Most natural disasters by country 2023

In 2023, the United States experienced 25 natural disasters, which made it the most natural catastrophe-prone country in the world that year. India and China came second on that list with 17 natural disasters occurring in the same year. Floods was the most common type of natural disaster in 2022.

Types of natural disasters

There are many different types of natural disasters that occur worldwide, including earthquakes, droughts, storms, floods, volcanic activity, extreme temperatures, landslides, and wild fires. Overall, there were 398 natural disasters registered all over the world in 2023.

Costs of natural disasters

Due to their destructive nature, natural disasters take a severe toll on populations and countries. Storms and floods, which tend to occur most regularly, have the biggest economic impact in the countries that they occur. In 2022, storms caused damages estimated at more than 130 billion U.S. dollars. The 2011 earthquake that led to a tsunami in Japan was the most costly natural disaster of all times, with insured damage assessed at 210 billion U.S. dollars. Moreover, scientists predict that some natural disasters such as storms, floods, landslides, and wildfires will be more frequent and more intense in the future, creating both human and financial losses.

In 2023, more than 95,000 people died in natural catastrophes. The earthquake in Turkey in February took the highest death toll, with more than 50,000 fatalities.