Category Archives: Chronology

Day_127 : World Disaster Chronology-1990-91

Date Place Disaster Type Situations
1990.01- Indonesia Heavy Rain, Flood Over 130(DM)
1990.03- Bangladesh Heavy Rain, Flood 170(DM)
1990.04- Africa, East Heavy Rain, Flood Over 140(DM)
1990.04.26 China, Qinghai Inland Earthquake M6.5, Over 120(DM) Landslide
1990.05- India Cyclone, Flood Over 3,000(DM)
1990.05.29 Peru, Central Inland Earthquake M6.5,130-200 (DM),Landslide
1990.06- Japan, Kyushu Heavy Rain, Flood 27(DM),Injured 80, Destroyed approx.500, Inundated over 42,000
1990.06.21 Iran, North Inland Earthquake 1990 Manjil–Rudbar earthquake*1),M7.3-7.7, 30,000-50,000(DM), destroyed several towns 
1990.07.16 The Philippines, Luzon Inland Earthquake 1990 Luzon earthquake*2), (M7.8),
1,700-2,400 (DM)
1990.08- China Heavy Rain, Flood Over 300(DM)
1990.08- The Philippines Typhoon, Flood 230(DM)
1990.09- Korea Heavy Rain, Flood Over 130(DM)
1990.09- Japan, Northeast Typhoon, Flood 40(DM), Injured 130, Destroyed approx.16,000, Inundation Over18,000
1990.10- Bangladesh Cyclone, Flood Over 3,000(DM)
1990.11- Tha Philippines Typhoon, Flood Over 350(DM)
1991.02.01 Afganistan Inland Earthquake M6.4,200-700(DM)
1991.04.22 Costa Rica Inland Earthquake M7.6, 70(D) with Panama
1991.04.29 USSR(Georgia) Inland Earthquake M7.0, Over100(DM)
1991.04- Bangladesh Cyclone, Flood 1991 Bangladesh cyclone*3), Over 139,000(DM). This disaster was among the deadliest tropical cyclones on record. 
1991.06- Japan, Kyushu Volcanic eruption Mt.Unzen Volcanic eruption*4),Pyroclastic flow,Over 40(D)
1991.06- The Philippines, Luzon Volcanic eruption Mt. Pinatubo Volcano eruption*5), 700-1000(DM)
1991.06- Pakistan Heat wave Over 300(DM)
1991.06- China Heavy rain, Flood Over 400(DM)
1991.07- India Heavy rain, Flood Over 900(DM)
1991.07- China Typhoon,Flood 200(DM)
1991.08- Korea Typhoon,Flood 100(DM)
1991.09- China Landslide Over 270(DM)
1991.09- Japan, all areas Typhoon,Flood 1991 Typhoon No.19, 62(DM)*6), Injured1,500, Destroyed approx.170,000, Inundation over 22,000
1991.10.20 India, North Inland Earthquake M6.8-7.0, 770～2,000(DM)
1991.11- The Philippines, Central Typhoon, Flood Over 6,300(DM)*7)
1992.01- Bangladesh Cold Wave Over130(DM)

DM: The number of dead and missing.

1) Iran is one of the most vulnerable country on earthquake disasters.
The below Day_81 can be checked.
2) Buguio city was severely hit by this earthquake. The city is also vulnerable to landslide disasters. 2009 Typhoon Pepeng hit the Buguio city. There were some issues in this city. Urbanization is the one of the causes.
NIED natural disaster research report
3) Some past posts can be referred. The below Day_117 can be checked.
4) Some past posts can be referred.The below Day_65 can be checked.
5) A huge cloud of volcanic ash and gas rises above Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, on June 12, 1991. Three days later, the volcano exploded in the second-largest volcanic eruption on Earth in this century.Following this Mount Pinatubo’s cataclysmic June 15, 1991, eruption, thousands of roofs collapsed under the weight of ash made wet by heavy rains (see example in photo above). Ash deposits from the eruption have also been remobilized by monsoon and typhoon rains to form giant mudflows of volcanic materials (lahars), which have caused more destruction than the eruption itself(http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/1997/fs113-97/).
6) Itsukushima Shrine, its complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was damaged.
7) The Ormoc region was inundated by Tropical Storm Uring.The city government recorded 4,922 deaths, 3,000 missing persons, 14,000 destroyed houses. We call this disaster “Ormoc Tragedy”

http://disasterresearchnotes.site/archives/2801

http://disasterresearchnotes.site/archives/3224

 

https://disasterresearchnotes.site/archives/2679

 

