Annual disaster statistical review 2015: The numbers and trends

Author(s)
Guha-sapir, D., Hoyois, P. and Below, R.
Pages
59pp
Date published
01 Oct 2016
Type
Research, reports and studies
Keywords
Disaster preparedness, resilience and risk reduction, Disaster risk reduction
Organisations
Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters

In 2015, 376 natural triggered disasters were registered. After the lowest number since the beginning of the century in 2014 (330), this increase could be a sign of a reversal in the trend to decline in the annual number of disasters since 2005, even if the 2015 number remains below its average annual for the period 2005-2014 (380). Last year natural disasters made still 22,765 deaths, a number largely below the annual average for years 2005-2014 (76,416), and made 110.3 million victims worldwide, also below the 2005-2014 annual average (199.2 million) (see Figure 1). Like the other indicators, with estimates placing economic damages at US$ 70.3 billion, natural disasters costs were, in 2015, significantly below their decennial average of US $ 159.7 billion.