A year of horrors for the planet is still unfolding.
In 2025 the planet endured a series of brutal catastrophes that left entire communities shattered. The disasters ranged from earthquakes to floods, landslides to wildfires. In ranking them by deaths, the list below describes both human toll and economic losses, and reports on where recovery stands where it is known. Climate scientists are already warning that many of these were intensified by warming, volatile weather patterns, and weakened infrastructure. Each event shows how fragile societies remain when climate extremes strike.
1. Heat waves stressed populations across Europe.
Summer heat pushed mortality higher than hospitals could track, building on a 2024 toll of 62,700 deaths. Preliminary estimates for 2025 indicate tens of thousands more fatalities across Spain, France, and Italy as temperatures spiked again in July. Cooling centers were opened, but many vulnerable residents remained exposed. Scientists warn that such extremes are becoming more likely as the climate warms. Local governments are scrambling to bolster heatwave response systems, but experts caution that without stronger long-term policies, summers will only grow deadlier. The scale of lives lost far outpaces other disasters this year.
2. The Myanmar earthquake changed lives forever.
On March 28 a magnitude 7.7 quake struck central Myanmar near Mandalay, killing 5,456 people and injuring over 11,400, with some 538 still missing. It caused structural damage estimated at US $11 billion, roughly 14% of Myanmar’s GDP. As reported by multiple sources, more than 48,000 homes collapsed, and critical infrastructure including bridges, schools, and hospitals was decimated. Recovery has been slow, hindered by ongoing civil conflict and limited humanitarian access, leaving many survivors still without permanent shelter. Relief groups say many displaced remain in temporary camps with little aid.
3. The Afghanistan quake has left deep scars.
On August 26 a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Kunar Province in eastern Afghanistan, killing an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people, injuring thousands, and destroying more than 8,000 homes as stated by the USGS. The quake hit shallow and in a region with many loosely built structures, worsening the impact. Many remote villages remain cut off, and rescue operations are patchy. The government’s limited ability to respond means that for many residents, reconstruction is still a distant hope. Entire valleys remain without power or functioning clinics weeks later.
4. The Tarasin landslide in Sudan swallowed a village whole.
On August 31 heavy rains triggered a catastrophic landslide in central Darfur’s Marrah Mountains, burying the village of Tarasin. Estimates vary, but between 375 and 1,573 people died. By September about 375 bodies had been definitively recovered, but observers fear many remain under tons of debris. Homes, nearly 1,500 of them, livestock and farmland were wiped out. Remediation is difficult in the steep terrain; survivors were displaced into already fragile areas struggling with food insecurity and conflict. Aid convoys report challenges reaching the region because of poor roads and insecurity.
5. The Mokwa flood in Nigeria washed away communities.
On May 28–29 intense rainfall and the collapse of drainage and embankments inundated Mokwa in Niger State. Over 500 confirmed deaths, more than 600 missing, and 200 injured were reported. More than 4,000 houses were destroyed, 2 bridges collapsed, and farmlands were ruined. Local officials have declared the flood among the worst in state history, and many displaced still lack access to clean water, food, or shelters. Many families are camped in schools that have been converted into emergency housing.
6. The Los Angeles wildfires turned winter into inferno.
In January and February unusually dry conditions triggered wildfires in and around greater Los Angeles. Official counts record about 30 direct fatalities, but a later study estimated as many as 440 excess deaths when accounting for smoke exposure, air pollution, and health disruptions. Damage losses alone from that event may have reached US $53 billion, making it the costliest climate event globally in the first half of 2025. Much of the region is rebuilding, but smoke health repercussions linger and forested slopes remain vulnerable to future burns. Health officials warn of long-term respiratory effects across Southern California.
7. The monsoon in Himachal Pradesh left devastation behind.
Between June and September India’s Himalayan state saw rains far above normal, triggering floods, landslides, and cloudbursts. 448 people died, and damage reached roughly ₹4,841 crore, around US $575 million. In many districts, roads, power systems and water supply were disrupted extensively. Recovery operations are underway, but remote mountain hamlets remain cut off during rain seasons, delaying sustained relief and rebuilding. State officials say rebuilding efforts may take years in the steep valleys.
8. The Tibet earthquake rattled multiple nations.
On January 7 a magnitude 7.1 quake struck Tingri County in Tibet, affecting China, Nepal and India. Official Chinese figures report 126 deaths, though Tibetan sources estimate between 134 and 400 dead, citing suppressed reporting. Over 338 people were injured. Many homes and traditional structures collapsed. Relief operations were mobilized, but in high altitude terrain with poor access, reconstruction is slow and contested. The winter freeze has slowed rebuilding efforts further, leaving many in tents.
9. Tornadoes and storms inflicted damage across the U.S.
By May 22 the United States had recorded 724 tornadoes in 2025, causing at least 35 deaths. Regions from the Midwest to the South experienced widespread flooding and destructive hailstorms as well. Economic losses from these convective storms are part of the US $131 billion in global disaster losses in the first half of 2025. Many affected towns are repairing infrastructure, but low-income communities are struggling to recover. Federal disaster funds are stretched thin after so many events.
10. The Midwest to Appalachia storm outbreak claimed dozens of lives.
In mid-May a massive severe weather outbreak spawning tornadoes, hail and violent thunderstorms raced from Missouri through Kentucky into Virginia. Over 28 people died in that chain of storms, especially in Kentucky where a series of tornadoes struck rural communities. According to disaster trackers, the storm system caused widespread damage across multiple states. In Missouri an EF-3 tornado barreled through parts of St. Louis on May 16, killing 4 and doing roughly US $1.6 billion in damage. Officials say many small towns lost electricity, took heavy damage to homes and businesses, and are only now beginning full cleanup and rebuilding. Recovery in the hardest hit counties is expected to stretch into 2026.
11. The Northern Pakistan floods swept away lives and infrastructure.
In late June pre-monsoon downpours caused flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing at least 32 people and displacing many more. Rivers surged suddenly in mountainous terrain, catching communities off guard. Rescue efforts continue in difficult terrain, and some tourist families were caught and perished. Local critics say disaster preparedness was insufficient. Authorities warn that more flooding could occur if rains intensify later this season.
12. The Bahía Blanca flash floods in Argentina overwhelmed a whole region.
In early March, specifically March 7–9, intense rainfall triggered flash flooding across Bahía Blanca and neighboring cities in Buenos Aires Province. At least 17 deaths were reported, with 1 person still missing as of mid-March. The deluge overloaded drainage systems, swept homes away, and submerged whole neighborhoods. Many thousands were evacuated. The city received some 290 mm of rain in just hours, more than half its usual annual total for that season. Local, provincial, and national authorities declared emergency status and began deploying relief supplies, but residents say the flood’s swiftness left little warning. Reconstruction is underway but limited funding has slowed efforts in vulnerable neighborhoods.