Day_118 : World Disaster Chronology-1982-1988

 

Date Place Disaster Type Situations
1982.01- US and Europe Cold Wave Over 350(DM)
1982.01- Columbia Heavy Rain, Flood 90(DM)
1982.01- Peru Heavy Rain, Flood Over 3,000(DM)
1982.03- Philippines Typhoon Over 90(DM)
1982.03- Mexico, South Volcano  Mt. El Chichon Volcano Eruption, Over 150(DM)
1982.04- Peru Heavy Rain, Flood Over 200(DM)
1982.05- China Heavy Rain, Flood Over 430(DM)
1982 Nicaragua and others Heavy Rain, Flood 180(DM)
1982.06- Indonesia, West（Smatra） Heavy Rain, Flood Over200(DM)
1982.06- India, Southeastern Heavy Rain, Flood 200-1,000(DM) Orissa
1982.07- Japan, Kyusyu Heavy Rain, Flood 1982 Nagasaki Heavy Rain Disaster,345(DM), Injured 660, Destroyed approx.850, Inundation over 52,000
1982.08- South Korea Typhoon, Flood Over 60(DM)
1982.08- Japan, Central Typhoon, Flood 95(DM), Injured170, Destroyed approx.5,300, Inundation over 113,000
1982.09- Japan, Central Typhoon, Flood 38(DM),Injured 170, Destroyed approx.600, Inundation over136,000
1982 Guatemala and others Heavy Rain, Flood Over 1,500(DM)
1982.10.06 Liberia  Landslide Over 200(DM)
1982.11- India Typhoon, Flood Over 270(DM)
1982.12.13 Yemen Inland Earthquake 1982 North Yemen earthquake, M5.8, 2,800-5,000(DM)
1983 Turkey, East Inland Earthquake Over 1,000(DM)
1983.02- Australia, Southeastern Forest Fire 75(DM)
1983.05.26- Japan, Northeastern Submarine Earthquake 1983 Sea of Japan Earthquake*,M7.7 104(DM), Injured160, Half Destroyed or more, over3,000
1983.07- Japan, Central Heavy Rain, Flood 1983 Heavy Rain,117(DM), Injured 160, Destroyed approx. 3,600, Inundation over 17,000, Damaged over 1.3mil yen
1983.09- Japan, Central Typhoon 44(DM), Injured 120, Destroyed approx. 600, Inundation over 56,000
1983.12- Japan Heavy Snow 96(DM), Destroyed approx. 900
1984.03.28 US Tornado The 1984 Carolinas tornado outbreak, 57(D)
1984.06.09 USSR Tornado The 1984 Soviet Union tornado outbreak. Over 400(D)
1985.03.03 Chile, Central Submarine Earthquake M7.8-7.9, 180(DM)
1985.08.23 China, Xinjiang autonomous region Inland Earthquake M7.3, Over 80(DM)
1985.09.19 Mexico, Southwestern sea (Mexico city) Submarine Earthquake 1985 Mexico city earthquake, M8.1,9,500-35,000(DM)
1986.08- Japan, Kyusyu and others Typhoon, Flood 21(DM), Injured100, Destroyed approx.2,600, Inundation over 105,000
1986 El Salvador Inland Earthquake 1986 San Salvador earthquake M5.5-5.8, Over1,000(DM)
1986.10.20 Kermadec Islands Submarine Earthquake M7.7-8.2
1987.03.06 Ecuador, South Inland Earthquake Ecuador Earthquake (M6.7-7.1) 1,000～5,000 (DM)
1987.10- Japan, West Typhoon, Flood 9(DM), Destroyed approx.200, Inundation over 24,000
1987.12.17 Japan, East Submarine Earthquake Chiba Ken Toho Oki Earthquake,M6.7,2(D), Injured 160
1988.02- Mozambique Cyclone, Flood Cyclone Filao, approx.100(D)
1988.07- Japan, Kyusyu and others Heavy Rain, Flood 27 (DM), Injured 60, Destroyed approx.600, Inuncation over 10,000
1988.08.21 Nepal   1988 Nepal earthquake M6.9,  killing at least 709 persons and injuring thousands.
1988.11- Bangladesh Cyclone, Flood 6240(D) One of the worst tropical cyclones in Bangladeshi history. 
1988.09- Mexico, and others Hurricane Hurricane Gilbert, 318(D)
1988.10- Caribbean and Central America Hurricane Hurricane Joan–Miriam, 216-334(D)
1988.10- Guam, Marianas Islands, Philippines, China Typhoon Typhoon Ruby, Over 300(D)
1988.11.06 China and Myanmar Inland Earthquake M7.0-7.3, Over 700(DM)
1988.11.28 US, North Carolina and  Virginia  Tornado 1988 Raleigh tornado outbreak, 4(D),Injured 154
1988.12.07 USSR, South (Armenia) Inland Earthquake 1988 Armenian earthquake,M6.7-6.9, 25,000-45,000(DM)
Economic damage is 140 million dollar , worst earthquake disaster in USSR history

