Are Natural Disasters Increasing? Statistics & Trends

In a world where global news is at our fingertips, it feels as though bad news about climate change and natural disasters is constant. From raging wildfires in America and Australia to flooding in rural UK towns, tsunamis across Asia, and devastating earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, there seems to be an increase in natural disasters. 

It is undeniable that climate change is accelerating at an alarming rate, and the increase in natural disasters backs up this evidence. In 2024, the world reached record high temperatures, which was linked to extreme weather events. These natural disasters resulted in food shortages and displacing almost 800,000 people, according to Reuters.

But are extreme weather events really increasing in the modern world, or are we simply more aware of them due to better communication outlets? Is there an increase in natural disasters, or has our record-keeping become more consistent in today's world? These questions are essential so that we can dissect whether or not natural disasters are increasing.

In this article, we will look at natural disaster trends, examine their impact on the economy and human life, and consider what the future may hold for a potentially volatile climate. 

It seems like every day, there is a new report on a natural disaster affecting some parts of the world. With better access to global news outlets, we are constantly reminded of the latest extreme weather events. 

In the last 50 years, a natural disaster has happened every single day, according to the World Metrological Organisation, resulting in the deaths of 115 people and causing damages worth $202 million (£152 million) per day.

As of 2023, the EM-DAT, a global database that tracks global disasters, stated that floods are the most frequently occurring natural disaster. However, storms, wildfires, heatwaves and droughts are also on the rise. While earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have remained relatively stable:

Since the 1970s, more thorough record-keeping of natural disasters has taken place. From 1970 to 2019, 50% of all disasters were related to weather, climate and water hazards. According to the EM-DAT’s report “30 years of natural disasters”, more than 9,000 natural disasters have been registered, with 80% occurring within the last 30 years.

The increase in natural disaster frequency has been caused by several factors, which will be discussed later. One factor that needs to be considered is the increase in reporting extreme weather events. Currently, there are several key players that record and keep track of extreme weather events:

Although natural disasters are increasing, the jump may not be as extreme as what we see through the data collected. It is important to consider that records of natural disasters were only seriously taken at the start of 1970, which increased and improved over time. 

Before 1970, only large-scale natural disasters were recorded. Minor weather events such as flooding, heatwaves and storms were rarely reported. A 2024 paper by Environmental Hazards found that trends for small events with less than 200 deaths increased between the 1980s and 1990s. This means that smaller natural disasters may not have been considered, recorded or reported in earlier periods.

Although time bias can influence how we view the increase in natural disasters, it cannot be denied that they are increasing, even if it’s only slightly. 

In 2023, 399 natural disasters were reported by the EM-DAT, which was a slight increase from 369, the annual average between 2003-2022. As of 2024, more than 150 disasters that occurred were related to climate change, according to the Guardian.

Climate change plays a huge role in the increase in natural disasters. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, a study running between 2015 and 2017 showed that 62 out of 72 reported events show significant human influence. 

Additionally, the UNFCCC states that almost every study of heatwaves since 2015 has found that human-caused climate change has greatly increased these chances.

Flooding is the most common natural disaster in our modern world, and the increase in flooding is directly caused by the rise in global temperatures. Last year, Europe was particularly affected by flooding, which affected 413,000 people, according to the Guardian. 

Spain was particularly affected by its floods in October 2024, with a death toll of 223, confirmed by Anadolu Ajansi. As of this year, Spain is seeing serious flooding in the Lazorate area. 

With the rise of temperatures, heat waves are becoming more frequent and dangerous. In May 2024, Pakistan saw its highest temperature ever recorded, 52 degrees Celsius, which was driven by climate change, according to Reuters. Here in Europe, more than 47,000 people died from heat in 2023, and it is reported that these deaths could triple by the end of the century, according to the Guardian.

While wildfires happen naturally, the IPCC states that climate change makes weather conditions necessary for wildfires to spread. Longer heat waves draw out moisture from soil and vegetation, making it more susceptible to catching fire. According to the BBC, rising temperatures are also linked to the increase in lightning, which triggers more fires. As a result, we may see wildfires increasing by 50%, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

The economic impact of natural disasters is expensive. As of 2024, the global economic loss from natural disasters was estimated to be about $368 billion (£295 billion), according to Statista.

The last decade saw the biggest increase in economic losses due to natural disasters. According to Reuters, over $3 trillion (£2.3 trillion) was lost due to extreme weather events, which was over a trillion more than the previous decade. 

The most expensive natural disaster to happen in the last ten years was the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami (2011) in Japan, which had an estimated loss of $235 billion (£177 billion). 

The economic impact of natural disasters can be broken down into direct and indirect costs. Direct costs relate to buildings, infrastructure, or crops destroyed by an extreme weather event. Whereas, indirect costs relate to flow of goods and services and losses due to the decreased output. 

