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Gujarat earthquake (2001) - The catastrophe happened in Gujarat, one of the states of India. The earthquake had a moment magnitude of 7.9 Mw and devastated the area.

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Gujarat earthquake (2001) - Also known as the Bhuj earthquake, this natural disaster killed at least 20,000 people and injured more than 150,000 others.

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Gujarat earthquake (2001) -

It destroyed or damaged more than a million buildings, including nearly all the villages of Gujarat.

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European heat wave (2003) - The European heat wave was the deadliest heat wave of the last 500 years, with at least 30,000 deaths (more than 14,000 in France alone) reported.

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Bam earthquake (2003) - A massive earthquake struck the center of Bam, in southeastern Iran, with a magnitude of 6.6 Mw.

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Bam earthquake (2003) - More than 26,000 people were killed in the course of this disaster, and another 30,000 were injured.

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Bam earthquake (2003) - Several houses were destroyed in what was the country's biggest natural disaster.

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Indian Ocean earthquake/tsunami (2004) - On December 26, 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

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Indian Ocean earthquake/tsunami (2004) - The earthquake formed a series of tsunamis that spread across the Indian Ocean and caused the loss of more than 250,000 lives across a dozen countries.

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Indian Ocean earthquake/tsunami (2004) - The most deadly tsunami since 1900, waves reaching a reported height of 30 ft (9 m) killed over 170,000 in Indonesia alone.

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Hurricane Katrina (2005) - On August 29, 2005, one of the biggest tropical hurricanes of the last century hit the southeastern United States.

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Hurricane Katrina (2005) - With winds in excess of 275 km (170 miles) per hour, the storm soon ranked as the worst natural disaster in US history, claiming over 1,800 lives.

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Hurricane Katrina (2005) - The most affected areas were Florida, the Bahamas, and the Gulf of Mexico. New Orleans, Louisiana, also suffered greatly, as the city was 80% underwater by August 30.

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Kashmir earthquake (2005) - Also in 2005, the Pakistan-administered portion of the Kashmir region suffered an earthquake which reached a magnitude of 7.6 Mw and a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles).

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Kashmir earthquake (2005) - The tremors were felt as far as India and Afghanistan, and wreaked havoc on people's homes and lives.

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Kashmir earthquake (2005) - In total, around 80,000 people died in this catastrophe, and many others were injured.

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Cyclone Nargis (2008) - In May 2008, an intense tropical cyclone caused the worst natural disaster in the history of Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia.

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Cyclone Nargis (2008) - At least 138,000 people died, and whole cities and villages were devastated.

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Haiti earthquake (2010) - Haiti suffered from a large earthquake on January 12, 2010, with a magnitude of 7.0 Mw, and several following earthquakes between 5.5 and 5.9 Mw.

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Haiti earthquake (2010) - The earthquake caused massive long-term damage, with an estimated 250,000 homes devastated by the catastrophe.

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Haiti earthquake (2010) - As a result of this earthquake, over one million people were left homeless and without suitable living conditions.

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Haiti earthquake (2010) - Though the number is debated, the Haitian government estimated 316,000 people died in this catastrophe. An estimated three million people—nearly one-third of the country’s total population—were affected.

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Sendai earthquake and tsunami (2011) - This massive earthquake occurred in northeastern Japan in March 2011. It had a magnitude of 9.0 Mw.

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Sendai earthquake and tsunami (2011) - The earthquake initiated a series of large tsunami waves that devastated many coastal areas, leaving thousands of families homeless.

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Sendai earthquake and tsunami (2011) - The catastrophe caused almost 16,000 deaths.

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Hurricane Sandy (2012) - Hurricane Sandy was a tropical cyclone that affected Jamaica, Cuba, the Bahamas, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and some states in the eastern US. It was unpredictable and devastating.

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Super Typhoon Yolanda (2013) - On November 7, 2013, an astonishingly fast typhoon of 315 km (196 miles) per hour struck the east coast of the Philippines.

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Super Typhoon Yolanda (2013) - Also known as Typhoon Haiyan, this was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded.

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Super Typhoon Yolanda (2013) - Over one million homes were devastated, and over 14 million people across 44 provinces were affected by this Category 5 storm.

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Super Typhoon Yolanda (2013) - The typhoon is estimated to have killed more than 6,000 people, while also leaving about 1,800 missing.

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Super Typhoon Yolanda (2013) - Over four million people were displaced, forced to endure the long and difficult process of re-establishing routine life and rebuilding all their infrastructure.

