Disasters and catastrophes
Natural hazards and technological disasters: their causes, human toll and aftermath.
Earthquakes and tsunamis ↗
Seismic disasters, coastal devastation and the communities affected.
Floods ↗
Major floods, their human consequences and the conditions that made them catastrophic.
Storms, hurricanes and tornadoes ↗
Destructive storms, extreme winds and their aftermath.
Volcanic eruptions ↗
Eruptions, ash, lava and their effects on people and landscapes.
Industrial and technological disasters ↗
Catastrophic failures of industrial facilities, engineering and infrastructure.
Nuclear and radiological disasters ↗
Reactor accidents, radioactive contamination and the consequences of nuclear testing.
Explore the events
37 profiles
Reactor disasterThe Chernobyl disaster
A reactor explosion that spread radioactive contamination across borders and displaced communities.
Reactor disasterThe Fukushima Daiichi disaster
Earthquake and tsunami damage that led to three reactor meltdowns and extensive evacuation.
Reactor accidentThe Three Mile Island accident
A partial reactor meltdown that exposed weaknesses in plant controls and emergency communication.
Radioactive waste disasterThe Kyshtym disaster
A waste-storage explosion that contaminated a large area of the southern Urals.
Reactor fireThe Windscale fire
A fire in a weapons-production reactor that released radioactive material over Britain.
Nuclear fuel accidentThe Tokaimura criticality accident
An uncontrolled chain reaction during fuel processing that fatally exposed two workers.
Radiological disasterThe Goiânia radiological accident
An abandoned medical source that spread radioactive contamination through homes and scrapyards.
Nuclear testing disasterCastle Bravo and its fallout
An American thermonuclear test that exposed inhabited islands and a fishing vessel to fallout.
Nuclear testing legacyNuclear testing at Semipalatinsk
Four decades of Soviet nuclear testing and its consequences for surrounding communities.
Reactor accidentThe SL-1 reactor accident
A sudden power excursion in an experimental reactor that killed its three operators.
Earthquake and tsunamiIndian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
An undersea earthquake sending destructive waves across the Indian Ocean and killing or leaving missing approximately 228,000 people.
Earthquake and tsunamiTōhoku earthquake and tsunami
A megathrust earthquake and tsunami overwhelming coastal communities and triggering the Fukushima nuclear accident.
EarthquakeHaiti earthquake
A destructive earthquake near Port-au-Prince exposing the consequences of vulnerable buildings and concentrated public services.
Earthquake and tsunamiLisbon earthquake, tsunami and fires
A sequence of shaking, waves and fires that devastated Lisbon and changed debates about disaster and reconstruction.
EarthquakeShaanxi earthquake
An earthquake whose destruction of settlements and loess dwellings produced one of history's largest reported disaster tolls.
Flood disasterCentral China floods
Flooding followed by disease and hunger that killed an estimated two million people across central China.
Flood disasterYellow River flood of 1887
A catastrophic levee breach that inundated densely settled land and produced enormous losses through drowning, hunger and disease.
Wartime inundationDeliberate flooding of the Yellow River
The deliberate destruction of river defences to impede Japan's invasion, with catastrophic consequences for civilians.
Flood disasterYangtze River floods of 1954
Prolonged high water forcing emergency flood diversion while tens of thousands died across the affected region.
Flood disasterChina floods of 1998
Major river flooding that killed thousands and prompted renewed scrutiny of land use and flood protection.
Tropical cycloneBhola cyclone
A catastrophic storm surge that killed an estimated 300,000–500,000 people in the Ganges delta.
Tropical cycloneBangladesh cyclone of 1991
A storm and surge that killed approximately 138,000 people and exposed gaps between warnings and safe shelter.
Tropical cycloneCyclone Nargis
A devastating cyclone and storm surge that left approximately 138,000 people dead or missing.
Tropical cycloneCyclone Sidr
A severe cyclone that killed more than 3,000 people despite major evacuation efforts.
Tropical cycloneOdisha super cyclone
An exceptionally destructive cyclone that killed approximately 10,000 people and transformed the state's disaster planning.
Volcanic eruptionVesuvius eruption and the burial of Pompeii
An eruption that buried Roman settlements and preserved exceptional evidence of daily life alongside the victims' remains.
Volcanic eruptionTambora eruption
A colossal eruption causing mass death locally and disrupting climate and harvests far beyond Indonesia.
Volcanic eruption and tsunamiKrakatau eruption and tsunami
An explosive volcanic collapse generating tsunamis that killed approximately 36,000 people.
Volcanic eruptionMount Pelée and the destruction of Saint-Pierre
A fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic debris destroying Saint-Pierre and killing roughly 30,000 people.
Volcanic mudflow disasterNevado del Ruiz and the Armero disaster
Volcanic mudflows burying Armero despite advance recognition of the hazard.
Industrial disasterBhopal gas disaster
A toxic gas release exposing hundreds of thousands of residents and leaving a contested legacy of deaths, illness and compensation.
Occupational disasterHawks Nest Tunnel silicosis disaster
Deadly silica exposure during tunnel construction, with African American workers bearing a disproportionate share of the losses.
Maritime industrial disasterHalifax explosion
A collision involving an explosives-laden ship devastating harbour communities and killing approximately 2,000 people.
Industrial explosionTexas City industrial disaster
A shipboard ammonium nitrate fire escalating into explosions that devastated a port and killed hundreds.
Industrial explosionOppau chemical plant explosion
A fertiliser-storage explosion killing more than 500 people and destroying much of a surrounding community.
Radiological contaminationChurch Rock uranium mill spill
A uranium-mill tailings dam failure releasing radioactive waste into a river used by downstream communities.
Nuclear testing and contaminationMaralinga nuclear testing and contamination
British nuclear tests and weapons trials contaminating Aboriginal Country with consequences lasting decades.