Chapter 2

ADRC 20th Century Asian Natural Disasters Data Book<August 2002>

Chapter 2 Regional Characteristics of Natural Disasters
2‑1 Regional Proportion of Natural Disaters Occurrence in the World
Asia has been suffering from about 38 % of the major natural disasters of the world.

Meanwhile,

Asian region accounts for 57 % of killed people by natural disasters (Fig.2-1) and 88 % of the affectedpeople.

The number of people killed and affected, and the amount of damage tend to be higher comparedto the number of disasters.

Therefore Asian region cannot be neglected as one of vulnerable areas tonatural disasters.

Fig.2‑1

Number of Disasters(Region, 1975-2000)
Oceania7%
Europe13%

Africa19%

America
23%

Asia
38%

TOTAL : 6,617

Chapter 2

ADRC 20th Century Asian Natural Disasters Data Book<August 2002>

Fig.2-2

Number of People Killed(Region, 1975-2000)
Oceania0%

Europe1%

Africa34%

America
8%

Asia
57%

TOTAL : 2.02 Million People
Fig.2‑3

Number of Totally Affected People(Region, 1975-2000)
Europe1%

Oceania0%Africa8%
America
3%

Asia
88%

TOTAL ::4.18
BillionPeople
TOTAL
4.18
BillionPeopleChapter 2

ADRC 20th Century Asian Natural Disasters Data Book<August 2002>

Fig.2-4

Amount of Damage (Region, 1975-2000)
Oceania2%
Europe19%

Asia
50%Africa
1%
America28%

TOTAL : 957.81 Bn US$Chapter 2

ADRC 20th Century Asian Natural Disasters Data Book<August 2002>

2‑2 Regional Characteristics of Natural Disasters in the World1) Disaster Characteristics in Africa
In Africa, the number of disasters accounts for 29% of epidemic, 26 % of flood and 22 % ofdrought, and which holds 77 % of the total number of disasters (Fig.2-5).
On the other hand, the number of people killed(Fig.2-6) and affected people(Fig.2-7) arecaused 70〜80 % due to drought and it characterizes Africa as a serious drought prone continent.
On top of that, it is also clear that earthquake disaters cause major economic damage to thecontinent as seen in the Fig.2-8.

Fig.2‑5

Number of Disasters in Africa(Type,1975-2000)

Volcano1%(9)Wild fire
1%(12)

Wind storm
8%(99)

Slide
2%(21)

Drought
22%(276)
Earthquake
3%(41)

Insect infestation
5%(57)

Epidemic
29%(374)

Flood
26%(323)
Famine (natural)
2%(30)

Extreme temp
1%(7)TOTAL : 1,249

Chapter 2ADRC 20th Century Asian Natural Disasters Data Book<August 2002>

Fig.2‑6
Number of People Killed in Africa(Type, 1975-2000)

Famine (natural)
1%

Epidemic
14%

Flood
2%
Drought
82%

Earthquake
1%

TOTAL : 681,099 People

Fig.2‑7

Number of Totally Affected People in Africa(Type, 1975-2000)
Famine (natural)
11%

Flood
9%

Wind storm
3%

Drought74%

Epidemic
3%

TOTAL : 306.9 Million People

Fig.2‑8

Amount of Damage in Africa (Type, 1975-2000)
Wind storm
20%

Drought
33%

Flood
19%
Famine (natural)
1%

Earthquake
27%

TOTAL : 12.44 Bn US$Chapter 2ADRC 20th Century Asian Natural Disasters Data Book<August 2002>

2) Disaster Characteristics in America
In North and South America, wind and flood disasters share 65 % of the total number ofnatural disasters (Fig2-9). When we consider the number sufferings, the most number people killed
is caused by floods (27 %), earthquakes (26 %) and windstorms (19 %) and the most number ofaffected people is by floods (36 %).
Additionally, it stands out that windstorms cause about the half of the economic damage(48 %).

Fig.2‑9

Number of Disasters in Americas(Type,1975-2000)
Drought
5%(80)
Wind storm
35%(528)

Earthquake
9%(136)

Epidemic
4%(64)
Extreme temp
3%(48)

Wild fire
5%(71)

Wave/surge
0%(4)Famine (natural)
0%(1)Volcano3%(41)

Slide
6%(95)

Flood
30%(470)
Insect infestation
0%(3)TOTAL : 1,541

Chapter 2

ADRC 20th Century Asian Natural Disasters Data Book<August 2002>

Fig.2‑10

Number of People Killed in Americas(Type,1975-2000)
Wind storm
19%

Earthquake
26%

Wave/surge
1%
Epidemic
8%

Volcano
13%

Slide
3%

Extreme temp
3%

Flood
27%

TOTAL : 167,153 People
Fig.2‑11

Number of Totally Affected People in Americas(Type, 1975-2000)
Drought
36%

Wind storm
24%
Volcano1%

Earthquake
8%

Slide1%
Flood
28%

Famine (natural)
1%

Epidemic
1%

TOTAL : 139.84 Million People

Fig.2‑12
Amount of Damage in Americas (Type, 1975-2000)

Wind storm
48%

Drought
5%

Earthquake
21%

Extreme temp
5%

Flood
18%
Wild fire2%

Volcano1%

TOTAL : 270.32 Bn US$