Countries that had the most damage from natural disasters

We recently examined 157 countries to identify those most impacted by natural disasters between 2000 and 2024. Using data from EM-DAT and population figures from publicly available sources like the World Bank, the study created a Disaster Impact Index that combines both human and economic tolls.

To ensure the index was fair across countries of varying sizes, the total number of deaths, injuries, and economic damages were adjusted on a per capita basis, acknowledging that the same absolute number of casualties or economic losses has a more severe impact on smaller countries. Both the human toll and economic losses were scaled in this way to make the results comparable across countries. The final index assigns equal weight to human impact (50%) and economic damage (50%), ensuring a balanced representation of both aspects in the overall rankings.

Full list of findings:

Dominica ranks first with a Disaster Impact Index of 68.21, largely due to 26,794 deaths and injuries among a population of just 66,205. Major hurricanes, such as Hurricane Maria in 2017, devastated the island, causing significant damage. Economic losses amount to $1.96 billion, contributing to Dominica’s high per capita impact.

The Bahamas ranks second with an index of 42.58, having suffered 116,601 deaths and injuries. Hurricane Dorian in 2019 was one of the worst natural disasters recorded in The Bahamas’ history. With a population of just over 401,000, the casualty rate per capita was among the highest. Economic damage reached $6.02 billion.

The United States ranks third, with an index of 40.86. Despite having the highest total economic loss at $13.74 billion, the U.S. experienced a comparatively lower per capita toll, with 5,260 deaths and injuries across a population of 345 million. These figures do not yet account for the damage caused by the recent Hurricane Milton in Florida, which is expected to significantly increase the damage levels. The impact of past hurricanes, such as Hurricane Irma in 2017, which caused widespread destruction across Florida and other parts of the Southeast, also contributes to the country’s ongoing vulnerability to natural disasters.

The Solomon Islands rank fourth, with a Disaster Impact Index of 26.97, based on 236,057 deaths and injuries. The country has faced multiple natural disasters, including earthquakes and tsunamis like the 2007 Solomon Islands earthquake and tsunami, which devastated the islands. While economic losses totaled just $30,000, the human impact is profound for a population of 819,198.

Puerto Rico ranks fifth with an index of 24.98, driven by $72.27 billion in economic damage and 72,201 deaths and injuries. Events like Hurricane Maria in 2017 played a significant role in the island’s struggles, and with a population of just over 3 million, Puerto Rico remains one of the hardest-hit regions in the Americas.

Japan ranks sixth with a Disaster Impact Index of 19.47, driven by $2.35 trillion in economic losses and 543 deaths and injuries across its population of 123 million. Despite the relatively low human toll, the economic damage per capita remains significant. Major events like the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami left deep scars on both its economy and people.

Grenada ranks seventh with an index of 12.05, based on 620 deaths and injuries, and $1.32 billion in economic damage. With a population of 117,207, the impact on the small island nation is substantial. Hurricanes such as Hurricane Ivan in 2004 caused widespread destruction.

Tonga ranks eighth with an index of 11.44, due to 9,188 deaths and injuries. The island nation’s vulnerability to cyclones, such as Cyclone Gita in 2018, underscores the heavy human toll. Economic losses amounted to $323,800, a significant sum for a population of just over 104,000.

New Zealand ranks ninth with an index of 6.96. While New Zealand reported only 179 deaths and injuries, the country has faced significant economic damage, totaling $35.34 billion. Events such as the 2011 Christchurch earthquake highlight the country’s seismic risks.

Guatemala ranks tenth with an index of 4.49. The country suffered 849,712 deaths and injuries, with $3.12 billion in economic damage. Guatemala's susceptibility to disasters, such as the 2020 hurricanes Eta and Iota, has had a lasting impact on its population of 18 million.

Methodology

The Disaster Impact Index was developed to fairly assess the countries most affected by natural disasters from 2000 to 2024. The index incorporates both human and economic impacts, ensuring comparisons across countries of varying sizes. Here’s how it was created:

• Data Collection:
  Data on deaths, injuries, and economic damage was sourced from EM-DAT, while population figures came from the World Bank.

• Normalization:
  To account for country size, both the total number of people affected (deaths, injuries, homeless) and the economic damage were adjusted on a per capita basis. This ensures that smaller countries, where a lower number of casualties or losses have a larger impact, can be fairly compared to larger nations.

• Standardization:
  The per capita figures were standardized to bring human and economic impacts onto a comparable scale. This process eliminates skewed results that could arise from the different magnitudes of deaths and economic losses.

• Equal Weighting:
  Human and economic impacts were each given 50% weight in the final index, ensuring a balanced representation of both aspects.

• Composite Index:
  The final Disaster Impact Index was calculated by averaging the standardized scores for human and economic impacts, with higher scores indicating a more severe overall impact.

By normalizing and standardizing the data, this index allows for a fair comparison of natural disaster impacts across countries, regardless of size.