Disaster in History
Explore 561 historical moments related to disaster — from pivotal breakthroughs to world-changing events.
📅 20th Century(205)
RMS Titanic sinks
The RMS Titanic sinks in the North Atlantic Ocean after colliding with an iceberg, killing over 1,500 passengers and crew.
Great Molasses Flood strikes Boston
A massive storage tank bursts in Boston's North End, sending a deadly wave of molasses through city streets.
Wall Street Crash
The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as Black Thursday, occurs. This stock market crash marked the beginning of a prolonged economic downturn worldwide.
Wall Street Crash of 1929
The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as Black Tuesday, marked the beginning of a major stock market decline.
Black Tuesday: Wall Street Crash begins
The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as Black Tuesday, marked the beginning of a major economic downturn that led to the Great Depression.
USS Squalus sinks
The U.S. Navy submarine Squalus sank off the coast of New Hampshire during testing, resulting in the deaths of 26 crew members.
Star Dust crash
The BSAA airliner Star Dust crashed into Mount Tupungato in the Argentine Andes, with its wreckage undiscovered until 1998.
Woodbridge train derailment
A train derailed while crossing a temporary wooden trestle in Woodbridge, New Jersey, resulting in 85 fatalities. This was a devastating transportation disaster.
Knowsley Hall Shootings
A footman shot and killed two colleagues and wounded the lady of the house at Knowsley Hall, England.
Great Smog of London begins
The "Great Smog of London" began and lasted for five days. It caused 12,000 deaths and led to the Clean Air Act 1956.
Circus Wagons Overturn in Dungannon
A convoy of circus wagons carrying animals lost control and overturned into shop fronts in Dungannon, Northern Ireland.
Meteorite Injury in Sylacauga, Alabama
A meteorite crashed through a roof in Sylacauga, Alabama, and hit a sleeping woman. This was the first verified case of a human being injured by an extraterrestrial object.
Hurricane Diane Forms
Hurricane Diane, the first Atlantic hurricane to cause more than $1 billion in damages, formed between the Lesser Antilles and Cape Verde.
Andreanof Islands earthquake strikes Hawaii
The Andreanof Islands earthquake struck Hawaii and the Aleutian Islands, causing significant damage and a destructive tsunami.
Munich air disaster
The aircraft carrying the Manchester United football team crashed while attempting to take off from Munich-Riem Airport. The disaster tragically killed 8 players and 23 people in total.
National Airlines Flight 2511 bombing
National Airlines Flight 2511, traveling from New York City to Miami, exploded in mid-air due to a bomb placed by an unknown party. All 34 people on board were killed.
Agadir earthquake devastates Morocco
A powerful earthquake strikes Agadir, Morocco, killing thousands and destroying much of the city.
Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 1-11 crash
Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 1-11 ditched off Polillo Island in the Philippines, killing one person and injuring 44.
MV Dara Explosion
A large explosion on board the MV Dara in the Persian Gulf killed 238 people.
Dag Hammarskjöld dies in plane crash
On September 18, 1961, an aircraft crashed near Ndola in Northern Rhodesia, killing 16 people, including United Nations secretary-general Dag Hammarskjöld. The crash remains a subject of investigation.
Aeroflot Flight 213 crash
Aeroflot Flight 213 crashed into a mountain near Chersky Airport on September 18, 1962, resulting in the deaths of 32 people. The cause of the crash was attributed to pilot error.
Country Music Stars Die in Plane Crash
American country-music performers Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, and Hawkshaw Hawkins were killed when their plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Camden, Tennessee.
USS Thresher sinks
The U.S. Navy nuclear submarine USS Thresher (SSN-593) sank with all hands lost during deep-diving tests in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 10, 1963.
Eastern Air Lines Flight 663 crash
Eastern Air Lines Flight 663 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after taking evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision. All 84 people on board were killed.
Pakistan International Airlines Flight 705 crash
Pakistan International Airlines Flight 705 crashed while attempting to land at Cairo International Airport, killing all but six of the 121 people on board.
Aberfan Disaster
A coal tip fell on the village of Aberfan, Wales, killing 144 people, mostly schoolchildren.
BOAC Flight 911 Crashes Near Mount Fuji
BOAC Flight 911 disintegrated and crashed near Mount Fuji shortly after departure from Tokyo International Airport. All 113 passengers and 11 crew members were killed.
Heron Road Bridge collapse
The Heron Road Bridge in Ottawa, Canada, collapsed during its construction, killing nine workers.
BOAC Flight 712 Engine Fire
BOAC Flight 712 experienced an engine fire shortly after take-off from London Heathrow, leading to the deaths of five people on board.
Curaçao Uprising
A demonstration by workers and activists on the Caribbean island of Curaçao escalated into a violent uprising, destroying much of Willemstad.
Collision Between HMAS Melbourne and USS Frank E. Evans
During a SEATO exercise, the HMAS Melbourne collided with the USS Frank E. Evans in the South China Sea. The USS Frank E. Evans was cut in two, resulting in the deaths of 74 personnel.
Jochen Rindt killed during Italian Grand Prix practice
During the practice session of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza Circuit, Jochen Rindt was killed. He subsequently became motor racing's only posthumous world champion.
Hughes Airwest Flight 706 collision
Hughes Airwest Flight 706 collided with a US Marine Corps jet near Duarte, California, killing 50 people.
Soyuz 11 disaster
The Soyuz 11 spacecraft experienced uncontrolled decompression during reentry, killing three Soviet cosmonauts—the only human deaths to have occurred in space.
Loddon Bridge construction collapse
Three people were killed when falsework collapsed during the construction of the Loddon Bridge. The disaster led to reforms in UK construction practices.
Invicta International Airlines Flight 435 crash
In the deadliest aviation accident in Swiss history, Invicta International Airlines Flight 435 crashed near Hochwald, killing 108 people on April 10, 1973.
Tupolev Tu-144 Crash at Paris Air Show
During the Paris Air Show, a Tupolev Tu-144 aircraft broke up in mid-air. The crash resulted in the deaths of all six crew members and eight bystanders.
Summerland disaster
A flash fire killed 50 people at the Summerland leisure centre on the Isle of Man.
Typhoon Nora dissipates
Typhoon Nora, the fourth-most intense tropical cyclone on record, dissipated after killing 40 people and leaving more than a million homeless across Taiwan and the Philippines.
Dublin and Monaghan Bombings
The Ulster Volunteer Force detonated car bombs in Dublin and Monaghan, Ireland, killing 34 people and injuring almost 300 others.
Two Boeing 727 Crashes
Two Boeing 727 aircraft, TWA Flight 514 and Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 6231, crashed in unrelated incidents in the eastern United States. A total of 95 people were killed on board both aircraft.
Operation Babylift Plane Crash
During the Vietnam War, a U.S. Air Force plane crash-landed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base while evacuating children from South Vietnam. The crash killed 78 children and 60 other people.
Plane Crash Near Agadir, Morocco
A privately chartered Boeing 707 crashed near Agadir, Morocco, killing 188 people.
Spaghetti House Siege
An attempted robbery at the Spaghetti House restaurant in London escalated into a six-day hostage crisis.
Operation Entebbe
Israeli forces raided Entebbe International Airport in Uganda to free hostages from Air France Flight 139, taken by hijackers.
Explosion at ammunition factory in Finland
Forty people died in an explosion at an ammunition factory in Lapua, Finland.
Earthquake in eastern Turkey
A magnitude-7.3 earthquake struck eastern Turkey on November 24, 1976, destroying 80% of buildings and causing at least 4,000 casualties.
Last natural smallpox infection
Somali hospital cook Ali Maow Maalin began displaying symptoms of smallpox on October 26, 1977. He became the last person known to be naturally infected by the disease.
Washington D.C. Hostage Standoff
Twelve gunmen seized three buildings in Washington, D.C., taking 149 hostages. The standoff lasted 39 hours and ended with two deaths.
Golden Dragon massacre
The Golden Dragon massacre occurred in Chinatown, San Francisco, resulting in five deaths and prompting police action against gang violence.
Kelly Barnes Dam Collapse
The Kelly Barnes Dam in Stephens County, Georgia, collapsed, causing a flood that killed 39 people and resulted in US$2.8 million in damages.
Kosmos 954 reentry
The Soviet nuclear-powered satellite Kosmos 954 burned up during atmospheric reentry, scattering radioactive debris across Canada's Northwest Territories.
Yuba County Five
Five men disappeared after attending a college basketball game in Chico, California. The bodies of four of them were discovered months later.
Typhoon Tip
Typhoon Tip, the largest and most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded, reached a worldwide record-low sea-level pressure. It occurred in the western Pacific Ocean.
Varig Flight 967 disappears
Varig Flight 967 disappeared shortly after takeoff from Tokyo's Narita International Airport. The flight was en route to Rio de Janeiro.
Penmanshiel Tunnel collapse
The Penmanshiel Tunnel in Scotland collapsed during construction, killing two workers and leading to its abandonment.
Aeroflot Mid-Air Collision
Two Aeroflot passenger jets collided in mid-air near Dniprodzerzhynsk, killing all 178 people on board.
Air New Zealand Flight 901 Crash
Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashed into Mount Erebus in Antarctica on November 28, 1979, killing all 257 people on board.
Tumaco earthquake and tsunami
A magnitude-8.2 earthquake struck just off the shore of Tumaco, Colombia, causing at least 300 deaths, mostly by the resulting tsunami.
Sunshine Skyway Bridge collapse
Part of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida collapsed after being struck by the MV Summit Venture. The disaster resulted in the deaths of 35 people.
Sumpul River massacre
During the Salvadoran Civil War, refugees fleeing across the Sumpul River were attacked by Salvadoran and Honduran forces, resulting in at least 300 deaths.
Harvey's Resort Hotel Bombing
A bomb was planted at Harvey's Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada, which the FBI later described as the most complex improvised explosive device ever created.
MGM Grand Hotel Fire
A fire broke out at the MGM Grand Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, killing 85 people and injuring 650 others.
Irpinia earthquake in Italy
An earthquake struck the Irpinia region of Italy, killing at least 2,483 people, injuring more than 7,700 and leaving 250,000 homeless.
Jaffna Library Burning
An organized mob of police and government-sponsored Sinhalese paramilitary forces began three days of attacks that led to the burning of the Jaffna Library in Sri Lanka.
