Deadliest disasters of all time

Japan Earthquake: The 2011 earthquake and tsunami was a 9.0-magnitude megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred 11 March 2011. The epicenter was 130 kilometers off the east coast of the Oshika Peninsula of Tōhoku near Sendai. The earthquake triggered extremely destructive tsunami waves of up to 10 meters (33 ft) that struck Japan minutes after the quake, in some cases traveling up to 10 km inland, with smaller waves reaching many other countries after several hours. (GETTY)
Hurricane Katrina: Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall. At least 1,836 people died in the actual hurricane and in the subsequent floods, making it the deadliest U.S. hurricane since the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane; total property damage was estimated at $ 81 billion, nearly triple the damage wrought by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. (GETTY)
Haiti earthquake: The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake. The earthquake on 12 January 2010. By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded. An estimated three million people were affected by the quake. The Haitian government reported that an estimated 316,000 people had died, 300,000 had been injured and 1,000,000 made homeless. The government of Haiti also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged. (GETTY)
Gujarat earthquake: The 2001 Gujarat earthquake occurred on January 26, 2001, India's 51st Republic Day. The earthquake reached a magnitude of between 7.6 and 7.7 on the magnitude scale. The quake killed around 20,000 people, injured another 167,000 and destroyed nearly 400,000 homes. It affected 21 districts displaced 600,000 people. (GETTY)
Indian Ocean earthquake and Tsunami: The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The resulting tsunami is given various names, including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Asian Tsunami, Indonesian Tsunami, and Boxing Day Tsunami. The earthquake was caused by subduction and triggered a series of devastating tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean, killing over 230,000 people in fourteen countries, and inundating coastal communities with waves up to 30 meters (100 feet) high. Indonesia was the hardest hit, followed by Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand. With a magnitude of between 9.1 and 9.3, it is the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. This earthquake had the longest duration of about 10 minutes. It caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 cm (0.4 inches)and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska. (GETTY)
Great Kantō earthquake: The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 10 minutes. The Kantō quake killed between 100,000 and 140,000 people. (GETTY)
Bhola cyclone: The 1970 Bhola cyclone was a devastating tropical cyclone that struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and India's West Bengal on November 12, 1970. It was the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded, and one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern times. Up to 500,000 people lost their lives in the storm, primarily as a result of the storm surge that flooded much of the low-lying islands of the Ganges Delta. This cyclone was the sixth cyclonic storm of the 1970 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, and also the season's strongest, reaching a strength equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. (GETTY)
Tangshan Earthquake: The Tangshan Earthquake also known as the Great Tangshan Earthquake, was a natural disaster that occurred on July 28, 1976. It is believed to be the largest earthquake of the 20th century by death toll. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Tangshan in Hebei, People's Republic of China, an industrial city with approximately one million inhabitants. The number of deaths initially reported by the Chinese government was 655,000, but this number has since been revised to be around 255,000. (GETTY)
Cyclone Nargis: Cyclone Nargis was a strong tropical cyclone that caused the worst natural disaster in Myanmar's history. The cyclone caused catastrophic destruction with about 138,000 fatalities. The Labutta Township alone was reported to have over 80,000 dead. There were around 55,000 people missing and many other deaths were reported in other towns and areas, although the Burmese government's official death was allegedly underreported. Damage was estimated at over $ 10 billion, which made it the most damaging cyclone ever recorded in this basin. (GETTY)
Central China floods: The 1931 Central China floods were a series of floods that occurred during the Nanjing decade in the Republic of China era. It is generally considered the deadliest natural disaster ever recorded, and almost certainly the deadliest of the 20th century and in China. The human deaths are estimated to be between 145,000 and 4 million. (GETTY)

The recent Japan earthquake has dominated the headlines for past few days. However, the world is not new to such natural disasters. Calamities like earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones have changed the face of the Earth for centuries. Lets take a look at World's worst natural disasters. (GETTY)