Asia's worst recent natural disasters
Pastor Dale Morgan
Asia's worst recent natural disasters*
20 May 2008 15:36:53 GMT
Source: Reuters
May 20 (Reuters) - China raised the number of dead or missing from a
devastating earthquake to more than 70,000 on Tuesday eight days after
the huge tremor hit. Rescuers were still finding survivors.
Here are some of the region's worst recent natural disasters.
Dec. 26, 2004 - ASIA - The number of dead and missing from an earthquake
off the coast of Indonesia and subsequent tsunami is at least 232,000.
The quake measured 9.15 in magnitude.
March 28, 2005 - INDONESIA - Nearly 1,000 people are killed after a
quake of magnitude 8.7 strikes the coast off Indonesian island of Sumatra.
July/Aug - INDIA - More than 1,000 people are killed -- mostly drowned
and buried by landslides -- after the heaviest rainfall ever recorded
falls on the western state of Maharashtra on July 26.
Oct 8 - PAKISTAN - At least 73,320 people are killed by a 7.6 magnitude
quake that strikes about 95 km (60 miles) northeast of Islamabad. The
quake also rocks Indian Kashmir, killing 1,244 people.
Feb. 17, 2006 - PHILIPPINES - Mudslide triggered by heavy rain buries
nearly 1,000 people in the Philippines. About 140 bodies are recovered.
May 27 - INDONESIA - More than 5,700 people are killed when an
earthquake centred just off the Indian Ocean coast hits the island of
Java near Yogyakarta.
June-July, 2007 - INDIAN SUBCONTINENT - Monsoon storms kill about 1,750
people in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, and Pakistan. India is
hardest hit with at least 750 people killed.
Nov 15 - BANGLADESH - Cyclone Sidr strikes Bangladesh, killing about
3,500 people.
May 2/3, 2008 - MYANMAR - As of May 20 the official toll of dead and
missing is above 134,000 after Cyclone Nargis ripped through Myanmar's
Irrawaddy Delta. An estimated 2.4 million people have been left destitute.
May 12 - CHINA - The most devastating earthquake to hit China in three
decades strikes southwest Sichuan. The quake, which measured magnitude
7.9, killed more than 40,000 as of May 20 with more than 32,000 missing.
At least 247,000 injured.
-- China has said it expects the final death toll from the earthquake to
exceed 70,000. About 4.8 million people have lost their homes.