Al-Dawa suicide bombing in Beirut
The Iraqi Shia Islamist group al-Dawa carried out one of the first modern suicide bombings, targeting the Iraqi embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. The attack resulted in 61 deaths and at least 100 injuries.
Iranian Diplomats Kidnapped in Lebanon
Four Iranian diplomats were kidnapped in northern Lebanon by Lebanese Phalange forces. Their fates remain unknown.
Harrods bombing in London
The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated a car bomb outside Harrods department store. The attack killed six people and injured about 90 others.
Ash Wednesday bushfires
The Ash Wednesday bushfires devastated large areas of South Australia and Victoria, resulting in 75 deaths and 2,676 injuries.
West Bank Poison Gas Accusations
Palestinian girls in the West Bank reported breathing difficulties and strange odors, leading to accusations of poison gas attacks.
Air Canada Flight 797 fire
After an emergency landing due to an in-flight fire, 23 passengers aboard Air Canada Flight 797 were killed when a flashover occurred as the aircraft's doors opened.
North Korean Jet Crash
A North Korean Ilyushin Il-62M jet crashed into the Fouta Djallon mountains in Guinea, killing all 23 people on board.
Hurricane Alicia makes landfall in Texas
Hurricane Alicia made landfall near Galveston, Texas, causing $3 billion in damage and 21 fatalities.
Typhoon Ellen Dissipates
Typhoon Ellen dissipated after causing widespread destruction, destroying hundreds of homes across Hong Kong and the Philippines.
Assassination Attempt on Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams, the leader of Sinn Féin, was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt. The attack was carried out by Ulster Freedom Fighters in central Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Tropical Storm Domoina
Tropical Storm Domoina made landfall in southern Mozambique, causing some of the most severe flooding recorded in the region.
Rajneesh movement bioterror attack
Followers of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh deliberately infected people in The Dalles, Oregon, with Salmonella. This was the first and largest bioterrorist attack in United States history.
Aeroflot Flight 3519 Crash
An engine fire caused Aeroflot Flight 3519 to crash shortly after takeoff from Krasnoyarsk, USSR, killing all but one of the 111 people on board.
Japan Air Lines Flight 123 Crash
Japan Air Lines Flight 123 crashed into Mount Takamagahara on August 12, 1985, killing 520 of the 524 people on board, including singer Kyu Sakamoto. This remains the world's worst single-aircraft aviation disaster.
British Airtours Flight 28M fire
A fire broke out on British Airtours Flight 28M at Manchester Airport, causing 55 deaths and leading to improved aircraft evacuation procedures.
Hurricane Elena Makes Landfall
Hurricane Elena, an unpredictable and damaging tropical cyclone, made landfall near Biloxi, Mississippi, as a Category 3 major hurricane.
Mexico City earthquake
An earthquake registering Mw 8.0 struck Mexico City, causing at least 9,000 deaths and leaving up to 100,000 homeless.
Nevado del Ruiz eruption
The volcano Nevado del Ruiz erupted, causing a volcanic mudslide that buried the town of Armero, Colombia, killing approximately 23,000 people.
Aeroflot Flight 101/435 hijacked
Aeroflot Flight 101/435 was hijacked by its co-pilot; it landed in a cow pasture in China, where he was apprehended.
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl nuclear power plant suffered a catastrophic accident, leading to widespread radioactive contamination and long-term health and environmental consequences.
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
The Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds into its tenth mission, killing all seven crew members.
Caribbean floods
A stationary front over the central Caribbean Sea caused severe floods, resulting in dozens of deaths across Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica over two weeks.
Typhoon Wayne
Typhoon Wayne formed over the South China Sea, becoming one of the longest-lived tropical cyclones in the north-western Pacific, lasting 21 days.
Lake Nyos limnic eruption
A limnic eruption of Lake Nyos in Cameroon released a cloud of carbon dioxide, suffocating 1,746 people and 3,500 livestock.
Aeroflot Flight 6502 Crash
Aeroflot Flight 6502 crashed while approaching Kurumoch Airport in Samara, Russia, killing all 70 people on board.
MV Amazon Venture oil spill
The MV Amazon Venture oil tanker began leaking while at the port of Savannah. This resulted in an oil spill of approximately 500,000 US gallons.
Montreal flood of 1987
More than 100 mm of rain fell in a two-and-a-half-hour period in parts of Montreal, causing severe flooding.
Herald of Free Enterprise Capsizing
The ferry Herald of Free Enterprise capsized while leaving the harbor of Zeebrugge, Belgium, resulting in the deaths of 193 people.
Enniskillen Bombing
A Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb exploded during a Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. The attack killed 12 people and injured 63 others.
South African Airways Flight 295 Crash
South African Airways Flight 295 crashed into the Indian Ocean on November 28, 1987, after an in-flight fire, killing all 159 people on board.
Korean Air Flight 858 bombing
A time bomb planted by North Korean agents on Korean Air Flight 858 detonated over the Andaman Sea, killing all 115 people on board.
MV Doña Paz disaster
The MV Doña Paz sank after colliding with an oil tanker in the Philippines on December 20, 1987. This resulted in an estimated 4,385 deaths, making it the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in history.
Earthquake strikes Spitak, Armenia
A 6.8 Ms earthquake struck the Spitak region of Armenia, killing at least 25,000 people. The devastating event occurred on December 7, 1988.
Sumgait pogrom
The Armenian community of Sumgait in Azerbaijan was the target of a violent pogrom.
Halabja Chemical Attack
On March 16, 1988, Iraqi forces attacked the Kurdish town of Halabja with chemical weapons, killing up to 5,000 people during the Iran–Iraq War.
Aloha Airlines Flight 243 Incident
Aloha Airlines Flight 243 experienced explosive decompression while in flight between Hilo and Honolulu, Hawaii. A flight attendant was ejected from the aircraft, resulting in one fatality.
Iran Air Flight 655 Shot Down
The US Navy warship Vincennes shot down Iran Air Flight 655 over the Persian Gulf, resulting in the deaths of all 290 people on board.
Hurricane Gilbert reaches record intensity
Hurricane Gilbert reached a minimum pressure of 888 mb with sustained flight-level winds of 185 mph. This made it the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record at the time.
Yunnan Earthquakes
Two earthquakes struck Yunnan near the China–Myanmar border, killing more than 730 people.
Clapham Junction rail crash
Three trains collided near Clapham Junction railway station in London, killing 35 people and injuring 484 others.
Hillsborough disaster unfolds in Sheffield
A crowd crush at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield leads to one of the deadliest disasters in British sporting history.
Hillsborough Disaster
The Hillsborough disaster, a human crush that caused 97 deaths, occurred during an FA Cup match in Sheffield.
Deadliest Tornado in History
On April 26, 1989, a tornado struck the Manikganj District of Bangladesh, killing an estimated 1,300 people and becoming the deadliest tornado in history.
United Airlines Flight 811
United Airlines Flight 811 experienced uncontrolled decompression after leaving Honolulu, blowing seats out of the aircraft and killing nine passengers.
USS Iowa Gun Turret Explosion
A gun turret exploded on board the United States Navy battleship Iowa, killing 47 sailors.
Tropical Storm Cecil
Tropical Storm Cecil dissipated over Laos after devastating Quảng Nam province, Vietnam, and causing the deaths of 751 people.
Jiang Zemin appointed General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party
Following the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, the 13th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party appointed Jiang Zemin as general secretary. He replaced Zhao Ziyang.
Atlanta building fire
A building fire in Atlanta killed five people.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad Bus Attack
A Palestinian Islamic Jihad member hijacked a bus and forced it into a ravine near Kiryat Ye'arim, Israel, in a suicide attack.
Marchioness disaster
The pleasure boat Marchioness sank on the River Thames in London after colliding with the dredger Bowbelle. Fifty-one people lost their lives in the incident.
TAN-SAHSA Flight 414 crash
TAN-SAHSA Flight 414 crashed while approaching Toncontín International Airport. 131 out of the 146 people on board perished.
Montreal Massacre
Marc Lépine, claiming to be "fighting feminism", killed fourteen women before committing suicide at the École Polytechnique in Montreal, Canada. The massacre took place on December 6, 1989.
Strangeways Prison riot begins
The longest prison riot in British history began at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, lasting for 25 days.
Taiwanese Deportation Incident
The Taiwanese military ordered the deportation of dozens of illegal immigrants from mainland China in sealed boat holds, causing 25 deaths due to suffocation.
Stevie Ray Vaughan Helicopter Crash
American musician Stevie Ray Vaughan, a highly influential blues guitarist, died in a helicopter crash. He was known for his role in the 1980s blues revival.
Guangzhou airport plane collision
A hijacked airliner collided with two other planes while attempting to land at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in China, killing 128 and injuring 71.
Italian Air Force Jet Crashes into School
An Italian Air Force military jet crashed into a high school near Bologna, killing 12 students and injuring 88 others. The crash occurred on December 6, 1990, after the pilot abandoned the aircraft due to an on-board fire.
Jaycee Dugard kidnapping
Eleven-year-old Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped in South Lake Tahoe, California, and remained a captive until 2009.
Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 crash
Shortly after taking off from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 caught fire and crashed, killing all 261 people on board.
Deadly fire at North Carolina chicken plant
A fire killed 25 people locked inside a burning chicken processing plant in Hamlet, North Carolina. The incident highlighted workplace safety issues.
Killeen, Texas shooting
A man drove his vehicle through the window of a Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas, and opened fire, killing 23 people before fatally shooting himself.
Uttarakhand Earthquake
An earthquake struck the Indian state of Uttarakhand, resulting in at least 768 fatalities and the destruction of thousands of homes.
Hurricane Iniki Strikes Hawaii
Hurricane Iniki, the most powerful hurricane on record to strike the Hawaiian Islands, passed directly over the island of Kauai, killing six people and causing around US$1.8 billion dollars in damage.
Cairo earthquake
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 or 5.9 struck south of Cairo, Egypt. The disaster killed 545 people.
Westray Mine disaster
An underground methane explosion at the Westray Mine in Nova Scotia killed all 26 coal miners working at the time. The disaster occurred in Plymouth.
Hurricane Andrew makes landfall in Florida
Hurricane Andrew, the third-most intense Category 5 cyclone to impact the United States in the 20th century, made landfall in southern Florida.
