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Press releaseFebruary 11, 2016– UNISDR 2016/05

THE HUMAN COST OF THE HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD - CLIMATE CHANGE AND EL NINODROVE DISASTERS WORLDWIDE IN 2015
11 February 2016, GENEVA – The hottest year on record, 2015, has confirmed that weather and climate-related
disasters now dominate disaster trends linked to natural hazards, according to a new analysis presented today.
The top five most disaster-hit countries in 2015 were China (26), USA (22), India (19), Philippines (15) andIndonesia (11).
The head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Robert Glasser, said: “We have come through the hottestyear on record. 98.6 million people were affected by disasters last year and climate often aided by a strong El Niño
was a factor in 92% of those events. The most obvious impact was the 32 major droughts recorded which wasmore than double the ten-year annual average. These affected 50.5 million people and many have continued into
this year particularly in Africa.
“The main message from this trends analysis is that reducing greenhouse gases and adapting to climate change isvital for countries seeking to reduce disaster risk now and in the future.”
Mr. Glasser also commented: “The Nepal earthquake has confirmed yet again that earthquakes are the mostdeadly natural hazard category and underlines the importance of ensuring compliance with building codes. It isbuildings which kill people in seismic zones as we saw again at the weekend in Taiwan.
“National disaster management agencies in Asia are doing good work in reducing death tolls from storms throughearly warnings and timely evacuations, especially in the Philippines, China, Japan and the small island states of thePacific. Asia and the Pacific bore the brunt of the 90 storms reported last year which included 48 cyclone-strengthstorms.”

About UNISDR: UNISDR is the UN office dedicated to disaster risk reduction. It is led by the Special Representative of theSecretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and supports implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk
Reduction 2015-2030 which seeks “the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses, in lives, livelihoods and health and in
the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries.”
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There were 996 fatalities in recorded storms last year, compared to an annual average of 17,778 from 2005 to2014, according to preliminary data from the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED),
Belgium, which shows that the death toll from 346 major reported disasters last year was 22,773 – including 8,831
deaths from the Nepal earthquake.
CRED Director, Dr. Debarati Guha-Sapir, said: “At 22,773 deaths for 2015, overall disaster mortality wasconsiderably down on the ten-year average of 76,424 deaths. It does seem that early warnings are having an
impact in the case of storms. Further investment in this area is warranted by these numbers.
“Extreme temperatures, mostly heatwaves have been severe in 2015. Several countries in Europe faced heatstress with significant numbers of deaths particularly in France. India and Pakistan suffered from some of the most
severe heat waves in recent times. Mortality from extreme temperatures are very under-estimated and need better
evaluation of their impact.
2015 DISASTER FACTS AND FIGURES vs 2005-2014 AVERAGES
There were 32 major droughts recorded last year compared to an annual average of 15 over the previous decade.
Droughts affected 50.5 million people, well above the ten year average of 35.4 million.
Floods have traditionally affected the most people in any given year but were in second place last year when 152
floods affected 27.5 million people and claimed 3,310 lives. This compares with the ten year average of 5,938
deaths and 85.1 million people affected. Floods in India last year affected 16.4 million people.
Rising sea levels and sea surface temperatures were factors in a very active cyclone season in Asia and thePacific which saw 37 cyclones and typhoons. Globally, there were 90 reported storms resulting in 996 deaths andaffecting 10.6 million people. This compares with a ten year average of 17,778 deaths and 34.9 million people
affected.
2015 was the hottest year on record and this contributed to a major loss of life from heatwaves, including acombined total of 7346 deaths: in France (3,275), India (2,248) and Pakistan (1,229). Overall, 7,346 deaths wererecorded and 1.2 million people were affected by extreme temperatures in 2015. This compares with the ten year
average of 7,232 deaths and 8.7 million affected.
Other statistics from 2015: earthquakes and tsunamis killed 9,525 people (including Nepal) and affected 7.2 million;
landslides triggered by heavy rains, killed 1,369 people and affected 50,332; wildfires took 66 lives and affected
almost 495,000 people.

