There have been many disasters in India that have affected its socio-economic conditions in time.
In this article we will discuss some of the Worst Disasters in India which will be useful in the UPSC Exam
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List of Worst Disasters in India
- Great Bengal Famine of 1776-1773: The Great Bengal Famine of 1776-1773 was a result of insufficient monsoon rains and a series of disastrous policies of the East India Company who ruled Bengal at the time. The famine led to the deaths of 10 million people in Bengal, Bihar and Odisha.
- Coringa Cyclone of 1839: The Coringa Cyclone devastated a village near the ancient city of Coringa in the Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. The cyclone left around 20,000 people dead in its wake.
- Plague Epidemic of 1894: This plague epidemic was the third in a series of epidemics but this one was far more devastating than the others as it killed more than 12 million people in India and China alone. The plague had its origins in port cities such as Bombay and Kolkata before spreading to smaller cities and rural areas in across British India
- Lahaul Valley Avalanche: The Lahaul Avalanche struck the spiti valley in March of 1979, burying 200 people under 20 feet of snow. It was caused by heavy snow during the winter season. It is one of the 10 deadliest avalanches in the history of the world.
- Malpa Landslide of 1998: Caused by heavy rainfalls, the Malpa landslide was one of the worst occurrences of landslides that struck the village of Malpa in Uttarakhand. About 380 people were killed along with pilgrims who had come for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
- Odisha Cyclone of 1999: The Odisha Cyclone of 1999 was one of the destructive storms of the region since 1971. It caused almost 15,000 deaths with extreme damage to the infrastructure of the area.
- Gujarat Earthquake 2001: With its epicenter in the Bhuj district of Gujarat, the 2001 Earthquake had an intensity of 7.6 and 7.7 and killed around 20,000 people and devastated the cities of Baroda and Ahmedabad. It is the worst Earthquake recorded in the history of Gujarat.
- Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004: The Indian Ocean earthquake and Tsunami occurred in 2004 at the west coast of Sumatra, killing over 230,000 people in fourteen countries. The Indian Ocean Tsunami was one of the deadliest natural disasters in the history of India.
- The 2005 Mumbai Floods:The 2005 Maharashtra floods occurred just one month after the June 2005 Gujarat floods, Mumbai the capital city was most badly affected and witnessed one of its worst catastrophes in the history of India, killing at least 5,000 people.
Frequently Asked Question about Important Concepts for Disaster Management
Q1
Which is the biggest disaster that has happened in India?
In terms of damage and loss of life, the 1999 Odisha cyclone, a super cyclone that struck Odisha on 29 October 1999, was the worst in more than a quarter-century. With peak winds of 160 miles per hour (257 km/h), it was the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane
Q2
Which are the most frequent natural disasters in India?
Floods are the most common natural disaster in India. The heavy southwest monsoon rains cause the Brahmaputra and other rivers to distend their banks, often flooding surrounding areas.
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