Nicaragua Earthquake
An earthquake registering 7.7 Mw off the coast of Nicaragua became the first tsunami earthquake to be captured on modern broadband seismic networks.
Yoshihiro Hattori shooting
Yoshihiro Hattori, a Japanese exchange student, was shot and killed by a homeowner after going to the wrong house for a Halloween party.
Vietnam Airlines Flight 474 Crash
In poor conditions caused by Cyclone Forrest, Vietnam Airlines Flight 474 crashed near Nha Trang, killing 30 people.
Babri Masjid Demolished
The Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, India, was demolished by Hindu Kar Sevaks. The demolition occurred on December 6, 1992, as the demolitionists believed the mosque was built on the birthplace of the Hindu deity Rama.
Warrington bombings
Two children were killed by the second of two Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb attacks in Warrington, England, on March 20, 1993.
Braer Storm reaches peak intensity
The Braer Storm, the strongest extratropical cyclone ever recorded in the North Atlantic, reached its peak intensity.
Bishopsgate bombing
The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated a truck bomb in London's financial district, causing significant damage and one fatality. The cost of repairs was estimated at £350 million.
Asiana Airlines Flight 733 crashes
Asiana Airlines Flight 733 crashed into a mountain during a failed landing attempt at Mokpo Airport, South Korea. The accident resulted in the deaths of 68 people on board.
Mobile, Alabama train derailment
A tugboat collision with a rail bridge in Mobile, Alabama, caused a passenger train derailment, killing 47 and injuring 103.
Halloween party attack in Northern Ireland
During The Troubles, three members of the Ulster Defence Association opened fire in a crowded pub during a Halloween party on October 30, 1993. Eight people were killed and nineteen others were wounded.
Seongsu Bridge Collapse
In Seoul, South Korea, a span of the Seongsu Bridge collapsed, killing 32 people and injuring 17 others.
China Airlines Flight 140 Crash
On April 26, 1994, China Airlines Flight 140 crashed while landing at Nagoya Airport, Japan, killing 264 people due to a copilot error.
Hebron massacre
Israeli physician Baruch Goldstein opened fire on Palestinian Muslims praying at the Cave of the Patriarchs, killing 29 and wounding 125.
FedEx Flight 705 Hijacking Attempt
A FedEx employee tried to hijack Federal Express Flight 705 in a failed suicide attempt.
Bombing at Imam Reza Shrine
A bomb explosion in the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Iran, left at least 25 dead and more than 70 injured.
USAir Flight 427 crashes
USAir Flight 427 crashed on approach to Pittsburgh International Airport on September 8, 1994, resulting in 132 deaths. This led to the longest accident investigation in NTSB history.
Order of the Solar Temple mass murder-suicide
Swiss police discovered the bodies of 48 members of the Order of the Solar Temple. The victims had died in a cult mass murder-suicide.
Lightning strike causes flood in Egypt
A lightning strike ruptured three oil tanks near Dronka, Egypt, causing a flood that killed 469 people.
Selena Murdered
American singer-songwriter Selena, known as the "queen of Tejano music", was murdered by the president of her fan club. Her death deeply affected the Latino community.
Oklahoma City Bombing
A truck bombing destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people and injuring more than 680 others.
Western Greece earthquake
Western Greece was struck by an earthquake registering 6.4–6.5 Mw that killed 26 people.
Sri Lanka Air Force bombs Navaly church
During the Sri Lankan civil war, the Sri Lanka Air Force bombed a church in Navaly, killing at least 147 people after advising civilians to seek shelter there.
Hurricane Ismael
Hurricane Ismael formed off the southwest coast of Mexico; it went on to kill over a hundred people in the country.
American Airlines Flight 965 crashes in Colombia
American Airlines Flight 965 crashed into a mountain in Buga, Colombia, on December 20, 1995. 159 of the 163 people on board were killed.
Faucett Flight 251 Crash
In the deadliest aviation accident in Peruvian history, Faucett Flight 251 crashed on approach to Rodríguez Ballón International Airport. All 123 people aboard were killed.
Rhode Island oil spill
A tank barge and a tug grounded on a beach in Rhode Island, causing a spill of an estimated 828,000 U.S. gallons of home heating oil.
Silver Spring train collision
Eleven people died in a train collision in Silver Spring, Maryland, leading to new federal rules for passenger car design.
New Guinea Trench Earthquake and Tsunami
An 8.2 magnitude earthquake occurred in the New Guinea Trench on February 17, 1996, generating a tsunami that killed 108 people.
Quezon City Nightclub Fire
The deadliest fire in Philippine history occurred at a nightclub in Quezon City, causing 162 fatalities.
Manchester bombing
The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated a truck bomb in Manchester, England, injuring more than 200 people and causing widespread damage.
TWA Flight 800 explodes
TWA Flight 800 exploded in mid-air and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York.
Vnukovo Airlines Flight 2801 crash
Vnukovo Airlines Flight 2801 crashed on approach to Svalbard Airport, Norway. All 141 people on board were killed.
Mid-air collision near New Delhi
A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 and a Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76 collided in mid-air near New Delhi. The crash killed 349 people, making it the deadliest such collision in history.
Heaven's Gate Cult Suicide
Police discovered the bodies of 39 members of the Heaven's Gate religious group in Rancho Santa Fe, California. The deaths were ruled an apparent cult suicide.
Korean Air Flight 801 crash
Korean Air Flight 801 crashed into a hill on approach to Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport in Guam, killing 228 of the 254 people aboard on August 6, 1997.
Qayen Earthquake
An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 Mw struck near Qaen, Iran, on May 10, 1997, resulting in at least 1,567 deaths and leaving approximately 50,000 people homeless.
Tragedy of Otranto
The Italian Navy vessel Sibilla collided with the Albanian civilian vessel Kateri i Radës, causing it to sink and resulting in dozens of deaths.
Jarrell tornado
A destructive F5-rated tornado tracked through a subdivision of homes northwest of Jarrell, Texas, killing 27 people.
Death of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales, her partner Dodi Fayed, and their driver were killed in a car crash in Paris.
Hurricane Erika dissipates
Hurricane Erika, the strongest and longest-lasting hurricane of the 1997 Atlantic hurricane season, dissipated on September 20, 1997, after causing flooding and power outages throughout Puerto Rico.
Tropical Storm Linda makes landfall in Vietnam
Tropical Storm Linda made landfall in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, causing more than 3,000 deaths.
Luxor massacre
Sixty-two people were killed by Islamist terrorists outside the temple in Luxor, Egypt, one of the country's top tourist attractions.
UK bans beef on the bone
Amid an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the British government banned the sale of beef on the bone for human consumption.
Pokémon episode causes seizures
"Dennō Senshi Porygon", an episode of the Japanese television series Pokémon, induced epileptic seizures in 685 children.
SilkAir Flight 185 crashes
SilkAir Flight 185 crashed into the Musi River in Indonesia, killing 104 people.
Afghanistan earthquake
An earthquake registering 5.9 MW struck northern Afghanistan, triggering landslides that killed over 2,300 people and destroyed around 15,000 homes.
China Airlines Flight 676 crash
China Airlines Flight 676 crashed due to autopilot over-reliance while approaching Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, killing all 202 people on board.
Afghanistan Earthquake
A magnitude-6.5 earthquake struck northern Afghanistan, killing at least 4,000 people and destroying over 30 villages.
Omagh Bombing
A car bomb attack carried out by the Real Irish Republican Army killed 29 people and injured approximately 220 others in Omagh, Northern Ireland.
Chamoli Earthquake
A powerful earthquake struck the foothills of the Himalayas, killing at least 100 people.
New Carissa oil spill
The Philippine-flagged freighter New Carissa ran aground near Coos Bay, Oregon, causing one of the worst oil spills in the state's history.
Sydney Hailstorm
A severe hailstorm dropped approximately 500,000 tonnes of hailstones on Sydney and the east coast of New South Wales, causing significant damage.
Columbine High School massacre
Students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold carried out a massacre at Columbine High School, resulting in 13 deaths before they committed suicide.
Taber School Shooting
A 14-year-old former student opened fire at his high school in Taber, Alberta, Canada. This event resulted in one student fatality and marked Canada's first fatal school shooting in over two decades.
Fastest Winds Recorded
The fastest winds on Earth were measured at 143.6 m/s (321 mph) in a tornado near Bridge Creek, Oklahoma.
American Airlines Flight 1420 crashes
On landing at Little Rock National Airport, American Airlines Flight 1420 overran the runway and crashed, resulting in 11 deaths.
Salt Lake City Tornado
A tornado struck downtown Salt Lake City, damaging 120 homes and injuring over 100 people.
Second earthquake strikes Athens
Three weeks after a major earthquake in Turkey, a second earthquake struck Athens. This led to "earthquake diplomacy" between Greece and Turkey.
Jiji earthquake
A 7.7 Mw earthquake struck Jiji, Taiwan, killing 2,415 people and injuring more than 11,000 others. The earthquake caused about NT$300 billion (US$10 billion) in damage across the island.
Ladbroke Grove rail crash
Two trains collided head-on in Ladbroke Grove, London, killing 31 people and injuring 417. The incident severely damaged public confidence in the management and regulation of safety on Britain's privatised railway system.
Odisha Cyclone
About 10,000 people died when the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the North Indian Ocean made landfall in Odisha, India.
EgyptAir Flight 990 Crash
All 217 people on board EgyptAir Flight 990 perished when the aircraft crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Texas A&M Bonfire collapse
Texas A&M University's annual Aggie Bonfire collapsed, killing 12 people and injuring 27 others. The university declared a hiatus on the 90-year-old event.
Vargas tragedy
Torrential rains caused flash floods in the Venezuelan state of Vargas, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and the destruction of thousands of homes.
Indian Airlines Flight 814 Hijacking
Jihadists linked to al-Qaeda hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 to force the release of Islamist figures held in prison in India.
Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean
Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Ivory Coast shortly after takeoff. 169 people were killed in the disaster.
Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash
Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California due to a malfunctioning horizontal stabilizer, killing all 88 people on board.
Enschede fireworks disaster
An explosion at a fireworks factory in Enschede, Netherlands, caused 23 deaths and approximately €450 million in damages.
