zpostcode
20 Deadliest Storms in History
Mar 18, 2026 12:19 AM

  

20 Deadliest Storms in History1

  Aftermath of Bhola cyclone (1970) The Bhola cyclone struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) on November 12, 1970, killing more than 300,000 people. (more) 20 Deadliest Storms in History catastrophic tropical storms, cyclones, typhoons, and hurricanes Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/event/20-Deadliest-Storms-in-History Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

  External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Written by Sohini Dasgupta Sohini Dasgupta is an associate editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. She holds a master's degree in English literature from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, and has previously worked in editorial capacities... Sohini Dasgupta Fact-checked by Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Oct. 9, 2025 •Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Storms, which are turbulent atmospheric disturbances, are among the most destructive natural forces and can cause tremendous loss of life and devastation—from flooding and damage to trees, unanchored structures, and power lines to the obliteration of well-built structures. Storms are marked by reduced barometric pressure, precipitation, dense cloud formation, strong winds, and often lightning and thunder. Some of these storms cause torrential rains and storm surges (rise in sea level caused by changes in atmospheric...

  .eb-448-paywall-overlay { position: relative; background: white; border: 2px solid #93c5fd; border-radius: 16px; text-align: center; box-shadow: 0 4px 8px 0px #bfdbfe; width: 100%; overflow: hidden; } .eb-448-paywall-overlay-padding { padding: 40px 48px; } .eb-448-paywall-simple { border: 2px solid #93c5fd; } .eb-448-decorative-left-simple, .eb-448-decorative-right-simple { position: absolute; top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%); } .eb-448-decorative-left-simple { left: 0px; transform: translateY(-50%) scaleX(-1); } .eb-448-paywall-simple .eb-448-decorative-right-simple { right: 0; } .eb-448-paywall-content { position: relative; z-index: 15; } .eb-448-header-section { display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 8px; } .eb-448-features { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 32px; font-size: 14px; color: #525252; } .eb-448-features-simple { color: #6b6b6b; } .eb-448-feature-free-trial { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; color: black; } .eb-448-feature-secondary { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; } .eb-448-feature { font-weight: 600; } .eb-448-feature.simple { font-weight: 400; } .eb-448-feature.bold { color: balck; font-weight: 700; } .eb-448-feature.blue { color: #14599d; } .eb-448-divider { color: #cbd5e0; font-weight: 300; } .eb-448-unsubscribe-text { color: #525252; margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 600; } .eb-448-unsubscribe-text-simple { font-weight: 400; color: #6b6b6b; } .eb-448-decorative-left { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; height: 100%; z-index: -1; } .eb-448-decorative-right { position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; height: 100%; } .eb-448-decorative-image { height: 100%; } .eb-448-decorative-mobile { width: 100%; display: none; img { width: 100%; } } @media (max-width: 672px) { .eb-448-features { gap: 8px; font-size: 12px; } .eb-448-unsubscribe-text { font-size: 12px; } .eb-448-decorative-left, .eb-448-decorative-right { display: none; } .eb-448-decorative-mobile { display: flex; } .eb-448-paywall-overlay-padding { padding: 20px 24px; } .eb-448-features-simple { flex-direction: column; } .eb-448-feature-free-trial .eb-448-divider { display: none; } .eb-448-thistle-icon { filter: blur(2px); } }

  

20 Deadliest Storms in History2

  Discover the world with Britannica Subscribe to Continue Reading Free Trial | No Ads | Exclusive Content Unsubscribe Anytime!

  Explore Subscriptions

  

20 Deadliest Storms in History3

  

20 Deadliest Storms in History4

  

