The Most Deadly Technological Disasters of the 20TH
Century
|
Country |
Year |
Day |
Month |
Disaster |
Region |
Continent |
Killed |
1 |
Nicaragua |
1972 |
|
12 |
Urban.fire |
C.America |
Americas |
73000 |
2 |
Philippines |
1987 |
20 |
12 |
Accident |
SE.Asia |
Asia |
4000 |
3 |
Japan |
1923 |
1 |
9 |
Urban.fire |
E.Asia |
Asia |
3800 |
4 |
Colombia |
1956 |
7 |
8 |
Accident |
S.America |
Americas |
2700 |
5 |
Turkey |
1954 |
27 |
11 |
Urban.fire |
W.Asia |
Asia |
2000 |
6 |
Haiti |
1993 |
17 |
2 |
Accident |
Caribbean |
Americas |
1800 |
7 |
China, P Rep |
1949 |
2 |
9 |
Urban.fire |
E.Asia |
Asia |
1700 |
8 |
Canada |
1917 |
6 |
12 |
Accident |
N.America |
Americas |
1600 |
9 |
China, P Rep |
1942 |
26 |
4 |
Chem.acci |
E.Asia |
Asia |
1549 |
10 |
Japan |
1934 |
22 |
3 |
Urban.fire |
E.Asia |
Asia |
1500 |
11 |
United Kingdom |
1912 |
15 |
4 |
Accident |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
1500 |
12 |
Saudi Arabia |
1990 |
3 |
7 |
Accident |
W.Asia |
Asia |
1426 |
13 |
India |
1984 |
2 |
12 |
Chem.acci |
S.Asia |
Asia |
1408 |
14 |
India |
1979 |
11 |
8 |
Accident |
S.Asia |
Asia |
1335 |
15 |
United States |
1906 |
|
|
Urban.fire |
N.America |
Americas |
1188 |
16 |
France |
1906 |
10 |
3 |
Chem.acci |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
1060 |
17 |
Canada |
1914 |
29 |
5 |
Accident |
N.America |
Americas |
1014 |
18 |
China, P Rep |
1916 |
29 |
8 |
Accident |
E.Asia |
Asia |
1000 |
19 |
China, P Rep |
1921 |
18 |
3 |
Accident |
E.Asia |
Asia |
1000 |
20 |
Japan |
1912 |
28 |
9 |
Accident |
E.Asia |
Asia |
1000 |
21 |
United States |
1904 |
15 |
6 |
Urban.fire |
N.America |
Americas |
1000 |
22 |
Brazil |
1984 |
|
9 |
Chem.acci |
S.America |
Americas |
934 |
23 |
Finland |
1994 |
28 |
9 |
Accident |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
912 |
24 |
Estonia |
1994 |
28 |
9 |
Accident |
Russia.Fed |
Europe |
909 |
25 |
Guyana |
1978 |
18 |
11 |
Accident |
S.America |
Americas |
900 |
26 |
Tanzania, Uni Rep |
1996 |
21 |
5 |
Accident |
E.Africa |
Africa |
869 |
27 |
Iraq |
1989 |
17 |
8 |
Chem.acci |
W.Asia |
Asia |
700 |
28 |
Nigeria |
1998 |
17 |
10 |
Urban.fire |
W.Africa |
Africa |
700 |
29 |
China, P Rep |
1937 |
13 |
2 |
Urban.fire |
E.Asia |
Asia |
658 |
30 |
Soviet Union |
1989 |
4 |
6 |
Chem.acci |
Russia.Fed |
Europe |
607 |
31 |
United States |
1903 |
30 |
12 |
Urban.fire |
N.America |
Americas |
602 |
32 |
Bangladesh |
1986 |
18 |
5 |
Accident |
S.Asia |
Asia |
600 |
33 |
China, P Rep |
1983 |
|
4 |
Accident |
E.Asia |
Asia |
600 |
34 |
France |
1923 |
|
12 |
Accident |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
600 |
35 |
Germany |
1921 |
21 |
9 |
Chem.acci |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
600 |
36 |
Canary Is |
1977 |
28 |
3 |
Accident |
N.Africa |
Africa |
562 |
37 |
Spain |
1977 |
28 |
3 |
Accident |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
562 |
38 |
United States |
1947 |
16 |
4 |
Chem.acci |
N.America |
Americas |
561 |
39 |
Japan |
1985 |
13 |
8 |
Accident |
E.Asia |
Asia |
520 |
40 |
Brazil |
1984 |
|
|
Chem.acci |
S.America |
Americas |
508 |
41 |
Bangladesh |
1986 |
15 |
8 |
Accident |
S.Asia |
Asia |
500 |
42 |
China, P Rep |
1975 |
|
8 |
Accident |
E.Asia |
Asia |
500 |
43 |
Spain |
1912 |
5 |
3 |
Accident |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
500 |
44 |
Venezuela |
1939 |
14 |
11 |
Urban.fire |
S.America |
Americas |
500 |
45 |
United States |
1942 |
28 |
11 |
Urban.fire |
N.America |
Americas |
492 |
46 |
Egypt |
1991 |
14 |
12 |
Accident |
N.Africa |
Africa |
469 |
47 |
United States |
1947 |
16 |
4 |
Urban.fire |
N.America |
Americas |
468 |
48 |
Iraq |
1972 |
|
|
Chem.acci |
W.Asia |
Asia |
459 |
49 |
Korea, Rep |
1995 |
29 |
6 |
Accident |
E.Asia |
Asia |
458 |
50 |
Mexico |
1984 |
19 |
11 |
Chem.acci |
C.America |
Americas |
452 |
51 |
Japan |
1964 |
|