UEFA Cup Final Riots
Following the killing of two English football fans, British and Turkish hooligans rioted on the day of the UEFA Cup Final in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Air France Flight 4590 crashes
Air France Flight 4590, a Concorde en route from Paris to New York, crashed in Gonesse, France. All 109 passengers and four people on the ground were killed.
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery Reopens
Three years after being hit by a mudslide, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Hong Kong fully reopened. The monastery had been significantly damaged by the natural disaster.
Kursk Submarine Disaster
The Russian Navy submarine Kursk suffered an explosion and sank in the Barents Sea on August 12, 2000, during a military exercise, killing all 118 crew members.
Hatfield rail crash
A fatal rail crash at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, led to widespread speed limit reductions and the collapse of Railtrack.
Singapore Airlines Flight 006 Crash
Singapore Airlines Flight 006 collided with construction equipment while attempting to take off in Taiwan, killing 83 people.
📅 21th Century(356)
September 11 attacks
Terrorists hijack four commercial airplanes, crashing two into the World Trade Center in New York and one into the Pentagon.
El Salvador earthquake
The first of two large earthquakes in the span of a month struck El Salvador, killing at least 944 people and destroying over 100,000 homes.
Gujarat Earthquake
An earthquake in the Indian state of Gujarat killed at least 20,000 people, injured 167,000 others and destroyed nearly 400,000 homes.
Selby rail crash
A high-speed train crash occurred near Selby in North Yorkshire, England, killing 10 and injuring 82.
Shijiazhuang Bombings
A series of bomb blasts in Shijiazhuang, China, on March 16, 2001, resulted in the deaths of 108 people.
Accra stadium disaster
Police fired tear gas to quell unrest at a football match in Accra, Ghana, causing a stampede that killed 126 people. The incident occurred at the Ohene Djan Stadium.
Tropical Storm Allison
Tropical Storm Allison made landfall in Texas, causing approximately $8.5 billion in damage. It was the costliest Atlantic tropical cyclone that never reached hurricane strength.
Aaliyah's Death
On August 25, 2001, American singer Aaliyah and several members of her record company were killed when their overloaded aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff in The Bahamas.
Anthrax mailings begin
On September 18, 2001, five letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to various media outlets in the United States. This marked the beginning of a series of bioterrorism attacks.
Milan Linate Airport disaster
Scandinavian Airlines Flight SK686 collided on take-off with a Cessna Citation II business jet at Linate Airport in Milan, Italy, killing 118 people.
American Airlines Flight 587 crash
American Airlines Flight 587 crashed into residential buildings near New York City, killing all 265 people on board and on the ground.
Shoe Bomb Attempt
On December 22, 2001, Richard Reid unsuccessfully attempted to detonate a bomb hidden in his shoe on a transatlantic flight from Paris to Miami.
Mount Nyiragongo Eruption
Mount Nyiragongo, a volcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, began an eruption that killed hundreds and left about 120,000 people homeless.
Gujarat riots
Violent riots broke out in the Indian state of Gujarat, killing at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, over three days.
Religious violence in Gujarat
During a period of religious violence in Gujarat, India, mobs of Hindus attacked Muslims in Naroda Patiya and in Chamanpura, resulting in 166 deaths.
I-40 Bridge Disaster
Barges being towed destroyed part of a bridge near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, causing vehicles to fall into the Arkansas River. The aftermath was pictured.
Iran earthquake
A magnitude-6.5 earthquake struck northwestern Iran, killing at least 230 people and injuring 1,300 others. The perceived slow response caused public anger.
Überlingen Mid-air Collision
Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 and DHL Flight 611 collided in mid-air over Überlingen, Germany, killing all 71 people aboard both aircraft.
Typhoon Rusa hits South Korea
Typhoon Rusa made landfall in Goheung, South Korea. It was the most powerful typhoon to hit the country in 43 years, killing at least 236 people.
Al-Qaeda bombs oil tanker Limburg
Al-Qaeda bombed the oil tanker Limburg, causing oil to leak into the Gulf of Aden.
Myyrmanni shopping center bombing
A bomb exploded in the Myyrmanni shopping center in Helsinki, Finland, resulting in seven deaths and 159 injuries.
First SARS case recorded
The first case of SARS, a zoonotic respiratory coronavirus disease, was recorded in Guangdong, China, on November 16, 2002.
Prestige oil spill
The Greek oil tanker Prestige split in two and sank off the coast of Galicia, spilling 420 thousand barrels of oil. This event caused the worst environmental disaster in Spanish and Portuguese history.
Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster
All seven crew members aboard Space Shuttle Columbia were killed when the orbiter disintegrated over Texas during reentry.
Toronto gas explosion
A backhoe breached a pipeline in Toronto, Canada, causing a gas explosion that killed seven people.
Chicago balcony collapse
An overloaded balcony collapsed in Chicago, United States, killing 13 people and injuring 57 others.
Sudan Airways Flight 139 Crash
Sudan Airways Flight 139 crashed near Port Sudan Airport during an emergency landing attempt. The crash killed 116 of the 117 people on board.
Typhoon Maemi
Typhoon Maemi, the strongest recorded typhoon to strike South Korea, made landfall near Busan.
Istanbul Bombings
Suicide bombers attacked the British consulate and HSBC Bank in Istanbul on November 20, 2003, killing 31 people. Among the victims were consul general Roger Short and actor Kerem Yılmazer.
Flash Airlines Flight 604 Crash
Flash Airlines Flight 604 crashed shortly after departure from Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, killing all 148 occupants on board.
Morecambe Bay cockle-gatherers drowned
Twenty-one cockle-gatherers drowned in Morecambe Bay, England, due to an incoming tide. This event led to the establishment of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority.
Nicoll Highway MRT station tunnel collapse
An incomplete tunnel leading to the Nicoll Highway MRT station in Singapore collapsed, causing four deaths and necessitating the station's relocation.
Explosion in Ryongchon, North Korea
Flammable cargo exploded at a railway station in Ryongchon, North Korea. At least 54 people were killed and over a thousand injured.
Marvin Heemeyer rampage
In Granby, Colorado, Marvin Heemeyer destroyed several buildings with a modified bulldozer over a zoning dispute before committing suicide.
Supermarket fire in Asunción, Paraguay
Nearly 400 people died in a supermarket fire in Asunción, Paraguay, when exits were locked to prevent people from stealing merchandise.
Hurricane Charley Strikes Florida
Merely 22 hours after Tropical Storm Bonnie struck Florida, Hurricane Charley inflicted further damage to the region.
Hurricane Ivan hits Grenada
Hurricane Ivan made landfall on Grenada, devastating at least 85 percent of the island's buildings. The storm caused widespread destruction.
Ufton Nervet Rail Crash
A man committing suicide by parking his car on railway tracks caused a train derailment in Ufton Nervet, Berkshire, England, killing six passengers.
Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
A major earthquake and tsunami devastated communities around the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries.
Texas City refinery explosion
A fire and explosion at an oil refinery in Texas City killed 15 workers.
United States Grand Prix reduced to six cars
Only six race cars competed in the United States Grand Prix after Michelin-shod entrants withdrew due to safety concerns.
Birmingham tornado
Britain's costliest tornado struck Birmingham, injuring 39 people. It caused £40 million of damage across the city.
Helios Airways Flight 522 Crash
Helios Airways Flight 522 crashed into a mountain north of Marathon, Greece, killing all 121 people on board.
Tornado Outbreak in Ontario
Thunderstorms in southern Ontario, Canada, spawned at least three tornadoes, causing over C$500 million in damage.
Typhoon Longwang makes landfall
Typhoon Longwang made landfall in China as the deadliest tropical cyclone in that year to impact the country.
Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma became the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record with a minimum atmospheric pressure of 882 mbar.
Bellview Airlines Flight 210 crash
Bellview Airlines Flight 210 crashed in Ogun State, Nigeria, killing all 117 people on board.
Slovak Air Force Antonov An-24 Crash
An Antonov An-24 operated by the Slovak Air Force crashed in northern Hungary, killing 42 of the 43 people on board.
Methane explosion in Mexican coal mine
A methane explosion in a coal mine in Nueva Rosita, Mexico, trapped and killed 65 miners.
Seattle Rave Shooting
A gunman entered a Seattle rave afterparty, killing six and wounding two before committing suicide.
Cyclone Mala
Cyclone Mala made landfall near Thandwe, Myanmar, causing 37 deaths. The storm brought significant destruction to the region.
Yogyakarta earthquake
A powerful earthquake struck near Yogyakarta, Indonesia, causing widespread damage and killing over 5,700 people.
Typhoon Ewiniar hits South Korea
Typhoon Ewiniar made landfall in South Korea, causing damages amounting to 2.06 trillion won (US$1.4 billion).
Comair Flight 5191 Crash
Comair Flight 5191 crashed at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49 of the 50 people on board. This event led to modified air traffic control rules.
Typhoon Xangsane
Typhoon Xangsane struck the Philippines and Vietnam, causing over 300 fatalities.
Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907 collision
Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907 collided in mid-air with an Embraer Legacy business jet near Peixoto de Azevedo, Brazil, killing 154 people and triggering a national aviation crisis.
Amish school shooting
A gunman killed five Amish girls before committing suicide in a one-room schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania.
Kiholo Bay Earthquake
An earthquake registering 6.7 Mw occurred off the northwestern coast of the island of Hawaii.
Taiwan earthquake damages cables
Two earthquakes off the southwest coast of Taiwan damaged submarine communications cables, disrupting Internet services in Asia and affecting financial transactions.
MV Senopati Nusantara sinks
The Indonesian ferry MV Senopati Nusantara sank in the Java Sea during a storm, killing at least 400 people.
Adam Air Flight 574 crash
Adam Air Flight 574 crashed into the sea off Polewali, Indonesia, killing all 102 people on board. The crash was attributed to the pilots inadvertently disconnecting the autopilot.
Tiger escapes San Francisco Zoo
A tiger escaped its enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo and attacked three patrons before being shot and killed.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force LED panic
Boston emergency officials mistook LED placards displaying Aqua Teen Hunger Force characters for improvised explosive devices, causing widespread panic.
Zahedan Bombings
The first of several bombings in Zahedan, Iran, killed 18 members of the Revolutionary Guards.