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India-Pakistan floods (2014) - In September 2014, the Kashmir region suffered disastrous floods and landslides caused by torrential rainfall, reportedly killing nearly 1,300 people.

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Nepal earthquake (2015) - A magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck Nepal on April 25, 2015, killing more than 8,800 people.

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Nepal earthquake (2015) - It damaged or destroyed nearly 900,000 buildings, created avalanches in the Himalayas, and was reportedly the nation's deadliest disaster on record.

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Hurricane Matthew (2016) - The most talked-about natural disaster of 2016 hit the Caribbean hardest in terms of fatalities, particularly in Haiti. Reports listed death totals for the tiny island nation as anywhere from 500 to over 1,000.

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Hurricane Matthew (2016) - The Category 4 hurricane reportedly had maximum sustained winds of 233 km (145 miles) per hour, and spread to the east coast of the US as well, leaving 48 dead.

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Hurricane Maria (2017) - In September 2017, Hurricane Maria materialized as a deadly Category 5 hurricane which devastated Puerto Rico, Dominica, and the US Virgin Islands.

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Hurricane Maria (2017) - It is regarded as the worst natural disaster on record to affect those islands.

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California wildfires (2018) -

Twin wildfires burning through northern California became the state’s largest on record, scorching more than 290,000 acres and displacing hundreds of thousands of people.

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Cyclone Idai (2019) - In early April 2019, Cyclone Idai became one of the worst tropical cyclones on record to affect Africa and the Southern Hemisphere.  

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Cyclone Idai (2019) - It caused catastrophic damage in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, leaving more than 1,300 people dead and thousands more missing, along with serious outbreaks of cholera.

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Cyclone Kenneth (2019) -

Cyclone Kenneth was the second powerful tropical storm to hit southeast Africa within a span of five weeks, devastating areas still reeling from Cyclone Idai.

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Cyclone Kenneth (2019) -

It was the strongest storm to hit the region since records began, destroying nearly 3,400 homes and displacing thousands more. It left 52 people dead and caused US$100 million in damage. 

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Hurricane Ida (2021) -

On August 29, Hurricane Ida barreled through Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. It's one of the strongest hurricanes on record to ever make landfall in Louisiana, ABC reports. The hurricane caused mass flooding and devastating damage throughout the state. The catastrophic hit on the 16-year anniversary of Katrina, a Category 3 hurricane that ravaged the Gulf Coast. Ida moved up the East Coast and has ravaged the states of New York and New Jersey. Dramatic videos showed terrifying waves of floodwater flowing down into the subway stations. Eight different tornados hit the North East region of the country, flattening homes in New Jersey and several other states. Flooding has destroyed countless homes, and killed many living in basements. CNN reports that 23 people have died in New Jersey alone. A death toll of over 100 is estimated. 

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Northern California 'Bomb cyclone' (2023) -

A massive bomb cyclone and atmospheric river has pounded into Northern California on October 24, causing flash floods, debris flows, power outages, and mudslides. A bomb cyclone occurs when a mid-latitude cyclone rapidly intensifies, and it's dumping huge amounts of water and whipping damaging winds across the West Coast. The atmospheric river is a a band carrying more water vapor than the surrounding air, and was elevated to a Category 5, the highest designation on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Extreme Weather Lab scale, according to CBS. 

Over 160,000 homes and businesses in California, more than 170,000 in Washington, and over 28,000 in Oregon were left without power  due to the weather, and two people were killed by a fallen tree in the greater Seattle area.

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Rio Grande do Sul floods (2024) -

Torrential rains battered the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul from late April to May 2024, surpassing one-third of the annual average rainfall. This deluge resulted in 14.2 trillion liters of water flowing into the Guaíba River, which surrounds the state capital, Porto Alegre. A devastating flood affected 96% of the state, impacting approximately 2.3 million people and prompting the declaration of a state of public calamity by state leaders. As of June 2024, official figures reported 173 deaths, 38 missing persons, 806 injuries, 18,800 people in shelters, and 423,400 left homeless.

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Washington bomb cyclone (2024) -

A devastating, once-in-a-decade bomb cyclone swirled through the Northwestern United States and British Columbia in Canada, causing extensive damage and several fatalities. 

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Cyclone Chido (2024) - On December 14, 2024, France's Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte suffered its worst cyclone in 90 years. Cyclone Chido ripped through the capital, Mamoudzo, at wind speeds of more than 225km/h (140mph), smashing cars and flattening houses, leaving 35 people dead.

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Cyclone Chido (2024) -

Cyclone Chido also hit Mozambique, where there has been widespread damage and 120 confirmed deaths.

See also: How to prepare for a natural disaster

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