Top 10 of the Deadliest Natural Disasters

10. THE A.D. 1138 ALEPPO EARTHQUAKE (TIE)

Aleppo earthquake of 1138, earthquake, among the deadliest ever recorded, that struck the Syrian city of Aleppo (Ḥalab) on Oct. 11, 1138. The city suffered extensive damage, and it is estimated that 230,000 people were killed. A small shock shook the region, and some residents fled to surrounding towns. As the city walls crumbled, rocks cascaded into the streets. Aleppo's citadel collapsed, killing hundreds of residents.

10. THE 2004 INDIAN OCEAN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI (TIE)

Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, tsunami that hit the coasts of several countries of South and Southeast Asia in December 2004. The tsunami and its aftermath were responsible for immense destruction and loss on the rim of the Indian Ocean.The tsunami caused one of the largest natural disasters in recorded history, killing at least 225,000 people across a dozen countries, with Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, and Thailand sustaining massive damage.

9. THE 1976 TANGSHAN EARTHQUAKE

Tangshan earthquake of 1976, earthquake on July 28, 1976, with a magnitude of 7.5, which nearly destroyed the Chinese coal-mining and industrial city of Tangshan, located about 68 miles (110 km) east of Beijing. The death toll, thought to be one of the largest natural disasters in recorded history, was officially reported as 242,000 persons, but it may have been as high as 655,000. At least 700,000 more people were injured, and property damage was extensive, reaching even to Beijing. Most of the fatalities resulted from the collapse of unreinforced masonry homes where people were sleeping.

8. THE A.D. 526 ANTIOCH EARTHQUAKE

It struck during late May, around May 20–29, in the year 526. The estimated magnitude for the earthquake is 7.0. Killing approximately 250,000 people. The plate beneath Antioch was moving north-west under pressure from the Arabian plate. These two were influenced by the African plate as it subducted under the Eurasian plate. The city was turned to rubble, and a fire took down any last standing buildings. The city suffered 8 months of after shock.

7. THE 1920 HAIYUAN EARTHQUAKE

A century ago, on December 16, 1920, a massive earthquake struck Haiyuan County in north-central China's remote Gansu Province, today part of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The USGS put the figure conservatively at 200,000 lives lost, but a 2010 Chinese study estimates that 273,000 people died. In a region with a low population density almost half of Haiyuan County's residents reportedly perished.

6. THE 1839 CORINGA CYCLONE (TIE)

Coringa is a small village on the southeastern coast of India that was once a large, bustling port city in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1789, the city was struck by a brutal cyclone that claimed the lives of around 20,000 people (via Hurricane Science). The city was left devastated, but was not completely destroyed, and was able to rebuild over the years. Tragically, that disaster would be dwarfed just half a century later.

6. THE 1881 HAIPHONG TYPHOON (TIE)

Haiphong cyclone, one of most catastrophic natural disasters in history and the third deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded. The cyclone smashed into the Gulf of Tonkin, setting off tidal waves that flooded the city of Haiphong in northeastern Vietnam, caused widespread destruction, and killed an estimated 300,000 inhabitants. The storm's direct death toll of 300,000 ranks it behind only the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta ("Bhola") cyclone that devastated East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1970.

5. THE 2010 HAITI EARTHQUAKE

2010 Haiti earthquake, large-scale earthquake that occurred January 12, 2010, comprising the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Most severely affected was Haiti, occupying the western third of the island. An exact death toll proved elusive in the ensuing chaos. The Haitian government's official count was more than 300,000, which would make the earthquake's aftermath one of the worst natural disasters in recorded history. Hundreds of thousands of survivors were displaced.

4. THE 1970 BHOLA CYCLONE

The Bhola cyclone, catastrophic tropical cyclone that struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) on Nov. 12, 1970, killing hundreds of thousands of people in the densely populated Ganges-Brahmaputra delta. Even though it was not ranked in the top category of cyclone intensity scales, it was perhaps the deadliest tropical cyclone in recorded history and one of the greatest natural disasters. An estimated 300,000 to 500,000 residents were killed, mostly through drowning, and entire villages were wiped out.

3. THE 1556 SHAANXI EARTHQUAKE

Shaanxi province earthquake of 1556, massive earthquake in Shaanxi province in northern China, believed to be the deadliest earthquake ever recorded. The earthquake (estimated at magnitude 8) struck Shaanxi and neighbouring Shanxi province to the east early on Jan. 23, 1556, killing or injuring an estimated 830,000 people. This massive death toll is thought to have reduced the population of the two provinces by about 60 percent.

2. THE 1887 YELLOW RIVER FLOOD

The Yellow River floods, (1887, 1931, 1938), series of devastating floods in China caused by the overflowing of the Yellow River, the country's second longest river. These three floods collectively killed millions and are considered to be the three deadliest floods in history and among the most destructive natural disasters ever recorded. A flood in September–October 1887 is thought to have killed 900,000 to 2,000,000 residents.

1. THE 1931 YANGTZE RIVER FLOODS

Yangtze River floods in central and eastern China that have occurred periodically and often have caused considerable destruction of property and loss of life. The Yangtze River, the longest river in Asia, also is one of the world's major waterways. It originates at an elevation above 16,400 feet. The flood of 1931 covered more than 30,000 square miles, including the cities of Nanjing and Wuhan; it ultimately led to the deaths of an estimated 3.7 million people and left 40,000,000 more homeless.