Disasters

Category 4 Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region, killing at least 250 people and causing catastrophic inland flooding across the Southeast — the deadliest US hurricane since Katrina.

The Palisades and Eaton Fires destroyed over 16,000 structures across Los Angeles County, killing 28 people and forcing 180,000 to evacuate in the deadliest California wildfire event in decades.

Catastrophic flooding across southern and central Mozambique has killed over 150 people and displaced nearly 400,000, with more than 800,000 affected in the country's worst flood disaster in years.

Catastrophic floods and landslides struck Brazil's Minas Gerais state in late February 2026, killing 73 people and displacing over 5,500 residents in the deadliest such disaster in Brazil since the 2024 Rio Grande do Sul floods.

Unseasonable heavy rains have triggered catastrophic flooding across 16 departments in northern Colombia, killing at least 44 people, displacing over 72,000 families, and prompting a national emergency declaration.

Intense Tropical Cyclone Gezani struck Madagascar's east coast with wind gusts exceeding 250 km/h, killing at least 59 people, injuring over 800, and affecting nearly 480,000 residents.

Coordinated US-Israeli military strikes on Iran since February 28 have killed over 3,000 people, displaced 3.2 million, and created the largest humanitarian crisis in the Middle East since the Iraq War.

A historic bomb cyclone blizzard struck the Northeast with 2–3 feet of snow, near-100 mph wind gusts, and over 600,000 power outages across multiple states.

Persistent heavy rainfall has triggered nationwide floods and landslides across all 24 provinces of Ecuador, killing at least 15 people, damaging more than 28,000 homes, and affecting over 110,000 residents.

Back-to-back Kona Low storms delivered the worst flooding in Hawaii in 20 years, with 30+ inches of rain, 100 mph wind gusts, and an estimated $1 billion in damages across multiple islands.

Flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall have killed over 160 people across nearly half of Kenya's counties, displacing more than 150,000 and threatening 3.7 million with food insecurity.

Torrential rains from March 15–19, 2026 triggered devastating floods across 29 councils in Malawi, killing at least 40 people and displacing more than 310,000 across the country's southern and central regions.

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck near Luganville in Sanma Province, damaging schools, hospitals, and bridges and leaving thousands displaced across multiple provinces.

Torrential rain, flash floods, and landslides have killed over 110 people across 20+ Afghan provinces since late March, compounded by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake near Kabul.

Torrential rains have triggered deadly floods and landslides across western and central Angola, killing at least 71 people, displacing 76,000, and affecting over 220,000 residents since March 2026.

Record-breaking torrential rainfall across southern China has caused catastrophic flooding in Guangxi, Guangdong, Jiangxi, and Hunan provinces, displacing over 110,000 people and submerging cities under unprecedented April floodwaters.

Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Maila has battered the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea with 215 km/h winds, storm surges, and flooding, killing at least two people and causing widespread destruction.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Vaianu has swept through Fiji and is bearing down on New Zealand, displacing over 1,400 Fijians and prompting a state of emergency in Northland.

Catastrophic flooding triggered by the heaviest rainfall in over a century has devastated Russia's Dagestan and Chechnya republics, killing at least 6 people, inundating over 6,000 homes, and affecting an estimated 1.5 million residents after a dam breach at the Gedzhukh reservoir.

A prolonged low-pressure system has triggered catastrophic flooding across the Dominican Republic, killing at least four people, forcing over 30,000 to evacuate, and cutting off drinking water for more than a million residents.

Heavy rainfall has triggered deadly floods, landslides, and river overflows across northwestern Haiti, killing at least 12 people, displacing thousands of families, and cutting off entire communities.

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake in the Molucca Sea toppled buildings across North Maluku and Manado, triggered a small tsunami, and displaced nearly 2,000 people.

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the Sanriku Coast of Honshu, Japan, triggering tsunami warnings, evacuating over 175,000 people, and prompting a rare megaquake advisory.

A week-long severe weather outbreak spawned over 20 tornadoes across the Midwest, including an EF-3 tornado that leveled homes in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, damaging hundreds of structures across multiple states.

Record-breaking rainfall triggered devastating floods and landslides across Wellington, New Zealand, prompting a state of emergency as hundreds of homes were damaged and thousands displaced.

A deadly multi-day tornado outbreak struck North Texas from April 25–28, killing two people, injuring at least 11, and damaging or destroying over 130 buildings across Wise, Parker, and Palo Pinto counties.

A violent EF-4 tornado — the strongest in the U.S. in 2026 — tore through Enid, Oklahoma on April 23, destroying over 50 homes and damaging Vance Air Force Base, prompting a state of emergency for Garfield and Kay counties.

Historic drought has fueled massive wildfires across southeast Georgia and northeast Florida, destroying over 143 structures, burning more than 40,000 acres, and forcing thousands to evacuate under a state of emergency covering 91 Georgia counties.

Super Typhoon Sinlaku is bearing down on Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands after battering Chuuk, prompting emergency declarations across the western Pacific as forecasts warn of a Category 3-4 landfall.