20 Deadliest Storms in History5

Comments
Welcome to zpostcode comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Recommend >
family therapy
  family therapy, type of group psychotherapy (or talk therapy) designed to improve relationships among family members by addressing issues that affect family dynamics and mental well-being. In family therapy, a group is considered any set of people who share in a caring relationship and describe themselves as a family; such groups may include parents and their children, siblings, aunts and...
Antarctic ice hole the size of Switzerland keeps cracking open. Now scientists finally know why.
Scientists have finally discovered what's causing a Switzerland-size hole to repeatedly open up in Antarctica's sea ice. Researchers first spotted the hole, called the Maud Rise polynya, in 1974 and 1976 in Antarctica's Weddell Sea, and since then it has reappeared fleetingly and sporadically opening up in different sizes but in the same place, then sometimes not at all for...
list of the world’s largest cities by population
  With more than 70 million inhabitants, Guangzhou, China, is far and away the world’s largest city. But, what defines a city? When you are comparing developments with tens of millions of people located in countries across the globe, a unified definition is tricky—one needs to consider a variety of population groupings, including urban populations, consolidated urban areas, agglomerations, and conglomerations....
Harry F. Byrd
  In full: Harry Flood Byrd (Show more) Born: June 10, 1887, Martinsburg, West Virginia, U.S. (Show more) Died: October 20, 1966, Berryville, Virginia (Show more) Harry F. Byrd (born June 10, 1887, Martinsburg, West Virginia, U.S.—died October 20, 1966, Berryville, Virginia) American newspaper publisher, farmer, and prominent Democratic politician in the state of Virginia for more than 40 years. Elected...
Information Recommendation
Vajiralongkorn
  Also called: Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun and Rama X (Show more) Born: July 28, 1952, Bangkok, Thailand (Show more) Vajiralongkorn (born July 28, 1952, Bangkok, Thailand) is the 10th king of Thailand’s Chakri Dynasty. He formally accepted the throne on December 1, 2016, although his reign officially began following the death of his father, Bhumibol Adulyadej, on October 13, 2016. Vajiralongkorn’s...
A Letter Concerning Toleration
  A Letter Concerning Toleration, in the history of political philosophy, an important essay by the English philosopher John Locke, originally written in Latin (Epistola de Tolerantia) in 1685 while Locke was in exile in Holland and first published anonymously in both Latin and English (in a translation by William Popple) upon Locke’s return to England in 1689. A Letter Concerning...
Dream Team
  Dream Team, nickname given to the 1992 U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team, which went undefeated in eight games at the Summer Olympics in Barcelona. It was the first U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team to include professional basketball players from the NBA. In 1989 FIBA, the international basketball governing body, voted to allow professional players to compete in the Olympics. Previously,...
'You certainly don't see this every day': Ultra-rare backward-spinning tornado formed over Oklahoma
An ultra-rare backward-spinning tornado was spawned Tuesday (April 30) from a powerful supercell thunderstorm that formed over the Oklahoma-Texas border. This backward tornado burst to life in the wake of another odd twister, which was unusual in that it looped back over its own path, CNN reported. Tornadoes tend to travel from west to east, because the prevailing winds in...
South African national election of 2024
  South Africa is holding national and provincial elections on May 29, 2024. Significantly, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the country’s 1994 election, which was the first to be held after the fall of legislated apartheid and the first to be held by universal suffrage. The national election promises to be the toughest one yet for the African National...
What is news literacy (and why does it matter)?
  News literacy is the ability to determine the credibility of news and other information using the standards of quality journalism. It involves “thinking like a journalist” to determine what information to trust, share, and act on. News literacy teaches people how to think critically about timely issues and sources of information, not what to think. It helps foster healthy skepticism...
Cave of Crystals: The deadly cavern in Mexico dubbed 'the Sistine Chapel of crystals'
QUICK FACTSName: Cave of Crystals Location: Chihuahua, Mexico Coordinates: 27.850823490019174, -105.4963675458159 The Cave of Crystals is an underground cavern filled with tree-size gypsum crystals, including some of the largest natural crystals ever found. The cave is located around 980 feet (300 meters) deep and is connected to a lead, zinc and silver mine in Naica, 65 miles (105 kilometers) southeast...
Earth from space: Mysterious wave ripples across 'galaxy' of icebergs in Arctic fjord
Quick factsWhere is it? Itilliarsuup Kangerlua fjord, Greenland [70.72910805, -50.71839266]. What's in the photo? A mysterious wave, or arc, rippling across the fjord's surface. Which satellite took the photo? Landsat 9. When was it taken? August 3, 2023. This striking satellite photo captured a mysterious arc in an ethereal, iceberg-covered fjord deep within the Arctic Circle. Researchers proposed several possible...