D: The number of Death M: Missing number DM: The dead and missing number

1983 Sea of Japan Earthquake*

https://disasterresearchnotes.site/archives/2722

Day_116 : World Disaster Chronology-1981

Date Place Disaster Type Situations
1981.01- Philippines (Mindanao) Heavy Rain, Flood 200 (DM)
1981.01.19 Indonesia, East (Irian Jaya) Inland Earthquake M6.8, 1,400–2,000 (DM)
1981.01- South Africa Heavy Rain, Flood 200 (DM)
1981 India, North Cold Wave 270 (DM)
1981 China, Central Inland Earthquake M unknown, 100 (DM)
1981 Pakistan Inland Earthquake M unknown, 210 (DM)
1981.04.17 India, East Tornado Over 120 (DM)
1981.05.14 Indonesia, South（Java） Volcano 325 (DM)
1981.06- India Cyclone, Flood 500-3,000 (DM)
1981.06.11 Iran, East Inland Earthquake 1981 Golbaf Earthquake*, M6.7, 3,000 (DM), Kerman Province
1981.07.01 Philippines Mudslide 120(DM)
1981.07.12 Sichuan Province** Heavy Rain, Flood M (unknown), 1,600 (DM)
1981.07- India/Nepal Heavy Rain, Flood Over 100 (DM)
1981.07.28 Iran, East Inland Earthquake 1981 Sirch earthquake* M7.2, Kerman Province, 1,500-8,000(DM)
1981.08- China, North Heavy Rain, Flood Over 800 (DM), Yellow river
1981.08- Colombia Heavy Rain, Flood 150 (DM)
1981.08- Japan Typhoon, Flood 43 (DM),Injured 170, Destroyed approx.4,400, Inundation over31,000
1981.09- Nepal Heavy Rain, Flood Over 500 (DM)
1981.10.09 Philippines （Mindanao） Landslide Over 200 (DM)
1981.10- Sichuan Landslide 240 (DM)
1981.11- Philippines Typhoon, Flood 270 (DM)
1981.12- India, North Cold Wave Over 130 (DM)

D : The number of death     DM : Dead and missing number

* Kerman province in Iran has two huge earthquake disasters in this year, the 1981 Golbaf earthquake and the 1981 Sirch earthquake. The 2003 Bam earthquake also hit this province and the Bam earthquake disaster was the worst  earthquake disaster which caused over 26000 casualties in Iran.

** Sichuan Province in China also experienced the 2008 Situan earthquake disaster which made approx.69000 fatalities.

Day_114 : World Disaster Chronology-1980

 