A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck Liuzhou City in southern China's Guangxi region, collapsing 13 buildings, killing two people, and forcing more than 7,000 residents to evacuate.

Severe pre-monsoon thunderstorms, dust storms, and lightning strikes swept across northern India on May 13, 2026, killing at least 111 people in Uttar Pradesh alone and injuring dozens more across the state's most vulnerable districts.

A severe cut-off low brought catastrophic flooding and storms across six South African provinces beginning May 4, 2026, killing at least 10 people, flooding 26 informal settlements in Cape Town, and triggering a second national disaster declaration within months.

Surging Euphrates River waters, triggered by massive upstream dam releases in Turkey, inundated farmland and homes across Syria's Raqqa and Deir el-Zour provinces in late May 2026, displacing nearly 14,000 people and knocking scores of water stations offline.

Monsoon-driven floods have inundated dozens of villages across Assam in late June 2026, displacing more than 45,000 people, submerging 96 villages, and collapsing a critical railway bridge as the Brahmaputra and its tributaries surge past danger levels.

A human-caused wildfire ignited east of Beaver, Utah on June 22, 2026 has exploded to more than 94,000 acres at 0% containment, destroying homes at Eagle Point Resort and forcing evacuations across the Tushar Mountains in what officials say is poised to become the most destructive wildfire in Utah history.

Catastrophic flooding struck Ghana's capital Accra and other parts of southern Ghana on June 29, 2026, killing at least 12 people, displacing thousands, and prompting President Mahama to release GH¢300 million in emergency relief funds.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mindanao on June 8, 2026, killing at least 45 people, injuring over 630, and exposing approximately 5.5 million people to strong shaking.

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck near Palu in Central Sulawesi on June 16, 2026, killing at least 1 person, injuring 38 others, damaging 67 houses, and sending hundreds of thousands of residents fleeing into open areas.

Back-to-back magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on June 24, 2026, killing nearly 3,000 people and devastating La Guaira and the Caracas region in the country's strongest quake in more than 125 years. Search and rescue has given way to recovery and relief operations.

A fast-moving wildfire that ignited near Los Gallardos in Almería province on July 9, 2026 has killed at least 12 people, left 23 missing, and burned more than 3,200 hectares in one of Spain's deadliest fires on record.

A rare wedge tornado and severe thunderstorms tore through central China's Hubei Province on July 6, 2026, killing at least 11 people, injuring more than 330, and damaging thousands of homes across Huanggang, Ezhou, Huangshi, and Xianning.

Super Typhoon Bavi, the third Category 5 storm of 2026, is bearing down on Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands with sustained winds near 165 mph, prompting states of emergency and mass shelter openings.

Typhoon Maysak made two landfalls in early July 2026, first in Hainan, China on July 3 and again in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam on July 4, triggering a reservoir breach warning in Guangxi, flooding, and the evacuation of more than 23,000 people in Guangdong alone.

Australia's Black Summer bushfire season burned over 46 million acres, killed 34 people and an estimated 3 billion animals, and destroyed thousands of homes.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused over 7 million confirmed deaths worldwide, overwhelmed health systems, and triggered the worst global economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Super Cyclone Amphan, the strongest storm to form in the Bay of Bengal in two decades, devastated eastern India and Bangladesh, affecting over 18 million people.

A massive explosion at Beirut's port — one of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history — killed over 200 people, injured 7,000, and left 300,000 homeless.

Hurricane Laura made landfall as one of the strongest hurricanes to hit Louisiana, with 150 mph winds devastating Lake Charles and surrounding communities.

Back-to-back Category 4 hurricanes struck Central America within two weeks, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides that affected over 9 million people.

Record-breaking rainfall caused catastrophic flooding across western Europe, killing over 240 people — mostly in Germany and Belgium — in the deadliest European flood disaster in decades.

The Taliban takeover and withdrawal of international forces triggered a massive humanitarian crisis, with the economy collapsing and millions facing acute food insecurity.

A devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti's southern peninsula, killing over 2,200 people and destroying more than 130,000 homes.

Hurricane Ida made landfall as a Category 4 storm in Louisiana before its remnants caused catastrophic flooding across the northeastern US, killing over 90 people.

A devastating December tornado outbreak produced a record-breaking 165-mile-long tornado track across four states, killing nearly 80 people in Kentucky alone.

Super Typhoon Rai, the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2021, devastated the Visayas and Mindanao regions, killing over 400 people and displacing millions.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine triggered the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, displacing millions and causing widespread destruction.

Monsoon rains triggered the most severe flooding in Pakistan's recent history, submerging one-third of the country and displacing tens of millions.

Category 4 Hurricane Ian caused catastrophic damage along Florida's southwest coast, devastating Fort Myers and surrounding communities with extreme storm surge.

A powerful 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck near Cianjur on Java island, destroying thousands of buildings and causing heavy landslides.

A massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Southern Turkey, killing over 56,000 people and displacing 3 million in one of the deadliest earthquakes of the 21st century.

The longest-lasting tropical cyclone ever recorded struck Malawi with catastrophic flooding after a 5-week journey across the Indian Ocean.

