natural disasters worldwide, 93% of which were weather-related disasters. Overall costs were US$170 billion and insured losses $70 billion. 45% were meteorological (storms), 36% were hydrological (floods), 12% were climatological (heat waves, cold waves, droughts, wildfires) and 7% were geophysical events (earthquakes and volcanic eruptions).

2015: Natural Disasters Occurrences

Between 1995 and 2015, the greatest number of natural disasters occurred in America, China and India.

2015: Increased Global Economic Losses

Between 2015 and 2021, direct losses from disasters have averaged above US$330 billion annually. This rise is attributed to socio-economic factors like population growth, increased wealth, and human-induced climate change.

August 2018: Kerala Floods and Scapegoating

In August 2018, the Hindutva party Hindu Makkal Katchi and others blamed women's struggle for the right to enter the Sabarimala temple for the Kerala floods, claiming the angry god Ayyappan caused the floods.

2018: Increase in Microplastics after typhoon in Hong Kong

In 2018, a typhoon in Hong Kong led to a 100% increase in the amount of microplastics on beaches surveyed, as reported in a study by Lo et al. in 2020.

2019: Disability-adjusted life years lost due to natural disasters

As of 2019, Bahamas, Haiti, Zimbabwe and Armenia have the highest share of disability-adjusted life years (DALY) lost due to natural disasters. In addition, in 2019, the Asia-Pacific region is the world's most disaster prone region.

2020: Increase in Microplastics

In 2020, a study by Lo et al. reported a 100% increase in the amount of microplastics on beaches surveyed following a typhoon in Hong Kong in 2018.

2021: Increased Global Economic Losses

2022: Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction

As of 2022, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction has helped 123 countries adopt both federal and local DRR strategies.

January 2025: Megafires Destroying Los Angeles

In January 2025, heat waves coupled with severe winds caused megafires that destroyed several sectors of Los Angeles.

2030: Estimated Costs for Climate Adaptation

By 2030, it is estimated that climate adaptation will cost developing countries between US$215 billion to $387 billion per year. DRR and climate adaptation share similar goals and strategies.