Date Place Disaster Type Situations
1980.01- US, East Cold Wave 100 (DM)
1980.01- India, North Cold Wave 80 (DM) Bihar 
1980.04- Peru Heavy Rain, Flood 90 (DM)
1980.05- US, Northwestern Volcano  Mount St.Helens Volcanic Eruption*  80 (DM), A summit was disappeared by landslide and huge volcanic eruptions.
1980.06- India Heavy Rain, Flood Over 600 (DM)
1980 India Disease Over 550 (D)
1980.07- Japan Cool weather damage Damage cost was over 6,900 mil, yen
1980.07.28 Nepal Inland Earthquake M (not confirmed), 90(DM)
1980.08- Japan Heavy Rain, Flood 26 (DM),Injured 50, Destroyed 400, Inundation over 39,000
1980.08- US, East Heat Wave 1,000-1,300 (DM)
1980.08- India, East Heavy Rain, Flood Over 1,500 (DM)
1980.08- Haiti Storm, Flood 270 (DM)
1980.08- China Heavy Rain, Flood Unknown (DM)
1980 Bangladesh Heavy Rain, Flood Over 650 (DM)
1980.09- India, Southeastern Heavy Rain, Flood 200 (DM), Orrisa
1980.10.10 Algeria, Northwestern Inland Earthquake  M7.1-7.5, El Asnam Earthquake 2,600-5,000(DM)
1980.10- India Infectious disease Over 400 (D)
1980.10.24 Mexico, Central Inland Earthquake M (unknown), 65 (DM)
1980.11.23 Italy, South Inland Earthquake 1980 Irpinia earthquake** M6.9   2,500-4,700 (DM)
1980.12- Japan Heavy Snow 103 (DM), Injured over 1,300, Destroyed over 5,800, Inundation over5,500

D: Dead number DM: The dead and missing number

*St.Herens volcanic eruption

https://disasterresearchnotes.site/archives/2860

**1980 Irpinia earthquake

 

Day_113 : World Disaster Chronology-1979

Date Place Disaster Type Situations
1979.01- US, East and others Cold wave The dead and missing is 60
1979.01.16 Iran, East Inland Earthquake M(not confirmed), The dead and missing number is 200
1979.02- Brazil, South Heavy rain, Flood The dead and missing number is 2,000
1979.02.20 Indonesia（Java Island） Volcano disaster The dead and missing number is180
1979.03- India Heavy rain, Flood The dead and missing number is 230
1979.04.10 US , Middle Tornado The dead number is 59
1979.04.15 Montenegro, Albania and others Coast earthquake 1979 Montenegro earthquake M7.2,Dead and missing is150-200.Budva’s Old Town, one of Montenegro’s Cultural Heritage Sites, was heavily devastated. (Wikipedia) 
1979.04.29 Indonesia, West（Sumatra Island） Vulcano disaster The dead and missing number is 80.
1979.05- India Typhoon, Flood The dead and missing number is over 500
1979.06- Japan Heavy rain, Flood The dead and missing number is 29, Injured 50, House corruption approx. 200, inundation of over 48,000
1979.06- India Heat Wave The dead and missing is over 300.
1979.07.18 Indonesia Mudslide The dead and missing are over 900
1979.08- India Disease The dead are over 200
1979.08- Dominica Typhoon, Flood The dead and missing are 1,500
1979.09- Japan Typhoon, Flood The dead and missing is 12, Injured 80, Destroyed approx.1,500, inundation is over 68,000
1979.10- Japan Typhoon, Flood The dead and missing is 111, Injured 480, Destroyed 7,500, Inundations over 37,000
1979.12.12 Colombia Submarine Earthquake M7.6-8.1 Colombia Earthquake, the dead and missing 600.

※ The following 1979 Machchhu dam failure is a technological disaster. Therefore, the disaster is not included in the above chronology.
1979 Machchhu dam failure
“The Morbi dam failure was a dam-related flood disaster that occurred on August 11, 1979, in India. The Machchu-2 dam, situated on the Machhu river, burst, sending a wall of water through the town of Morbi in the Rajkot district of Gujarat. Estimates of the number of people killed vary greatly, ranging from 1800 to 25000 people (Wikipedia).”

Related articles across the web

Day_108 : World Disaster Chronology-1978

The chronology will be improved little by little. This is the first draft version. The information source will be shown later. In addition, other some events will be explained.