Civil war between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces has killed an estimated 150,000–400,000 people, displaced 14 million, and created the world's worst hunger crisis.

The Lahaina wildfire completely devastated the historic community on Maui, displacing thousands and killing over 100 people in the deadliest US wildfire in over a century.

Storm Daniel caused catastrophic dam failures in Derna, Libya, sending walls of water through the city and killing thousands in one of the deadliest flood events in modern history.

A devastating 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Morocco's Atlas Mountains region, killing nearly 3,000 people and destroying villages across the mountainous terrain.

A series of powerful earthquakes struck Herat Province, Afghanistan, destroying thousands of homes and displacing tens of thousands of families.

Hamas militants launched a terror attack on Southern Israel on October 7, killing over 1,200 people. Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed tens of thousands and displaced 1.7 million.

Category 5 Hurricane Otis devastated Acapulco after rapidly intensifying from a tropical storm, causing catastrophic flooding and structural damage affecting over 2 million people.

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake devastated remote western Nepal, collapsing homes and killing over 150 people in the mountainous Jajarkot District.

A major 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula on New Year's Day — the deadliest earthquake in Japan since 2016, killing hundreds and injuring many more.

Chile's worst disaster in over a decade as severe forest fires devastated the Valparaíso region, burning nearly 64,000 acres and forcing thousands to evacuate.

The Smokehouse Creek Wildfire became Texas' second-largest fire in history, burning hundreds of thousands of acres across the Panhandle.

Extreme flooding in southern Brazil left over 1 million homes without water, tens of thousands evacuated, and vast areas of Rio Grande do Sul submerged.

Major hurricane caused heavy destruction across St. Vincent, Grenada, Jamaica, and surrounding Caribbean islands during the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record.

Storm Boris caused the worst flooding in decades across Central Europe, taking many lives and forcing thousands from their homes in Poland, Czechia, and Austria.

Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm causing billions in damage across multiple states. North Carolina and Florida faced the most severe destruction.

Deadly flooding devastated the Valencia region of Spain in the worst disaster the country has seen in three decades, claiming dozens of lives.

Guatemala's Fuego Volcano erupted, spewing ash and lahar across neighborhoods. Hundreds evacuated with tens of thousands more evacuations expected.

Over a year's worth of rain fell in eight hours on Bahía Blanca, killing 16 people with over 100 missing. Roads, bridges, and infrastructure devastated.

A massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake near Mandalay, followed by a 6.4 aftershock, trapped hundreds in collapsed buildings across Myanmar and Thailand.

Multiple heavy tornadoes struck Missouri and surrounding states, causing severe destruction and fatalities across many communities.

Monsoon season caused extreme rainfall and flash flooding across Pakistan, killing over 930 people and displacing more than 2 million.

Months' worth of rainfall fell in four hours on July 4th, causing catastrophic flash floods along the Guadalupe River devastating Hunt and Kerrville.

Over 350 earthquakes struck Guatemala in two weeks, damaging hundreds of homes and displacing thousands of families across the country.

A 6.0 magnitude shallow earthquake struck Eastern Afghanistan, felt across five countries. Over 1.2 million people were affected by the quake and its five aftershocks.

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake — the strongest ever recorded in Northern Cebu — killed 75 people, destroyed hundreds of homes, and triggered thousands of aftershocks.

Remnants of Typhoon Halong struck remote Alaska, causing the most destructive flooding in the region since the 1964 Alaska Earthquake.

Hurricane Melissa was the strongest hurricane to ever hit Jamaica, making landfall on October 28, 2025 with 185 mph winds. At least 88 people were killed across Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba, with catastrophic destruction across the region.

A devastating series of severe tropical storms struck Southeast Asia, killing over 1,100 people and displacing millions across Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Extreme rainfall driven by La Niña triggered catastrophic flooding across five South African provinces, killing at least 30 people, displacing tens of thousands, and prompting the government to declare a national disaster on January 18, 2026.

A massive winter storm impacted 20+ states from Texas to New England with heavy snow, catastrophic ice, and dangerously cold temperatures, killing over 100 people and leaving 1 million without power.

Extreme winds and drought sparked multiple wildfires across the southern Plains, with the Ranger Road Fire burning 283,000 acres across Oklahoma and Kansas and forcing 11,000+ evacuations.

Multiple wildfires burned over 800,000 acres across western Nebraska, including the Morrill Fire which became the largest wildfire in state history at 642,000 acres.

A major tornado outbreak produced 99 confirmed tornadoes across six states, including the first US EF5 tornado since 2013, killing 12 people and injuring over 144.

Tropical Storm Jangmi swept through Okinawa, Kyushu, and Wakayama in early June 2026, injuring at least 23 people, cutting power to 60,000 homes, and triggering evacuation orders for more than 400,000 residents.

Typhoon Mekkhala swept across southern Taiwan on June 25 before battering western Japan on June 26–27, 2026, killing two people in Taiwan, forcing mandatory evacuation of 2.2 million people in Japan, and cancelling more than 200 flights across the region.