Want to know which are the most expensive natural disasters in the world? Floods, cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, heat waves, avalanches, lightning strikes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, blizzards… Mother Nature can strike humankind in a variety of forms, all of them very destructive in their own way. Some disasters are well-known for their ferocity, others for their death toll; like the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
The catastrophes on this list however are the costliest in history. In compiling this list we compared the different disasters’ estimated damages, adjusted to modern inflation rates. Nevertheless, despite the somberness of the list, the truth is that most of the time, nature gives us nothing but pleasure and life itself. And sadly, some natural disasters are the direct result of our own biological impact on the environment, and can’t be blamed solely on external factors.
Luckily, awareness on environmental issues is constantly growing, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. Just take a look at some of the breathtaking water bodies on our list of The 15 Largest Bodies of Water in the World and you’ll appreciate what Earth has to offer and what we have to take care of.
Are you curious now about the most expensive natural disasters in the world? Let’s take a look at the countdown.
5. 1980 United States Heat Wave
Without a doubt, the most atypical natural disaster is a heat wave. Although it may sound virtually harmless, a heat wave (combined with a drought) is one of the most devastating weather disasters of all. In 1980, the Midwestern United States and the Southern Plains suffered one of the most expensive catastrophes in American history. Every day from June to September of that year, the temperature rose to 90°F. Moreover, the water supply was impaired, wind storms were frequently experienced, and agriculture was deeply damaged. All in all, the heat wave claimed 1,700 lives and cost $55 billion.
A similar, though even costlier disaster is next on the list of the most expensive natural disasters in the world. Keep reading to uncover the details.
4. North American Drought of 1988
Only eight years after the Heat Wave, yet another hot disaster had to be faced by the United States. This time the drought continued into 1989, causing unbelievable amounts of damage to the Midwestern population. The drought led to wildfires and dust storms, which together with the elevated temperatures led to huge crop losses. Eventually, the concurrent 1988-1989 heat wave and drought killed around 10,000 people and resulted in $78 billion in damage.
3. Hurricane Katrina
With 1,833 fatalities and $108 billion in damages, 2005’s Hurricane Katrina became the costliest as well as one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history. Katrina originated over the Bahamas as a moderate hurricane, but as it approached the Gulf of Mexico it became stronger and eventually resulted in a mighty Category 5 hurricane. The winds, storms and floods affected the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas, hitting New Orleans the hardest. Hurricane Katrina proved that many areas had been ill prepared to face such a catastrophe. After 2005, the government’s approach to preparation for natural disasters changed significantly for the better.
2. The Great Hanshin Earthquake
Also known as the Kobe Earthquake, this 1995 earth tremor hit the Hyogo Prefecture on January 17 at 05:46. Although it only lasted about twenty seconds, the 6.8 earthquake managed to leave $100 billion in damages, 6,434 casualties and over 300,000 people homeless. Buildings were ruined, 1 km of the Hanshin Expressway collapsed, almost every quay in the port of Kobe was destroyed, and fires spread throughout the city. Furthermore, the electricity supply was disrupted and the aftershocks continues to negatively impact the already catastrophic situation.
1. Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami
In 2011, the most expensive natural disaster in the world hit Japan. Also referred to as the Great East Japan Earthquake, this earth tremor became the most powerful earthquake to ever hit Japan and one of the most powerful in the world. The undersea megathrust earthquake reached a magnitude of 9.0; it was so strong that it triggered tsunami waves as high as 133 ft. The catastrophe resulted in over 15,000 dead, 6,000 injured and 2,600 missing. Eventually, the damage amounted to a staggering $235 billion. The most impressive fact about the costliest disaster in the world is that the might of the earthquake actually managed to shift the Earth on its axis by what is estimated to be between 4 and 10 inches.
