Nature’s beauty often hides its most terrifying side. From earthquakes and tsunamis to wildfires and floods, disasters strike with little warning and can overwhelm even the best-prepared nations.
Governments may rally to protect lives and rebuild, yet the toll, measured in lost lives, shattered communities, and crippled economies, can linger for generations. Around the world, vulnerability to natural disasters is rising, and with climate change igniting more extreme events, the costs of recovery are expected to climb even higher in the years ahead.
Click through to see which countries have faced the steepest costs of recovery.