More developed countries were noted to see the most financial loss when it comes to natural disasters due to higher insurance on properties and higher labour costs. However, with developing countries having access to better resources and funding, they did not experience as much of a GDPR loss as developing countries. Studies indicate that these countries can experience GDPR losses ranging from 2.1% to 3.7%.

Although the economic loss in developing countries may be less, their recovery and response to natural disasters is slow, which affects their GDPR. The difference between these losses between “developed” and “developing countries” highlights how important internal support and aid are. 

There is no doubt that human activity influences disaster trends. As previously mentioned, the acceleration of climate change, thanks to humans actively, is attributed to increased natural disasters. Several human factors influence disaster trends, including:

The increase in urban growth and population has the potential to increase the damage and overall impact of natural disasters. While extreme weather events happen naturally, the formation of largely populated areas can increase the potential damage. Many cities are often built without considering the natural landscape, land that could otherwise act as a natural buffer or drainage system. For example, the increase in impervious surfaces, such as asphalt or concrete, prevents water from soaking into the ground, increasing the risk of flooding, according to the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). 

Additionally, poorly planned high-density areas often struggle with waste management, leading to blocked drainage systems and worsening the impact of heavy rains. In such environments, a natural hazard can quickly escalate into a full-blown disaster. 

Removing forests impairs the soil’s ability to absorb water, leading to an increase in landslides and flooding. It is estimated that around 10 million hectares of forests are lost every year due to deforestation, according to the UNDRR. Indonesia is experiencing an increase in flooding and landslides as a direct result of the country's extensive deforestation, according to AP News.

Poor countries and communities have fewer resources for disaster preparation and recovery. Additionally, communities with poor governmental structures often lack adequate strategies to help aid disaster recovery, which can increase the impact extreme weather events have. According to the World Bank, 1.8 million people are exposed to the risk of flooding in low- and middle-income countries.

Although resolving these issues of poverty, deforestation, and urbanisation requires a huge amount of global investment and concern, advancements in technology can play a crucial role in limiting the amount of damage caused by extreme weather events. More advanced early warning systems can reduce the damage caused by up to 30%, according to the World Meteorological Organisation. As a result of these early warning systems, fewer people are dying, according to the BBC. 

In the last ten years, between 80 to 90% of all-natural disasters reported were either floods, droughts, tropical cyclones, heat waves or severe storms, according to the World Health Organisation. 

Source: Statista

Floods are the most common natural disasters as they are influenced by natural processes and human activity. The increase in global temperatures affects the amount of water vapour entering the atmosphere, which increases flooding and storms.

According to the BBC, for every 1℃ rise in average temperature, the atmosphere can hold up to around 7% more moisture, increasing the risk of rainfall even in areas that are typically not exposed to heavy rainfall. 

As of 2024, the Philippines has the highest risk for natural disasters. According to Statista, the Philippines was given a disaster risk index (WRI) of 46.91, followed by Indonesia with a WRI of 41.13. The lowest ranking countries were Monaco and Andorra, with a WRI of 0.18 and 0.28 respectively.

The WorldRiskIndex does a yearly report on the countries that are more exposed to natural disasters and climate-related hazards. It is calculated by looking at factors such as:

Key takeaways:

Looking into the future, it seems natural disasters are set to continue to increase. While, time bias needs to be considered, it is evident that the acceleration of climate change plays a huge role in the increase in extreme weather events. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the global rising temperatures will most likely result in increased storms and frequent droughts.

Additionally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that an increase in greenhouse gases will result in a warmer atmosphere and ocean temperatures, resulting in higher sea levels and changing global rainfall patterns, which will influence natural disasters and their severity. 

To reduce the risk and slow down the frequency of natural disasters, several steps must be taken, including:

Yes, natural disasters are increasing, and while time bias can play a role in the perceived increase in natural disasters, the evidence is clear: the frequency and severity of natural disasters are increasing, and it is largely caused by human activity and global warming.

In 2024, the world experienced over 150 disasters all related to climate change. With Europe facing its most extensive flooding in over a decade, with severe floods affecting 30% of the continent's river network, according to Reuters. 

Factors such as urbanisation, deforestation, and poor infrastructure aggravate the effects of natural disasters. These factors also contribute to climate change, which in turn contributes to the increased risk of natural disasters.

So, how can we reduce the risk of natural disasters? 

The first step is raising awareness of how humans activity is linked to the increase in extreme weather. By understanding this link, we can develop better strategies to reduce the impact natural disasters have on communities, such as improving infrastructure and emergency response systems. 

Finally, by taking an active role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we can help reduce global temperatures, which contribute to extreme weather events. Although, the work is extensive, it is not impossible.