Date Place Disaster Type Situations
1978.01- US, East Cold wave The dead and missing number is 160
1978.02- US Disease Influenza, the dead number is over 6,000
1978.04.16 India Tornado The dead and missing number is over 600
1978.06.12 Japan, Northeast Submarine Earthquake 1978 Miyagi ken Oki earthquake M7.4, The dead number is 28
1978.07- Bangladesh Heavy rain, Flood The dead and missing number is over 120
1978 Pakistan Heavy rain, Flood The dead and missing number is over100
1978.08- India Heavy rain, Flood The dead and missing number is 900-1,300
1978.09- Africa, East Disease The dead number is over 350
1978.09.16 Iran, Central Inland Earthquake 1978 Tabas earthquake*  M7.2-7.8, The dead and missing number is 18,000-25,000
1978.10- India Disease The dead number is over 480
1978.11- Sri Lanka, and others Typhoon, Flood The dead and missing is 1,500

*1978 Tabas Earthquake

The one of the most earthquake vulnerable countries in Asia is Iran. Iran had 16 times earthquakes in the 1800s  and 18 times earthquakes in the 1900s which caused over 1000 deaths. In particular, the one of the main causes of deaths is a building structure, called adobe.

Adobe is a kind of clay used as a building material, typically in the form of sun-dried bricks (Oxford dictionaries).

In dry climates, adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for some of the oldest existing buildings in the world. Adobe buildings offer significant advantages due to their greater thermal mass, but they are known to be particularly susceptible to earthquake damage if they are not somehow reinforced. Adobe are common throughout the world such as Middle East, West Asia, North Africa, West Africa, South America, southwestern North America, Spain, and Eastern Europe (Wikipedia).

“Adobe and earthquakes are a perverse and tragic combination”
 “The people on the street are killed by the walls that fall out, the people inside are killed by the roof that falls in”  says Mr Marcia Blondet (A Peruvian engineer). (BBC).

Day_102 : World Disaster Chronology 1977

The chronology will be improved little by little. This is the first draft version. The information source will be shown later. In addition, other some events will be explained.

Date Place Disaster Type Situations
1977.01- US East Cold wave The dead and missing number is 75
1977.01- Bolivia, East Heavy Rain, Flood The dead and missing number is 100
1977.01- Africa, East (Democratic Republic of the Congo and close to Rwanda) Volcano Disaster Mount Nyiragongo eruption. The dead and missing number is over 2,000. Lava flows and volcanic gases make the disaster worse.
1977.02- Mozambique Heavy Rain, Flood The dead and missing number is 250
1977.03.04 Romania , Central East Inland Earthquake 1977 Vrancea earthquake * 　M7.5 : The dead and missing number is 1,400-1,600（Mainly in  Bucharest)
1977.03 Iran, South Coastal Earthquake Khurgu(north Bandar Abbas, Iran) earthquake The killed and missing number is 170.
1977.04.01 Bangladesh Tornado The dead and missing number is over 600
1977.04.06 Iran Inland Earthquake M(not confirmed) The dead and missing is 500
1977 Haiti Heat wave The dead and missing number is over 300
1977.06- Oman Typhoon, Flood The dead and missing is 110.
1977.07- South Korea Heavy Rain, Flood The dead and missing number is 200. Seoul city has a huge damage.
1977.07- US East Heavy Rain, Flood The dead and missing number is 100. Pennsylvania state.
1977.08.19 Indonesia, South(Sumbawa) Submarine Earthquake Sumbawa Earthquake : M7.9-8..3 The dead and missing is 180. A big Tsunami
1977.11- India Typhoon, Flood The dead and missing number is 10,000-20,000
1977.12.20 Iran Inland Earthquake M(not confirmed)The dead and missing number is over 500

*1977  Vrancea earthquake. The dead and missing number is not clear.
Communist ruler Nicolae Ceaușescu suspended his official visit to Nigeria and declared state of emergency (Wikipedia).  This case also shows the death toll tells.
http://disasters.weblike.jp/disasters/archives/3020

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Day_97 : World Disaster Chronology 1976 (2)

 

Date Place Disaster Type Situations
1976.08.17 The Phillipines, South
（Mindanao）		 Submarine earthquake 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake and tsunami*: M7.8-8.1,A dead and missing number is 4,000-8,000
1976.09- Japan Typhoon 1976 Typhoon No.17 Flood (Nagara river flood）
A dead and missing number is 169, Injured 400
1976.10.28- Japan, North-eastern Strong wind Sakata conflagration: A death and missing 2, Injured over 900
1976.10.29 Indonesia, East （Irian Jaya） Inland earthquake M7.2, A death and missing number is 100-6,000（not confirmed）,landslide
976.11.24 Turkey and Iran border Inland earthquake  1976 Çaldıran–Muradiye earthquake**: M7.2-7.6, A death and missing number is 3,600-10,000
1976.12- Japan Snow  A death and missing number is 84, Injured over300, damage loss 40 billion yen

1976 Moro Gulf earthquake and tsunami*
The worst tsunami disaster in the Philippines.1) It happened while most people were sleeping.
2) No warning after the earthquake.

