When was the last time you considered your risk level for a natural disaster? For many, it’s easy to consider natural disasters as nebulous, uncommon occurrences that are unlikely to impact our daily lives. For others, the looming threat of natural disasters is always top-of-mind, and can play a critical role in practically everything we do. 

No matter how you perceive them, it’s important to keep in mind that natural disasters have the potential to impact all of us in life changing or devastating ways. No one is immune to the threats posed by naturally occurring events – just look at the statistics; it doesn’t matter where you live or how much you pay attention to the weather or warning signs. While we’ve come a long way towards being able to predict certain events through technology, there’s still so much we don’t know – or don’t understand – about the way weather systems, seismic activity, and other significant events occur. 

Beyond the Big 4: Types of Natural Disasters

It’s common for most people to think only of the four most commonly discussed disaster types: earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. And while these kinds of events are serious, it’s important to dig deeper into these categories to uncover the long list of ever present threats that occur across our planet. Because while you may not consider thunderstorms or solar flares to be a serious threat, these events can range in severity and pose a greater threat than you might imagine. 

By developing a better understanding of the risk that certain naturally occurring events pose, we can leverage our awareness to prioritize preparedness. Because while only some of us might experience the physical weather-related impact of these events (like damages to homes, direct threats of injury, etc.), almost all of us are impacted by things like shipping delays, food shortages, medical resource shortages, staffing shifts, and more in the wake of these events. 

When taking a closer look at the types of natural disasters that occur, we can identify 24 specific threats to be aware of: 

Despite what you might believe, each of these events has the potential to be life threatening, resulting in a wide range of impacts and fallout – from high winds to shifting roadways to rapid displacement and more. But, how often do events like this really pose a threat? 

Natural Disaster By The Numbers: How Many & How Often

The nearest and most recent natural disaster to you was likely closer than you think. Though many are fortunate enough to tuck themselves safely away in modern homes, many more are not. And when even the finest luxuries – like reinforced infrastructure – are not accessible, how do we – how can we – prioritize safety? 

According to the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, nearly 218 million people are affected by natural disasters each year, and nearly 68,000 lives are claimed as a result. In fact, over the last 25 years, nearly 7,000 natural disasters have claimed the lives of more than 1.35 million. 

By zooming in on a specific location, we can begin to gain a better understanding of the magnitude at hand.

According to Statista, “In the United States, 97 natural disasters occurred in 2021. Of these, 64 of them were severe thunderstorms, 14 were caused by wildfire, heat waves, and drought, and another 12 were due to floods and flash floods. The few remaining were caused by winter storms, cold waves, and tropical cyclones.” Generally, hurricanes are the most devastating natural disasters, resulting in significant economic damage and loss of life. For reference, Hurricane Katrina of 2005 caused 182.5 billion dollars in damage. 

But hurricanes alone are not to blame for natural disaster devastation in the US. “In 2021, over 9,000 individual wildfires burned in the Southwestern state ravishing nearly 2.23 million acres. California accounted for roughly 31 percent of all acres burned due to wildland fires in the U.S.” (Source: Statista)

And let’s not forget that in 2013, there were three straight days of tornado activity that resulted in 343 tornado touchdowns across 13 states. 

By taking a closer look at statistics like these in the United States alone, it’s easier to imagine that when we zoom back out to consider the rest of the planet’s risk – across various fault lines, in different climates, and along different coastlines – there’s far more to consider than a few storms here and there. 

Shared Findings, Shared Preparedness

Prometheus believes in silver linings. And if there’s a silver lining to be found in taking a look at statistics like these, it’s that we can leverage our findings from each of these disasters to educate, inform, and prepare nations across the globe. From an awareness perspective, the more we all know about the frequency, severity, and results of natural disasters, the better we can prepare especially vulnerable nations for inevitable weather events and seismic activity. 

While increased awareness won’t protect people in the face of catastrophe, it will help us weather these storms from a more educated perspective, contributing to potentially fewer deaths, more sustainable disaster response practices, and decreased damage to overall infrastructure across the globe.