World-Famous Disasters

Over the centuries, there have been many natural disasters or, as some people call them, ‘acts of God’ that have stolen human lives and left fear for the survivors. Sometimes these disasters are classified based on the damage, loss of lives or the amount of money that it costs to repair the damages. Therefore, naming the worst natural disasters of all time is subjective and depends on the criteria that are used. Here are some of the natural disasters that caused more than one hundred million deaths over the years.

1. The Deadliest Earthquake in History

On 5 July 1201 in today’s Egypt and Syria, the deadliest earthquake in history happened. This disaster rocked the eastern Mediterranean area and killed over 1.1 million people, destroying countless homes. Nearly all the big cities in the near east felt the effects of this quake.

2. The Potato Famine

The Irish Potato Famine of 1845 to 1848 took over a million lives. Irish farmers were dependent on their potato crops and most of the farmers earned their living from these crops. More than this, potato was the most important source of the diet of the poor. When mold fungus affected the crops, they were ruined and the British government gave people little aid. In addition to the lives that were lost, the Irish Potato Famine also caused as many as two million people to immigrate to other countries.

3. African Drought

From 1981 to 1984, Africa suffered from a severe drought in twenty nations. As rivers and lakes dried up, crops and livestock died. This caused up to 20,000 people to starve to death each month. Other nations saw the need and came to Africa’s aid. However, by the end of the crisis, over a million people had died.