1976 Çaldıran–Muradiye earthquake**
The almost all houses were destroyed because of the structure constructed of thick walls made from rubble masonry cemented with mud mortar.

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Day_95 : World Disaster Chronology 1976 (1)

Date Place Disaster Type Situations
1976.01- A northern part of the Philippines Heavy rain, Floods The death and missing number is over250, mainly Luzon island.
1976.01- Japan Disease Influenza, Over 1.8 million are affected, over 500 are dead (not confirmed).
1976.02- US and UK Disease Over 800 are dead. Influenza (not confirmed)
1976.02.04 Guatemala Inland earthquake Guatemala earthquake M7.5: A dead and missing number is 22,900, A major active fault line (over 200km) was found
1976.04.10 Bangladesh Tornado  The dead and missing number is 200
1976.05.06 A north-eastern part of Italy Inland earthquake Friuli earthquake M6.5: A dead and missing number is 900-1,250
1976.06- US Heavy rain, Floods The dead and missing number is 140
1976.06- Japan North-Eastern Part Cold weather damage The total loss is over 400 billion yen
1976.06.26 Indonesia, East（Irian Jaya） Inland earthquake M6.9-7.1, A dead and missing number is 5,000-9,000 (not confirmed), Many landslides occurred
1976.07-10 Mexico Hurricane, Floods Hurricane Liza*, The dead and missing number is 200
1976.07.14 Indonesia, South (Bali) Inland earthquake M6.5 (not confirmed), The dead and missing number is 560
1976.08- US West Heavy rain, Floods A dead and missing number is 60. Mainly in Colorado.
1976.08.28 China Hebei Province Inland earthquake Tangshan earthquake**, M7.3-7.8, The dead and missing number is 242,000-655,000 (750,000 not confirmed) 

* Hurricane Riza hit Mexico. The story will be discussed later.

**Remarks for disaster statistics and international assistance should be made about the Tangshan earthquake. First, the death toll is unclear because of china’s political climate. The earthquake occurred during the late stages of the Cultural Revolution. This makes difficult to have accurate statistical data. The earthquake contributed to the end of the Cultural Revolution. Second, the Chinese government refused to accept international aid from the United Nations and insisted on self-reliance. This influenced disaster exacerbation. One of the worst natural disasters in the world.

Day_94 : Relocations or Rebuildings (1) (Tentative)

The communities in the Sanriku ria coast have been affected by tsunamis for a long time. After huge tsunami disasters, they have had always faced the difficulty to make a decision, relocations or rebuildings.
The below Figure 1 is the major tsunamis in the Sanriku ria coast.
sanriku tsunami history
Figure 1 Tsunami disasters in Sanriku ria coast (Cabinet office of Japan)
The Meiji sanriku tsunami in 1896 was the worst tsunami disaster ever in Japanese recorded history. The Showa sanriku tsunami in 1933 occurred in the midnight, however, they evacuated well because of the Meiji’s experience. As mentioned before, they always needed to choose relocations or rebuildings with the consideration of their resources after the tsunami disasters.
The decisions of each community can be seen in Table 1 (Tentative).
Table 1 Relocations or Rebuilding History of Communities after the Tsunami Disasters(Tentative Table: very rough translation, sorry. Will change soon)
                                                                                                      Ref. ( Nakasu,Tanaka, Miyake, 2011)
relocations2
Some communities relocated to higher grounds after the tsunamis, however, they tended to go back to the original places because of their daily life’s convenience. They are mostly fishermen or making their living by the sea. We can imagine how difficult for them to live in the ground, far from the sea.
To be continued.