Charlotte Shaw drowns on Dartmoor
Fourteen-year-old English schoolgirl Charlotte Shaw drowned on Dartmoor, becoming the first person to die in connection with the annual Ten Tors challenge.
Virginia Tech shooting
A gunman killed 32 people and wounded over 20 more at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University before committing suicide.
Steel Factory Disaster in China
A disaster at a steel factory in Liaoning, China, on April 18, 2007, resulted in the deaths of 32 workers. A ladle spilled 30 tonnes of molten steel.
Kenya Airways Flight 507 crashes in Cameroon
Kenya Airways Flight 507 crashed immediately after takeoff from Douala International Airport. All 114 people aboard were killed.
Cyclone Gonu develops
Cyclone Gonu develops from an area of convection in the Arabian Sea, later becoming the worst recorded natural disaster in Oman.
Pasha Bulker runs aground
A major storm caused the bulk carrier Pasha Bulker to run aground in New South Wales, Australia.
Chittagong Mudslides
Mudslides caused by heavy monsoon rainfall and exacerbated by hill cutting killed at least 128 people in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Deadly police operation in Rio de Janeiro favelas
A large military and civil police operation in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, stemming from an ongoing conflict between drug dealers and police, resulted in 19 deaths and several injuries.
Niigata Earthquake and Nuclear Leak
An earthquake of magnitude Mw6.6 struck Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It caused a leak of radioactive gases from the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant.
TAM Airlines Flight 3054 crash
TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overran the runway at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, Brazil, killing 199 people.
News helicopters collide in Phoenix
While covering a police pursuit in Phoenix, Arizona, two news helicopters collided in mid-air, killing both crews.
I-35W Mississippi River Bridge Collapse
Bridge 9340, carrying Interstate 35W across the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, suffered a catastrophic failure and collapsed. The incident killed 13 people and injured 145 others.
Yazidi Bombings in Iraq
Four coordinated suicide bomb attacks detonated in Yazidi communities in Iraq, killing 796 people and wounding 1,562 others.
Nuclear Missiles Accidentally Transported
A heavy bomber that had been unintentionally loaded with nuclear missiles flew them from North Dakota to Louisiana before they were recognized.
MS Explorer sinks in the Southern Ocean
MS Explorer became the first cruise ship to sink in the Southern Ocean.
Riots erupt in Mombasa after election results
Riots erupted in Mombasa, Kenya, after Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of the presidential election. This marked the beginning of a significant crisis.
Super Tuesday tornado outbreak
Eighty-seven tornadoes occurred over the course of the Super Tuesday tornado outbreak across multiple U.S. states, causing 56 deaths and over $1 billion in damage.
Namdaemun Gate Arson
The Namdaemun gate in Seoul, South Korea's first National Treasure, was severely damaged by arson on February 10, 2008.
Northern Illinois University Shooting
A gunman opened fire into a crowded lecture hall at Northern Illinois University, killing five people and injuring twenty-one others.
B-2 Spirit crash in Guam
A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber crashed on the runway shortly after takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
Chaitén volcano eruption
The Chaitén volcano in Chile began to erupt on May 2, 2008. This was its first eruption since approximately 1640.
Jaipur bombings
Nine bombs exploded in Jaipur, India, killing 80 people and injuring over 200 others. The attacks were attributed to the Indian Mujahideen.
Akihabara massacre
A man drove a truck into a crowd of pedestrians in Akihabara, Tokyo, and then stabbed at least 12 people, killing 7 and wounding 10.
Sudan Airways Flight 109 crash
Sudan Airways Flight 109 crashed upon landing at Khartoum International Airport, killing 30 of the 214 occupants.
Chinese Milk Scandal
A tainted milk powder scandal broke in China, involving an estimated 300,000 victims, mostly infants. This resulted in 54,000 hospitalizations and six deaths due to kidney problems.
Train derailment near Studénka
A EuroCity train traveling to Prague derailed after striking a fallen bridge section near Studénka station. The accident claimed 8 lives and injured 64.
Spanair Flight 5022 crash
Spanair Flight 5022 crashed shortly after takeoff from Madrid's Barajas Airport. The accident resulted in the deaths of 154 people.
Metrolink train collision
A Metrolink train collided head-on with a freight train in Los Angeles, California, resulting in 25 deaths and 135 injuries.
Delhi Bombings
Five bomb blasts took place in Delhi, India, killing at least 20 people as part of a series of attacks perpetrated by the Indian Mujahideen.
Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing
An explosive-laden truck detonated in front of the Marriott hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, on September 20, 2008, killing 54 people and injuring 266 others.
Kauhajoki School Shooting
A gunman shot and killed ten students at the Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences in Finland. The perpetrator then committed suicide.
2008 TC3 Asteroid Impact
2008 TC3 exploded above the Nubian Desert in Sudan, the first time an asteroid impact was predicted prior to atmospheric entry.
Kingston Fossil Plant Spill
On December 22, 2008, a dike ruptured at a coal-fired power plant in Kingston, Tennessee, releasing 1.1 billion gallons of coal fly ash slurry. This was the largest industrial spill in US history.
Lord's Resistance Army Attacks
The Lord's Resistance Army, a Ugandan rebel group, began attacks on several villages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing hundreds.
US Airways Flight 1549 lands on Hudson River
A miracle on the Hudson occurred when a commercial airliner made an emergency landing on the Hudson River after striking a flock of geese.
Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash
Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashes into a house in Clarence Center, New York, killing all 49 people on board and the house's occupant.
Northwest Airlines Flight 253 attempted bombing
On Northwest Airlines Flight 253, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempted to detonate plastic explosives hidden in his underwear.
St Mel's Cathedral fire
A fire destroyed Longford's 19th-century St Mel's Cathedral, a significant landmark in the Irish midlands.
Madagascar Riots
Rioting broke out in Antananarivo, Madagascar, sparking a political crisis that led to the deposal of President Marc Ravalomanana.
USS Port Royal runs aground
The United States Navy guided missile cruiser Port Royal ran aground on a coral reef off the island of Oahu.
Bangladesh Rifles mutiny
Members of the Bangladesh Rifles began a mutiny at their headquarters in Pilkhana, resulting in 82 deaths.
Situ Gintung dam failure
A failure of the dam holding Situ Gintung, an artificial lake in Tangerang, Indonesia, caused floods that killed at least 100 people.
Lahore Police Academy Attack
The Manawan Police Academy in Lahore, Pakistan, was attacked by 12 gunmen. The incident resulted in 16 deaths and 95 injuries.
Binghamton Shooting
A gunman opened fire at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, New York, killing thirteen people and wounding four before committing suicide.
L'Aquila Earthquake
An earthquake measuring 6.3 Mw struck near L'Aquila, Italy, killing 308 people and leaving more than 66,000 homeless.
Deadly fire at homeless hostel in Poland
Twenty-three people died in a fire at a homeless hostel in Kamień Pomorski. This was Poland's deadliest fire since 1980.
Attack on Dutch royal family
A Dutch man drove his car at high speed into a parade in an attempt to kill the Dutch royal family on April 30, 2009.
Napier Siege Begins
Police in Napier, New Zealand, began a 40-hour siege of a former soldier's home. The man had shot at officers during a search warrant execution.
Hermosillo daycare fire
A fire at a day-care center in Hermosillo, Mexico, killed 49 children.
Washington Metro train collision
Two Metro trains collided in Washington, D.C., killing nine people and injuring eighty others.
Yemenia Flight 626 crash
Yemenia Flight 626 crashed into the Indian Ocean near the Comoros, killing 152 people. Bahia Bakari was the sole survivor.
Caspian Airlines Flight 7908 Crash
Caspian Airlines Flight 7908 crashed in northwestern Iran, resulting in the deaths of all 168 people on board.
Fiordland earthquake
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Fiordland, New Zealand. This was the country's largest earthquake since 1931.
Tel Aviv LGBT Center Shooting
A shooting occurred at a branch of the Israeli LGBT organization the Aguda in Tel Aviv, resulting in two deaths.
Mid-air collision over Hudson River
A tour helicopter and a small airplane collided over the Hudson River near Hoboken, New Jersey. Nine people were killed in the accident.
Sumatra earthquake
A 7.6 MW earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, causing widespread damage and casualties.
Climatic Research Unit hacking
Servers at the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit were hacked, and thousands of emails and files on climate change were stolen.
Heilongjiang Mine Explosion
An explosion in a coal mine in Heilongjiang, China, resulted in the deaths of 108 miners.
Bomb derails Russian train
A bomb exploded under a Russian high-speed train traveling between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, derailing it and killing 28 passengers.
Baghdad Bombings
Multiple bombings in Baghdad, carried out by the Islamic State of Iraq, resulted in at least 127 deaths and 448 injuries. The attacks occurred on December 8, 2009.
Pipeline rupture in Shaanxi, China
A rupture of the Lanzhou–Zhengzhou–Changsha pipeline in Shaanxi, China, caused approximately 150,000 liters of diesel oil to flow down the Wei River.
Pakistan volleyball game bombing
A suicide bomber killed 105 spectators at a volleyball game in the Lakki Marwat District of Pakistan. The attack occurred on New Year's Day.
Earthquakes strike Chile during presidential inauguration
During the inauguration of Chilean president Sebastián Piñera, earthquakes struck the O'Higgins Region, causing widespread damage.
Sinking of ROKS Cheonan
The South Korean warship ROKS Cheonan sank in the Yellow Sea after an explosion, allegedly caused by a North Korean torpedo. 46 sailors lost their lives.
2010 Ladakh floods
Flash floods, mudslides, and debris flows across the Ladakh region of Indian-administered Kashmir left at least 255 people dead on August 6, 2010.
Halle Train Collision
Two passenger trains collided in Halle, Belgium, when one driver failed to stop at a red signal. The collision resulted in 19 deaths and 171 injuries.
Eyjafjallajökull eruption begins
Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland began a series of volcanic events on March 20, 2010, which later disrupted air travel across Europe.
Moscow Metro Bombings
Islamist separatists of the Caucasus Emirate detonated two bombs on the Moscow Metro, killing 40 people and injuring 102 others.
Haiti Earthquake
An earthquake registering 7.0 Mw struck Haiti, causing widespread destruction. The disaster killed more than 100,000 people.
