Top Ten: Worst Natural Disasters

1. 1931 Huang He River Flood: (China)
   Death Total: 900,000 - 3,700,000
   This is considered the worst natural disaster in human history. Most of the North Plain in China was flooded in this event. The largest contribution to the death toll was death caused by starvation and disease.
   
   
   
2. 1887 Huang He River Flood: (China)
   Death Total: 900,000 - 2,000,000
   Area Flooded: 50,000 sq. miles
   Death came from the pandemic and lack of basic needs.
   Causes: farmers living near the Yellow River had built dikes to contain the rising waters, caused by silt accumulation on the riverbed. In 1887, this rising seabed, coupled with days of heavy rain, overcame the dikes, causing a massive flood.





3. November 13, 1970 Hurricane: (East Pakistan, now Bangladesh)
   Death Total: 500,000 - 1,000,000
   Wind Speed: 222 km/h
   Estimated Reconstruction Cost: $185 million
   Death came from the storm surge that flooded islands, villages, and farmland.
   
   
   
4. 1938 Huang He River Flood: (China)
   Death Total: 500,000 - 900,000
   Area Flooded: 54,000 km²
   A flood created by Nationalist China in hopes of to halt the advance of the Japanese forces during the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937.
   
   
5. January 23, 1556 Earthquake: (Shaanxi Province, China)
   Death Total: 830,000
   Number of Counties affected: 97
   60% of the population of the region killed.
   520 mile wide area was destroyed.
   



6. December 26, 2004 Tsunami: (Indian Ocean)
   Death Total: 250,000 - 310,000
   Estimated Reconstruction Cost: $5 billion
   Magnitude of Initial Earthquake: 9.3
   "It has been reported that severe damage has been inflicted on ecosystems such as mangroves, coral reefs, forests, coastal wetlands, vegetation, sand dunes and rock formations, animal and plant biodiversity and groundwater. In addition, the spread of solid and liquid waste and industrial chemicals, water pollution and the destruction of sewage collectors and treatment plants threaten the environment even further, in untold ways. "
   -Wikipedia
   
   
7. November 25, 1839 Hurricane: (Coringa, India)
   Death Total: At least 300,000
   Storm Surge: 40 feet tall
   Primary Causes of death most likely include disease and devastation caused by flooding.
   
   
8. 1642 Huang He River Flood: (China)
   Death Total: 300,000
   Kaifeng was flooded by the Ming army in 1642 to help prevent the pheasant rebel Li Zicheng from taking over. Most causes of death came from the famine and plague that ensued.
   
   
9. 1881 Hurricane: (Haiphong, Vietnam)
   Death Total: Approximately 300,000
   
   
10. July 28, 1976 Earthquake: (Tangshan, China)
    Death Total: 242,000 though estimates may be higher
    Area destroyed: 20 sq miles
    
    "The People's Republic of China government refused to accept international aid, and its own efforts were criticized as inadequate. It was also criticized for having ignored scientists' warnings of the need to prepare for an earthquake...The political repercussions of the disaster and its aftermath contributed to the end of the Cultural Revolution in China" -Wikipedia

Resources:
Main Source of Death Estimates-
http://www.armageddononline.org/worst_natural_disasters.php

A Source for other Disasters-
http://www.epicdisasters.com/

Wikipedia-
http://www.wikipedia.org/