Global number of deaths from natural disasters 2000-2023

In 2023, there were roughly 95,000 reported fatalities caused by natural disaster events worldwide. This was the highest figure on record since 2010. The earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria on February were the deadliest catastrophes in 2023, with nearly 60,000 reported deaths.

Economic losses due to natural disasters

The economic losses due to natural disaster events worldwide amounted to about 380 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Despite a year-on-year increase recorded that year, 2011 remains the costliest year to date. Among the different types of natural disaster events, earthquakes caused the largest economic losses across the globe in 2023.

What does a natural disaster cost?

Hurricane Katrina has been one of the costliest disasters in the world, costing the insurance industry some 102 billion U.S. dollars. The resilience of societies against catastrophes have been boosted by insurance industry payouts. Nevertheless, insurance payouts are primarily garnered by industrialized countries. In emerging and developing regions, disaster insurance coverage is still limited, despite the need for improved risk management and resilience as a method to mitigate the impact of disasters and to promote sustainable growth.