Jos Riots
The first spate of violence between Muslims and Christians began in Jos, Nigeria, resulting in over 200 deaths.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 Crash
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 crashed into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after takeoff from Beirut, Lebanon. All 90 people on board were killed.
Pune bombing
A terrorist bombing at a bakery popular among foreigners in Pune, India, killed 17 people and injured 60 others.
Madeira floods
Severe flooding and mudslides on the island of Madeira, Portugal, killed 51 people on February 20, 2010.
West Virginia Coal Mine Explosion
An explosion at a coal mine in West Virginia killed 29 miners. This was the worst mining disaster in the United States in 40 years.
Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Eruption Disrupts European Air Travel
Ash plumes from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption in Iceland caused widespread disruption to air travel across Europe.
Yushu Earthquake in China
An earthquake registering 6.9 Mw struck Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China, killing nearly 2,700 people.
Deepwater Horizon explosion
An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore rig in the Gulf of Mexico occurred, leading to the largest marine oil spill in history.
Air India Express Flight 812 crash
Air India Express Flight 812 overshot the runway upon landing in Mangalore. The crash killed 158 of the 166 people on board.
Train derailment in West Bengal, India
A train derailment and collision in West Bengal, India, caused the deaths of at least 148 passengers.
Cumbria shootings
A gunman carried out a shooting spree in Cumbria, England, killing 12 people and injuring 11 others before committing suicide.
Afghanistan Wedding Bombing
A child suicide bomber attacked a wedding in Nadahan, Afghanistan, killing at least 40 people and injuring at least 70 others.
Abby Sunderland rescue
Sixteen-year-old Abby Sunderland was rescued after her boat was dismasted in the Indian Ocean while attempting to become the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe.
Airblue Flight 202 crash
Airblue Flight 202 crashed into the Margalla Hills north of Islamabad, killing all 152 aboard. This was the deadliest air accident in Pakistan's history.
Gansu mudslide kills over 1,400
A devastating mudslide in China's Gansu province resulted in the deaths of at least 1,471 people. The disaster occurred on August 8, 2010.
Canterbury earthquake
A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck the Canterbury Region of New Zealand, causing two deaths and significant damages.
San Bruno pipeline explosion
A natural-gas pipeline in San Bruno, California, exploded, killing eight people. The explosion sent a fireball more than 1,000 feet into the air.
Mount Merapi eruption
Mount Merapi in Central Java, Indonesia, began an increasingly violent series of eruptions that lasted over a month.
Qantas Flight 32 engine failure
In the first aviation incident involving an Airbus A380, Qantas Flight 32 suffered an uncontained engine failure and made an emergency landing in Singapore with no casualties.
Pike River Mine disaster
The first of four explosions occurred at the Pike River Mine in the West Coast of New Zealand, marking the country's worst mining disaster in nearly a century.
Alexandria church bombing
A suicide bombing occurred outside a Coptic Orthodox Church in Alexandria, Egypt, following a New Year service. The attack killed 23 people.
Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
A magnitude 9.1 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Japan triggers a devastating tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Iran Air Flight 277 crash
Iran Air Flight 277 crashed near Urmia Airport, Iran, in poor weather conditions. 78 of the 105 people on board were killed.
Christchurch earthquake
An earthquake registered 6.3 ML struck Christchurch, New Zealand, causing 185 deaths and significant damage.
Minsk Metro bombing
A bomb exploded at the Oktyabrskaya station of the Minsk Metro in Belarus, killing 15 people and injuring over 200.
Earthquake strikes Lorca, Spain
An earthquake registering Mw 5.1 struck near Lorca, Spain. This was the worst earthquake to hit the region in over 50 years.
Earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand
A 6.0 Mw earthquake caused significant additional damage to Christchurch, New Zealand, which was still recovering from a previous earthquake.
Bulgaria river cruise ship sinks
The Russian river cruise liner Bulgaria sank in the Volga River during a storm in Tatarstan, resulting in 122 deaths.
Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion
An explosion at the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base killed 13 people, including the head of the Cyprus Navy.
Virginia earthquake
A 5.8 MW earthquake struck the Piedmont region of Virginia. It was felt by more people than any other quake in U.S. history.
Monterrey Casino Arson Attack
On August 25, 2011, fifty-two people were killed in an arson attack at a casino in Monterrey, Mexico, as part of the Mexican drug war.
Chilean Air Force Aircraft Crash
Bad weather caused a Chilean Air Force aircraft to crash into the Pacific Ocean, killing all 21 people on board.
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash
Yak-Service Flight 9633, carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team, crashed on take-off near Yaroslavl, Russia. 44 of the 45 people on board died.
Marco Simoncelli's Fatal Crash
During the Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix, Marco Simoncelli collided with two other riders, resulting in his death.
Bid Kaneh explosion
An explosion in the Shahid Modarres missile base killed 17 members of the Revolutionary Guards, including Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, a key figure in Iran's missile program.
Liège attack
A man threw grenades and fired a rifle at crowds in Liège, Belgium, causing 6 deaths and injuring more than 120 others, before killing himself.
New Zealand Hot Air Balloon Crash
A hot air balloon flight from Carterton, New Zealand, collided with a power line while landing, causing it to crash and killing all eleven people on board.
Aurora movie theater shooting
A gunman opened fire at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 people and injuring 58 others.
Costa Concordia disaster
The Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground on a reef and capsized off Isola del Giglio, Tuscany.
Port Said Stadium Riot
Following an Egyptian Premier League match, fans rioted and attacked supporters, resulting in 74 deaths.
MV Rabaul Queen capsizes
The passenger ferry MV Rabaul Queen capsized and sank in rough conditions in the Solomon Sea, resulting in at least 88 deaths.
Once railway station disaster
A train crashed through a buffer stop at Once railway station in Buenos Aires, resulting in 51 deaths and over 700 injuries.
Szczekociny rail crash
Two passenger trains collided near Szczekociny, Poland, resulting in 16 deaths and 58 injuries.
Brazzaville arms dump blasts
A series of blasts occurred at an arms dump in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, killing at least 300 people and injuring 2,500 others.
2012 Oikos University shooting
A gunman shot at people inside Oikos University, a Korean Christian college in Oakland, California, leaving seven people dead and three injured.
Sukhoi Superjet crash in Indonesia
A Sukhoi Superjet crashed into Mount Salak in Indonesia after pilots ignored alerts from the terrain warning system. All 45 people on board were killed.
Northern Italy earthquakes
The first of two major earthquakes struck Northern Italy, resulting in seven deaths.
Afghanistan Earthquakes and Landslide
Two earthquakes struck northern Afghanistan, triggering a massive landslide that buried a village and killed 75 people.
Train fire on Tamil Nadu Express
A train fire killed 32 passengers and injured 27 on the Tamil Nadu Express in Andhra Pradesh, India.
India Power Outage
The largest power outage in history occurred across 22 Indian states, affecting more than 620 million people. This impacted about 9 percent of the world's population.
Radio Network House demolition
Radio Network House in Christchurch, damaged by an earthquake, was demolished by implosion. This was the first such demolition in New Zealand.
Earthquakes near Tabriz, Iran
At least 306 people were killed and 3,000 others injured in a pair of earthquakes near Tabriz, Iran.
Hurricane Sandy Makes Landfall
Hurricane Sandy, the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, made landfall in New Jersey causing nearly $75 billion in damages.
Tel Aviv Bus Bombing
A remote-controlled bomb exploded on a bus in Tel Aviv, Israel, injuring at least 28 people.
Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
A 20-year-old gunman shot twenty children and six adult staff members in a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
Delhi gang rape and murder
A woman was gang-raped and fatally assaulted on a bus in Delhi, generating protests across India against inadequate security for women.
Thane Building Collapse
A building collapsed on tribal land in Thane, Maharashtra, India, causing 74 deaths.
Boston Marathon Bombing
Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev set off two pressure cooker bombs during the running of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring 264 others.
Rosario gas explosion
A gas leak caused an explosion that collapsed a building and led to the deaths of 22 people in Rosario, Argentina on August 6, 2013.
Medellín apartment building collapse
Twelve people were killed in an apartment-building collapse in Medellín. This event led to new construction laws being passed in Colombia.
Chelyabinsk Meteor Explosion
A meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, producing a shock wave that injured about 1,500 people.
One World Trade Center Topped Out
On May 10, 2013, One World Trade Center in New York City reached its full height of 1,776 feet, becoming the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.
SCAT Airlines Flight 760 Crash
SCAT Airlines Flight 760 crashed near Almaty, Kazakhstan, killing all twenty-one people on board.
Pemex Executive Tower explosion
A gas leak beneath the Pemex Executive Tower in Mexico City triggered an explosion, resulting in at least 37 fatalities and 121 injuries.
Hazara Town bombing
A bomb hidden in a water tank exploded at a market in Hazara Town, Pakistan, killing at least 91 people and injuring 190 others.
Luxor hot air balloon crash
A hot air balloon crashed near Luxor, Egypt, killing 19 people. This remains the deadliest ballooning disaster in history.
Thailand Refugee Camp Fire
A fire in Thailand destroyed a camp housing Burmese refugees, killing at least 37 people. The incident caused significant loss of life among the refugee population.
Buenos Aires Flash Floods
Flash floods in the northeastern section of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, resulted in the deaths of at least 100 people.
Terror plot foiled in Canada
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested two men who were plotting to commit terrorist attacks. The targets were Via Rail operations.
Savar building collapse
A building in Savar Upazila, Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed, killing 1,134 people. This event is the deadliest accidental structural failure in modern history.
Reyhanlı car bombings
Two car bombs exploded in Reyhanlı, Turkey, resulting in 52 deaths and 140 injuries. The perpetrators of the attack remain unknown.
Moore, Oklahoma tornado
A tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, killing 24 people and causing an estimated $2 billion in damage.
Oklahoma Tornado
An extremely large, powerful, and erratic tornado struck Central Oklahoma, killing eight people and injuring more than 150 others.
Aceh earthquake
A Mw 6.1 strike-slip earthquake in the Indonesian province of Aceh killed at least 35 people and injured 276 others.
Mamudo School Massacre
Gunmen attacked a secondary school in Mamudo, Nigeria, killing 42 people, predominantly students.