|
Chem.acci |
E.Asia |
Asia |
447 |
52 |
Germany |
1946 |
|
|
Chem.acci |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
439 |
53 |
Japan |
1950 |
|
|
Chem.acci |
E.Asia |
Asia |
439 |
54 |
United Kingdom |
1913 |
|
|
Chem.acci |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
439 |
55 |
Indonesia |
1981 |
25 |
1 |
Accident |
SE.Asia |
Asia |
431 |
56 |
Mexico |
1976 |
|
10 |
Accident |
C.America |
Americas |
430 |
57 |
India |
1995 |
23 |
12 |
Urban.fire |
S.Asia |
Asia |
425 |
58 |
Turkey |
1992 |
3 |
3 |
Chem.acci |
W.Asia |
Asia |
422 |
59 |
Zaire/Congo, Dem Rep |
1996 |
8 |
1 |
Accident |
C.Africa |
Africa |
422 |
60 |
South Africa |
1960 |
21 |
1 |
Chem.acci |
S.Africa |
Africa |
417 |
61 |
France |
1959 |
2 |
12 |
Accident |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
412 |
62 |
Haiti |
1997 |
8 |
9 |
Accident |
Caribbean |
Americas |
400 |
63 |
India |
1984 |
19 |
7 |
Accident |
S.Asia |
Asia |
400 |
64 |
Philippines |
1988 |
5 |
12 |
Accident |
SE.Asia |
Asia |
400 |
65 |
Soviet Union |
1983 |
5 |
6 |
Accident |
Russia.Fed |
Europe |
400 |
66 |
United States |
1928 |
12 |
3 |
Accident |
N.America |
Americas |
400 |
67 |
Zambia |
1987 |
6 |
7 |
Accident |
E.Africa |
Africa |
400 |
68 |
Soviet Union |
1986 |
31 |
8 |
Accident |
Russia.Fed |
Europe |
398 |
69 |
Ethiopia |
1985 |
14 |
1 |
Accident |
E.Africa |
Africa |
392 |
70 |
Iran, Islam Rep |
1978 |
21 |
8 |
Urban.fire |
S.Asia |
Asia |
377 |
71 |
India |
1975 |
28 |
12 |
Chem.acci |
S.Asia |
Asia |
372 |
72 |
China, P Rep |
1993 |
27 |
8 |
Accident |
E.Asia |
Asia |
370 |
73 |
Germany |
1908 |
|
|
Chem.acci |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
360 |
74 |
Cuba |
1992 |
21 |
12 |
Accident |
Caribbean |
Americas |
359 |
75 |
Guinea |
1992 |
15 |
4 |
Accident |
W.Africa |
Africa |
356 |
76 |
India |
1996 |
12 |
11 |
Accident |
S.Asia |
Asia |
351 |
77 |
India |
1995 |
20 |
8 |
Accident |
S.Asia |
Asia |
350 |
78 |
France |
1974 |
3 |
3 |
Accident |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
346 |
79 |
Canada |
1918 |
23 |
10 |
Accident |
N.America |
Americas |
343 |
80 |
Saudi Arabia |
1997 |
22 |
4 |
Urban.fire |
W.Asia |
Asia |
343 |
81 |
Kenya |
1993 |
30 |
1 |
Accident |
E.Africa |
Africa |
340 |
82 |
Soviet Union |
1982 |
20 |
10 |
Accident |
Russia.Fed |
Europe |
340 |
83 |
Spain |
1981 |
|
10 |
Chem.acci |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
340 |
84 |
Indonesia |
1996 |
20 |
1 |
Accident |
SE.Asia |
Asia |
338 |
85 |
Canada |
1985 |
25 |
6 |
Accident |
N.America |
Americas |
329 |
86 |
Ireland |
1985 |
23 |
6 |
Accident |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
329 |
87 |
Italy |
1985 |
19 |
7 |
Accident |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
329 |
88 |
United Kingdom |
1985 |
23 |
7 |
Accident |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
329 |
89 |
China, P Rep |
1994 |
11 |
12 |
Urban.fire |
E.Asia |
Asia |
325 |
90 |
Belgium |
1967 |
22 |
5 |
Urban.fire |
Euro.Union |
Europe |
323 |
91 |
Brazil |
1961 |
17 |
12 |
Urban.fire |
S.America |
Americas |
323 |
92 |
Egypt |
1983 |
|
6 |
Urban.fire |
N.Africa |
Africa |
317 |
93 |
United States |
1930 |
12 |
4 |
Urban.fire |
N.America |
Americas |
317 |
94 |
Philippines |
1993 |
2 |
7 |
Accident |
SE.Asia |
Asia |
315 |
95 |
Pakistan |
1990 |
4 |
1 |
Accident |
S.Asia |
Asia |
307 |
96 |
Saudi Arabia |
1980 |
19 |
5 |
Accident |
W.Asia |
Asia |
301 |
97 |
Bangladesh |
1985 |
23 |
3 |
Accident |
S.Asia |
Asia |
300 |
98 |
Brazil |
1981 |
19 |
9 |
Accident |
S.America |
Americas |
300 |
99 |
China, P Rep |
1970 |
|
12 |
Accident |
E.Asia |
Asia |
300 |
100 |
Nigeria |
1992 |
17 |
4 |
Accident |
W.Africa |
Africa |
300 |
The Disaster Center
Source: EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database - www.md.ucl.ac.be/cred
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