About UNISDR: UNISDR is the UN office dedicated to disaster risk reduction. It is led by the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Disaster
Risk Reduction and supports implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters
which seeks “the substantial reduction of disaster losses, in lives and in the social, economic and environmental assets of communities and countries.”
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2015 disasters in numbers(1)

346 reported disasters
22 773 people dead98.6 million people affected
US$66.5 billion economic damage

Top 10Natural disasters by number of deaths

Total of affected people
reported by country

Total of economic damage
reported by country (in billion US$)

Earthquake, April

Nepal

8 831

Dem. Rep. of Korea

18 003 541

United States

24,88

Heat wave, June-AugustFrance

3 275

India

16 558 354

China, P Rep

13,66

Heat wave, MayIndia

2 248

Ethiopia

10 210 600

Nepal

5,17

Heat wave, JunePakistan

1 229

Nepal

5 640 301

United Kingdom

3,60

Landslide, October

Guatemala627

Bangladesh

4 452 553

India

3,30

Heat wave, June-July

Belgium

410

Philippines

3 834 514

Chile

3,10Flood, November-December

India

325

Malawi

3 438 995

Australia

2,40

Flood, July-August

India

293

China, P Rep

3 006 093

South Africa

2,00Earthquake, OctoberPakistan

280

Guatemala2 809 910

Philippines

1,90

Flood, January

Malawi

278

South Africa

2 700 000France1,00

Top 10

Number of reported disasters by country

Europe22

United States

AfricaAmericas93
7
Per Continent

2356

China, P Rep

Myanmar
Pakistan

1019India

6267 Japan

Asia
152 15

Philippines

6Indonesia

11

Bangladesh
ChilePer Country(1): Natural disasters: Epidemic and insect infestations not included

7

Australia

22 Oceania

Comparing present to past
Annual reported economic damages and time trend from disasters: 1980-2015
Economic damage

2015 disaster with largest economic impact

Selected disasters with largest economic impact

350

450

432

421

413414389

Time trend of reported disasters

300
278

250
200

Hurricane
Katrina, Rita and Wilma, USA($219 billion)

Earthquake
Kobé, Japan($155 billion)
259

150
100

Earthquake
Naples Province, Italy($60 billion)

50

1980

1982

1984

FloodChina($43 billion)

Earthquake
Northridge, USA($48 billion)
Storm
Andrew, USA($45 billion)

346 350

Earthquake/Tsunami
Tohoku, Japan($223 billion)

Earthquake
Sichuan, China P.Rep($94 billion)

205

400

Flood,Thailand($42billion)

Number of disasters

Economic damage in 2015 US$ value (billion)

-300
250
Hurricane
Sandy, USA($52 billion)

200
150

Earthquake
Nepal 100($5 billion)
50

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

Human impact by disaster types (2015 versus average 2005-2014)
Occurrence
2015

2005-2014

346367

Deaths

17190

99

32

1520171720 000 000

All disasters

40000 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000
22 77340 000 000

60 000 000

80 000 000

100 000 000
98 580 793

2015
2005-201476 424152

Affected

3 310

173 241 621
27 504 263

Flood

5 938
996

85 139 394
10 592 279

Storm

17 778352 030
1 369

34 888 330

Landslide923

50 551 354

Drought

35 427 852
50 332299 127

Earthquake&Tsunami

9 525

1925

129

1124

8

6

46

21126
23

42 381
66
73

Wildfire
Extremetemperature

7 346
7 232
0Volcanic
activity

7 166 633
8 401 843
494 713
193 534
1 262 627
8 755 064
958 592
136 1030Mass
movement (dry) 373

Percentage of deaths by continent
Asia

2015
2005-2014

71.8%

55.6%

EuropeAfrica

Americas

16.4%

8.6%

6.5%

31.6%

Oceania
5% 3.9%0.3% 0.2%

Source: EM-DAT (25th January 2016) : The OFDA/CRED - International Disaster Database www.emdat.be Université catholique de Louvain Brussels - Belgium

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Centre for Research on the Epidemiologyof Disasters (CRED), IRSS
Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
Tel. +32 27643327
contact@emdat.bewww.cred.be