Asiana Airlines Flight 214 Crash
Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashed on approach to San Francisco, marking the first fatal accident for a Boeing 777 and killing three people.
Typhoon Soulik makes landfall
Typhoon Soulik made landfall in East China and Taiwan, killing at least 20 people.
Bihar Midday Meal Poisoning
At least 23 students died and dozens more fell ill in Bihar, India, after consuming a Midday Meal contaminated with pesticide.
Ghouta chemical attack
Areas controlled by the Syrian opposition in Ghouta, Damascus, were attacked by rockets containing sarin, killing at least 281 people.
Washington Navy Yard shooting
A lone gunman fatally shot twelve people and injured three others at the headquarters of the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C.
Westgate Shopping Mall Attack
Unidentified gunmen began a three-day attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya. The attack resulted in 67 deaths and at least 175 wounded.
All Saints Church Peshawar bombing
In Peshawar, Pakistan, two suicide bombers attacked All Saints Church, killing 127 people.
Lampedusa migrant shipwreck
A boat carrying migrants from Libya to Italy sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa, resulting in more than 360 deaths.
Navaratri stampede in India
During the Hindu festival of Navaratri at a temple in Madhya Pradesh, India, rumours about an impending bridge collapse caused a stampede that resulted in 115 deaths.
Bohol Earthquake
A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Bohol in the Philippines, resulting in 222 deaths.
Lao Airlines Flight 301 crashes
In Laos's deadliest air accident, Lao Airlines Flight 301 crashed into the Mekong River, resulting in the deaths of all 49 people aboard.
Typhoon Haiyan
Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the Visayas region of the Philippines, killing at least 6,300 people and becoming the deadliest Philippine typhoon recorded in modern history.
November 2013 tornado outbreak
An outbreak of 77 confirmed tornadoes occurred in seven U.S. states, becoming the largest November tornado outbreak in Illinois and Indiana.
Tatarstan Airlines Flight 363 crash
Tatarstan Airlines Flight 363 crashed during an aborted landing at Kazan International Airport, Russia, killing all 50 people on board.
Iranian embassy bombing in Beirut
A double suicide bombing at the Iranian embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killed 23 people and injured at least 160 others.
Little India Riot in Singapore
A riot erupted in Little India, Singapore, following a fatal bus accident. This was the first such event in over 40 years.
Chlorine gas attack at Midwest FurFest
The annual furry convention Midwest FurFest was targeted in an unsolved chlorine gas attack. The incident occurred on December 7, 2014.
Valparaíso wildfire
A major wildfire broke out near Valparaíso, Chile, on April 12, 2014. The fire destroyed at least 2,500 homes and left approximately 11,000 people homeless.
Himalayan Avalanches
A snowstorm and avalanches on the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri peaks in the Himalayas resulted in the deaths of at least 43 people.
Carlton Complex Fire
Lightning strikes started four fires in the Methow River in Washington, collectively known as the Carlton Complex Fire.
Moscow school shooting
Russia's first school shooting took place at School No. 263 in Moscow, resulting in the deaths of a teacher and a police officer.
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Disappearance
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.
East Harlem gas explosion
A gas leak caused an explosion in East Harlem, New York City, destroying two apartment buildings and causing eight deaths.
Oso Landslide
A massive landslide in Oso, Washington, killed 43 people, engulfing a rural neighborhood. It marked the largest death toll for a standalone landslide in U.S. history.
MV Sewol ferry disaster
The ferry MV Sewol capsized and sank off the coast of South Korea, resulting in the deaths of 306 people, primarily students.
Flint, Michigan Changes Water Source
The city of Flint, Michigan, U.S., changed its water source to the Flint River. This decision exposed residents to lead poisoning.
Badakhshan mudslides
At least 350 people were killed by two mudslides in Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan on May 2, 2014.
Nairobi Market Bombings
At least 12 people were killed and 70 others injured when two bombs exploded in a market in Nairobi, Kenya.
Taipei Metro stabbing attack
A man carried out a stabbing spree on a Taipei Metro train, killing four people and injuring 24 others. The incident caused widespread shock and calls for improved security.
Lars Mittank Disappears
German citizen Lars Mittank disappeared from Varna Airport in Bulgaria. His last known movements were widely viewed on YouTube.
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 shot down
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.
Air Algérie Flight 5017 Disappears
Air Algérie Flight 5017 disappeared from radar shortly after take-off from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Its wreckage was found the following day in Mali with no survivors.
Malin Landslide in India
A landslide triggered by heavy rains in the village of Malin, Maharashtra, India, resulted in the deaths of over 150 people.
WHO declares Ebola epidemic a public health emergency
The World Health Organization declared the Western African Ebola epidemic a public health emergency of international concern. The epidemic had begun in December 2013.
Mount Ontake Eruption
Mount Ontake in central Japan unexpectedly erupted, killing 63 people. This was the nation's deadliest volcanic eruption in over a century.
Ottawa Parliament Hill shootings
The downtown core of Ottawa, Canada, was placed on lockdown following a series of shootings at Parliament Hill.
Jerusalem synagogue attack
Two Palestinian men attacked praying congregants in a Jerusalem synagogue with axes, knives, and a gun. Eight people were killed, including the attackers.
Lindt Cafe siege ends
A hostage crisis in a Lindt chocolate café in Sydney, Australia, ended with police storming the building, killing the perpetrator and one of the hostages.
Norman Atlantic fire
The passenger ferry Norman Atlantic caught fire in the Adriatic Sea, killing an estimated 28 people.
AirAsia Flight 8501 crash
Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 crashed into the Java Sea after the pilots mishandled a non-critical error in the cockpit, resulting in the deaths of all 162 people on board.
San Bernardino Mass Shooting
A married couple carried out a mass shooting at a Christmas party in San Bernardino, California. They died in a shootout with police after fleeing the scene.
Mozambique funeral beer poisoning
Contaminated beer served at a funeral in Tete Province, Mozambique, killed 75 people and made at least 230 others ill.
Los Llanos Air Base Crash
A jet fighter crashed at Los Llanos Air Base in Albacete, Spain, killing 11 people and injuring 21 others.
TransAsia Airways Flight 235 crash
Shortly after takeoff from Taipei Songshan Airport, the crew of TransAsia Airways Flight 235 shut down the wrong engine in response to a flameout, leading to a crash that resulted in 43 deaths.
Uherský Brod restaurant shooting
A gunman opened fire in a restaurant in Uherský Brod, Czech Republic, killing eight people before committing suicide.
Bardo National Museum Attack
Gunmen attacked the Bardo National Museum in Tunisia, resulting in the deaths of 24 people.
Germanwings Flight 9525 crash
The co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525 deliberately crashed the aircraft in the French Alps on March 24, 2015. All 150 people on board were killed in the mass murder-suicide.
Garissa University College attack
Gunmen attacked Garissa University College in Kenya, killing 148 people and wounding 79 others.
Hatton Garden safe deposit burglary
Six elderly men burgled a safe-deposit facility in Hatton Garden, London, and stole items worth up to an estimated £14 million.
Nepal earthquake
Nepal was struck by a magnitude-7.8 earthquake, killing more than 8,000 people.
Refugio Oil Spill
A corroded pipeline near Refugio State Beach, California, spilled 142,800 gallons of crude oil onto the Gaviota Coast.
Dongfang zhi Xing capsizes
The river cruise ship Dongfang zhi Xing capsized in the Yangtze, resulting in 442 deaths in China's worst peacetime maritime disaster.
Corn starch dust explosion in Taiwan
Ignition of corn starch caused a dust fire at a water park in New Taipei City, Taiwan, killing 15 people and injuring more than 400 others.
Indonesian Air Force plane crash
An Indonesian Air Force military transport aircraft crashed near a residential neighborhood in Medan, killing 139 people.
Gold King Mine spill
The US EPA accidentally caused a spill of 3 million gallons of mine waste water near Silverton, Colorado.
Thalys train attack
Passengers on a Thalys train from Amsterdam to Paris subdued an attacker who attempted a mass shooting.
Shoreham Airshow crash
A former military aircraft crashed at an airshow at Shoreham Airport in southern England, killing eleven people.
Petlawad explosion
An explosion involving illegally stored mining detonators in Petlawad, India, killed 104 people and injured more than 150 others.
Trollhättan school stabbing
A sword-wielding man attacked students and teachers at a high school in Trollhättan, Sweden. The attack resulted in three deaths, making it Sweden's deadliest school attack.
Hurricane Patricia
Hurricane Patricia, the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Western Hemisphere, peaked with maximum sustained winds of 215 mph south of Mexico.
Brussels Lockdown
The Belgian government imposed a four-day security lockdown in Brussels due to information about potential terrorist attacks.
Dallas tornado outbreak
A violent tornado moves through several suburbs of Dallas, Texas, killing ten and injuring almost 500 others. It was the deadliest tornado to ever hit Texas during the month of December.
Croydon tram derailment
A tram derailment in Croydon, London, killed seven people.
Oakland Warehouse Fire
Thirty-six people died in a fire at an illegally converted warehouse in Oakland, California. This was the deadliest U.S. building fire since 2003.
Irkutsk methanol poisoning begins
The first victims of a mass methanol poisoning which eventually killed over 70 inhabitants of Irkutsk, Russia, began arriving at hospitals.
Nice truck attack
A man deliberately drove a truck into crowds in Nice, France, resulting in 86 deaths.
Bad Aibling train collision
Two commuter trains collided head-on at Bad Aibling in southeastern Germany, killing 12 people and injuring 85.
Flydubai Flight 981 crash
Flydubai Flight 981 crashed during an aborted landing at Rostov-on-Don Airport, Russia, killing all 62 people on board.
Fort McMurray wildfire begins
A wildfire swept through Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, forcing the evacuation of nearly 88,000 people. It became the costliest disaster in Canadian history.
Patrick Ekeng
Patrick Ekeng, a Cameroonian footballer, died on May 6, 2016. He was born in 1990.
Pulse nightclub shooting
An Islamic terrorist killed 49 people in a mass shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida.
Dallas Police Shooting
A U.S. Army Reserve veteran ambushed and shot police officers in Dallas, killing five and injuring nine. The perpetrator was killed by a bomb attached to a police robot.
LaMia Flight 2933 Crash
LaMia Flight 2933 crashed near Medellín, Colombia, on November 28, 2016, killing 71 people, including many from the Chapecoense Football Club.
Turkish Airlines Flight 6491 crash
Turkish Airlines Flight 6491 crashed in Manas International Airport after overflying the runway, resulting in 39 deaths. The aftermath of the crash was pictured.
Quebec City Mosque Shooting
A lone gunman opened fire at a mosque in Quebec City, Canada, resulting in six fatalities and nineteen injuries.
Azure Window Collapse
The Azure Window, a natural limestone arch in Gozo, Malta, collapsed on March 8, 2017, during a storm.
2017 Stockholm Truck Attack
A hijacker deliberately drove a truck into crowds along Drottninggatan in Stockholm, Sweden, killing five people.
Borussia Dortmund bus bombing
The tour bus of the German football team Borussia Dortmund was attacked with roadside bombs, killing a police officer and injuring a player.
Grenfell Tower fire
A fire severely damaged Grenfell Tower in North Kensington, London, on June 14, 2017, killing 72 people.
Portugal Wildfires
Wildfires erupted across central Portugal, causing the deaths of 66 people.
Boundary Fire Ends
The Boundary Fire in Arizona, which burned 17,788 acres of national forests, was finally extinguished after 32 days.
Terrorist attack in Turku, Finland
Two people were fatally stabbed and eight others wounded by a rejected asylum seeker in an Islamist terrorist attack in Turku, Finland.
Hurricane Irma reaches peak intensity
Hurricane Irma reached peak intensity near the Caribbean islands of Barbuda, Saint Martin, and Virgin Gorda.
Parsons Green Bombing
A homemade bomb partially exploded on an eastbound District line train at Parsons Green tube station in West London, injuring 30 passengers.
New York City Truck Attack
An Uzbek immigrant drove a rented truck into cyclists and runners in Lower Manhattan, New York City, killing eight people.
Cyclone Numa in Greece
Cyclone Numa, a rare "medicane", made landfall in Greece, becoming the worst weather event the country had experienced since 1977.
Amtrak Train Derailment
An Amtrak Cascades passenger train derailed near DuPont, Washington, on December 18, 2017. Three people were killed and sixty-five others were injured.
Toronto Van Attack
A man intentionally struck pedestrians with a van on Yonge Street in Toronto, Canada, leading to 11 deaths.
Saratov Airlines Flight 703 crash
Saratov Airlines Flight 703 crashed shortly after take-off in Russia due to icing conditions, killing all 71 people on board.
Thai cave rescue
The last members of a junior football team and their coach were rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand.
Rome Escalator Accident
An escalator accident in Rome injured 24 people, mostly fans of the CSKA Moscow football team.
Leicester helicopter crash
Thai businessman and Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha along with four others were killed in a helicopter crash near the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England.
Earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska
A magnitude-7.1 earthquake hit Anchorage, Alaska, causing 117 injuries. The aftermath was pictured.
Koszalin Escape Room Fire
A fire in an escape room in Koszalin, Poland, killed five teenagers.
Notre-Dame Fire
A fire severely damaged Notre-Dame de Paris, destroying the cathedral's timber spire and much of the roof.
Hurricane Dorian
Hurricane Dorian, the most powerful Atlantic hurricane on record outside the tropics, made landfall in the Bahamas at Category 5 intensity.
Myanmar Jade Mine Collapse
A landslide triggered the collapse of a jade mine in Hpakant, Myanmar, resulting in six confirmed deaths and presumed dozens more.
Tlahuelilpan pipeline explosion
An oil pipeline explosion in Tlahuelilpan, Mexico, resulted in the deaths of 137 people. The incident occurred on January 17, 2023.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed six minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa International Airport due to a software fault, killing all 157 people on board.
Yancheng Chemical Plant Explosion
A major explosion at a chemical plant in Yancheng, China, killed 78 people and injured 640 others.
Aeroflot Flight 1492 catches fire during emergency landing
Aeroflot Flight 1492 was struck by lightning after leaving Moscow and caught fire during an emergency landing. 41 people on board died in the incident.
Kyoto Animation arson attack
An arson attack at the studio of Kyoto Animation in Japan resulted in the deaths of 36 people.
Typhoon Lekima landfall in China
Typhoon Lekima made landfall in Zhejiang, China, killing 45 people in the province after causing severe flooding in the Philippines.
Helicopter crash in Norway
A sightseeing helicopter crashed in the mountains of Skoddevarre in Alta, Norway. All six people on board were killed.
Thomas Cook Group Ceases Operations
The British travel company Thomas Cook Group ceased operations with immediate effect. This left approximately 600,000 tourists stranded worldwide.
COVID-19 Pandemic Declared
The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic.
Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash
A Sikorsky S-76 helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California, killing all nine people on board, including Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.
Hpakant jade mine disaster
A landslide at a jade mine in Hpakant killed 175–200 miners, the deadliest mining accident in Burmese history.
Naya Rivera's body recovered
The body of American actress and singer Naya Rivera was recovered from Lake Piru, confirming her death after a five-day search.
Colonial Pipeline oil spill
A major oil spill from the Colonial Pipeline was discovered in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
Beirut Explosion
A large explosion of ammonium nitrate at the Port of Beirut killed 218 people and caused US$15 billion in damage.
El Dorado Fire ignited by gender reveal party
A pyrotechnic device at a gender reveal party ignited the El Dorado Fire, which burned for 71 days and killed one firefighter.
Aegean Sea earthquake
A magnitude-7.0 earthquake occurred in the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey on October 30, 2020. It triggered a tsunami and caused 119 deaths.
El Dorado Fire extinguished
The El Dorado Fire in California was extinguished after 71 days on November 16, 2020. It destroyed 20 structures and killed one firefighter.
Mob attacks the U.S. Capitol during election certification
Supporters of President Donald Trump storm the U.S. Capitol in an effort to disrupt Congress as it certifies Joe Biden's 2020 election victory.
Ontario Truck Attack
A man rammed a pickup truck into Muslim Pakistani Canadian pedestrians in Ontario, Canada, killing 4 members of the same family and injuring the family's nine-year-old son.
Hlaingthaya Massacre in Myanmar
Burmese military and police forces killed at least 65 civilians during the Hlaingthaya massacre in Yangon. The victims included protestors against a recent coup d'état.
Bata Explosions
A series of four explosions occurred at a military barracks in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, causing at least 107 deaths.
Suez Canal obstruction
A container ship ran aground and obstructed the Suez Canal for six days.
Indonesian Submarine Nanggala Sinks
The Indonesian Navy submarine Nanggala sank, resulting in the deaths of all 53 people on board.
Meron crowd crush
A crowd crush killed 45 people during the annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in Israel on April 30, 2021.
Mexico City Metro Collapse
An elevated section of the Mexico City Metro collapsed, resulting in 26 fatalities and 98 injuries.
Haiti Earthquake
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Haiti, killing at least 2,248 people and causing significant damage.
Tornado hits Amazon warehouse
A tornado struck an Amazon warehouse during increased holiday demand, killing six sheltering workers. The incident occurred on December 10, 2021.
Mo So Massacre
Burmese military forces killed at least 40 civilians during the Mo So massacre in Kayah State, Myanmar.
Kanjuruhan Stadium disaster
After a football match, 3,000 supporters invaded the pitch, leading to a stampede and 135 deaths.
Climate activist self-immolates outside Supreme Court
American climate activist Wynn Bruce set himself on fire outside the United States Supreme Court Building. This was an apparent protest against the climate crisis.
Afghanistan-Pakistan earthquake
An earthquake registering 6.2 Mw caused the deaths of at least 1,000 people in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Shinzo Abe Assassinated
Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated with an improvised firearm. The assassination was linked to resentment against the Unification Church.
East Palestine train derailment
A freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, releasing hazardous materials into the surrounding area.
Ciudad Juárez migrant center fire
Forty people were killed in a fire at a migrant detention facility in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
Belvidere Tornado Collapse
A tornado caused the collapse of a concert venue in Belvidere, Illinois, resulting in one death and 48 injuries.
Odisha train collision
A collision between two passenger trains and a parked freight train near Balasore, Odisha, India, resulted in 296 deaths and over 1,200 injuries.
Titan Submersible Implosion Victims
Notable victims of the Titan submersible implosion died on this date.
Japan Airlines Flight 516 collision
While landing at Haneda Airport, Japan Airlines Flight 516 collided with a De Havilland Canada Dash 8. Five people were killed in the incident.
Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after being struck by the MV Dali container ship. Six people were killed in the disaster.
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 crash
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 crashed near Aktau International Airport after losing aircraft systems and being hit by a Russian defense missile. The plane was attempting an emergency landing.
Crocus City Hall Attack
A bombing and mass shooting at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Russia, killed at least 145 people and injured 551. This tragic event caused widespread casualties.
Varzaqan helicopter crash victims
Several individuals died in the 2024 Varzaqan helicopter crash.
Greenfield tornado
The Greenfield tornado, estimated to have produced winds in excess of 309 miles per hour, moved across Iowa.
Malawi plane crash
A plane crash in Malawi killed nine people, including Vice President Saulos Chilima.
Chikangawa Dornier 228 Crash Victims
This entry refers to the victims of the 2024 Chikangawa Dornier 228 crash.
Jeju Air Flight 2216 crash
Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashed at Muan International Airport after losing engine thrust to a flock of Baikal teal.
Hotel Fire in Kartalkaya, Turkey
A fire at a hotel at the Kartalkaya ski resort in Turkey's Bolu Province resulted in 78 people killed.
2025 Potomac River mid-air collision victims
Multiple individuals died in a mid-air collision over the Potomac River in 2025.
Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake
A magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand, resulting in over 5,000 deaths.
Air India Flight 171 crash
Air India Flight 171 crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad, India, killing 260 people.
UPS Airlines crash in Louisville
A UPS Airlines plane crashed in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least twelve people.
Explore More Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the most important disaster events in history?
- Notable disaster events include: RMS Titanic sinks (1912), Great Molasses Flood strikes Boston (1919), Wall Street Crash (1929).
- How many disaster events are in the timeline?
- Our collection includes 561 historical entries related to disaster, spanning centuries of human history.
History, Delivered Daily.
Join thousands of history buffs. Get a curated 1-minute read of the day's most fascinating historical events sent straight to your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy.