The United States is the third-largest country on Earth in terms of area, stretching between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and bordering Canada in the north and Mexico in the south. The nation occupies 3.79 million square miles, which include the non-contiguous states of Alaska and Hawaii.
Given this expanse of land, it is not surprising that America has experienced natural disasters of every kind — tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, floods, ice storms, heat waves, avalanches, and volcanic eruptions.
As we approach the most active part of tornado season, and as hurricane season begins, 24/7 Wall St. has compiled a list of the worst natural disaster in every state as ranked by loss of life. We used data and information from federal government agencies, as well as resource material, and newspaper and historical accounts from the time of the event to compile this list. In some cases, a disaster was so widespread and resulted in such a substantial loss of life that it remains the worst disaster in multiple states.
Click here to see the worst natural disaster in every state.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.
Source: Tom Pennington / Getty Images
1. Alabama
> Natural disaster: Deep South Tornado Outbreak
> Date: March 21, 1932
> Fatalities: 286
> Other event considered: Tornado outbreak-1932
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Source: Central Press / Getty Images
2. Alaska
> Natural disaster: Good Friday Earthquake
> Date: March 27, 1964
> Fatalities: 139
> Other event considered: Chilkoot Trail “Palm Sunday” Avalanche-1898
Source: NOAA / Wikimedia Commons
3. Arizona
> Natural disaster: Tropical Storm Norma
> Date: Sept. 4-5, 1970
> Fatalities: 23
> Other event considered: Yarnell Hill Fire-2013
Source: Archival Photography by Steve Nicklas, NOS, NGS / Wikimedia Commons
4. Arkansas
> Natural disaster: Mississippi River Flood
> Date: May-August 1927
> Fatalities: 127
> Other event considered: Albert Pike Flash Floods-2010
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Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
5. California
> Natural disaster: San Francisco Earthquake
> Date: April 18, 1906
> Fatalities: 3,000
> Other event considered: Los Angeles Flood-1938
Source: Bettmann / Getty Images
6. Colorado
> Natural disaster: Big Thompson Canyon Flood
> Date: July 31, 1976
> Fatalities: 144
> Other event considered: Denver Flood-1965
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Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons
7. Connecticut
> Natural disaster: Great New England Hurricane
> Date: Sept. 21, 1938
> Fatalities: 85
> Other event considered: Great Flood-1955
Source: Courtesy of NOAA.gov
8. Delaware
> Natural disaster: Gale of ’78
> Date: Oct. 23, 1878
> Fatalities: 100
> Other event considered: Mid-Atlantic Flood-2006
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
9. Florida
> Natural disaster: Lake Okeechobee Hurricane
> Date: Sept. 6-20, 1928
> Fatalities: 2,500-3,000
> Other event considered: Labor Day Hurricane-1935
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Source: American Red Cross / Wikimedia Commons
10. Georgia
> Natural disaster: Sea Islands Hurricane
> Date: Aug. 15, 1893
> Fatalities: 2,000+
> Other event considered: Atlanta Flood-2009
Source: Keystone / Hulton Archive /Getty Images
11. Hawaii
> Natural disaster: Aleutian Islands Earthquake/Tsunami
> Date: April 1,1946
> Fatalities: 159
> Other event considered: Hurricane Iniki-1992
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Source: National Photo Company / Wikimedia Commons
12. Idaho
> Natural disaster: The Big Burn of 1910
> Date: Aug. 20-21, 1910
> Fatalities: 87
> Other event considered: Borah Earthquake-1983
Source: Ralf-Finn Hestoft / CORBIS / Corbis via Getty Images
13. Illinois
> Natural disaster: Chicago Heat Wave
> Date: July 13-15, 1995
> Fatalities: 750
> Other event considered: Tri-State Tornadoes-1925
Source: Library of Congress
14. Indiana
> Natural disaster: The Great Flood of 1913
> Date: March 1913
> Fatalities: 100
> Other event considered: Tri-State Tornadoes-1925
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Source: HappyMario64 / YouTube
15. Iowa
> Natural disaster: The Armistice Day Blizzard
> Date: Nov. 11, 1940
> Fatalities: 154
> Other event considered: Great Flood-1993
Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons
16. Kansas
> Natural disaster: Great Plains Tornado Outbreak
> Date: May 25-26, 1955
> Fatalities: 80
> Other event considered: Great Flood-1951
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Source: DEA / BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA / Getty Images
17. Kentucky
> Natural disaster: Louisville Cyclone
> Date: March 27, 1890
> Fatalities: 100
> Other event considered: Ice and snow storm-2009
Source: Chris Graythen / Getty Images
18. Louisiana
> Natural disaster: Hurricane Katrina
> Date: Aug. 23-31, 2005
> Fatalities: 1,577
> Other event considered: Cheniere Caminada Hurricane-1893
Source: Brianna Soukup / Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
19. Maine
> Natural disaster: Ice Storm of ’98
> Date: Jan. 4, 1998
> Fatalities: 8
> Other event considered: Great Flood-1987
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Source: Barry Lewis / Flickr
20. Maryland
> Natural disaster: Pan American jet hit by lightning
> Date: Dec. 8, 1963
> Fatalities: 81
> Other event considered: Rain storm and flood-1971
Source: NOAA / Wikimedia Commons
21. Massachusetts
> Natural disaster: Worcester Tornado
> Date: June 9, 1953
> Fatalities: 90
> Other event considered: Great New England Hurricane-1938
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Source: State of Michigan
22. Michigan
> Natural disaster: Great Michigan Fire
> Date: Sept. 5, 1881
> Fatalities: 282
> Other event considered: Flint tornadoes-1953
Source: Minnesota Historical Society
23. Minnesota
> Natural disaster: Cloquet Fire
> Date: Oct. 12, 1918
> Fatalities: 450
> Other event considered: Twin Cities Tornadoes-1965
Source: Mark Wilson / Getty Images
24. Mississippi
> Natural disaster: Hurricane Katrina
> Date: Aug. 23-31, 2005
> Fatalities: 238
> Other event considered: Mississippi River Flood-1927
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Source: pixabay
25. Missouri
> Natural disaster: Joplin Tornado
> Date: May 22, 2011
> Fatalities: 158
> Other event considered: Great Flood-1951
Source: U.S. Forest Service
26. Montana
> Natural disaster: The Big Burn of 1910
> Date: Aug. 20-21, 1910
> Fatalities: 87
> Other event considered: Flood-1964
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Source: Wikimedia Commons
27. Nebraska
> Natural disaster: Schoolhouse Blizzard
> Date: Jan. 12, 1888
> Fatalities: 100
> Other event considered: Blizzard-1949
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Source: Ethan Miller / Getty Images
28. Nevada
> Natural disaster: Heat wave
> Date: July 14-23, 2005
> Fatalities: 17
> Other event considered: Flash flood-1974
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
29. New Hampshire
> Natural disaster: Great New England Hurricane
> Date: Sept. 21, 1938
> Fatalities: 13
> Other event considered: Heat wave-1911
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Source: Mario Tama / Getty Images
30. New Jersey
> Natural disaster: Superstorm Sandy
> Date: Oct. 29, 2012
> Fatalities: 43
> Other event considered: Hurricane Connie-1955
Source: Ralph Crane / Getty Images
31. New Mexico
> Natural disaster: Blizzard
> Date: Dec. 14, 1967
> Fatalities: 51
> Other event considered: Cero Grande Fire-2000
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Source: Library of Congress
32. New York
> Natural disaster: Great Blizzard of 1888
> Date: March 12-14, 1888
> Fatalities: 200
> Other event considered: Superstorm Sandy-2012
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Source: Fema / Getty Images
33. North Carolina
> Natural disaster: Hurricane Floyd
> Date: Sept. 16, 1999
> Fatalities: 26
> Other event considered: Hurricane Hazel-1954
Source: State Historical Society of North Dakota, 11063-233
34. North Dakota
> Natural disaster: Schoolhouse Blizzard
> Date: Jan. 12, 1888
> Fatalities: 235
> Other event considered: Red River Flood-1997
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Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
35. Ohio
> Natural disaster: Great Ohio Flood
> Date: March 23-27, 1913
> Fatalities: 467
> Other event considered: Ohio River Flood-1937
Source: NOAA / City of Woodward
36. Oklahoma
> Natural disaster: Glazier-Higgins-Woodward tornadoes
> Date: April 9, 1947
> Fatalities: 113
> Other event considered: Tornado outbreak-1999
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Source: National Weather Service / Wikimedia Commons
37. Oregon
> Natural disaster: Heppner Flash Flood
> Date: June 2, 1903
> Fatalities: 247
> Other event considered: Vanport Flood-1948
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Source: Ernest Walter Histed / Wikimedia Commons
38. Pennsylvania
> Natural disaster: Johnstown Flood
> Date: May 31, 1889
> Fatalities: 2,209
> Other event considered: Flood-1996
Source: Archival Photography by Steve Nicklas, NOS, NGS / Wikimedia Commons
39. Rhode Island
> Natural disaster: Great New England Hurricane
> Date: Sept. 21, 1938
> Fatalities: 100
> Other event considered: Great Gale-1815
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Source: American Red Cross
40. South Carolina
> Natural disaster: Sea Islands Hurricane
> Date: Aug. 15, 1893
> Fatalities: 2,000+
> Other event considered: Charleston Earthquake-1886
Source: Fred Ross / Toronto Star via Getty Images
41. South Dakota
> Natural disaster: Black Hills Flood
> Date: June 9-10, 1972
> Fatalities: 238
> Other event considered: Schoolhouse Blizzard-1888
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Source: Courtesy of Tennessee State Library and archives
42. Tennessee
> Natural disaster: Southern United States Tornado Outbreak
> Date: March 21-22, 1952
> Fatalities: 67
> Other event considered: Nashville Tornado-1933
24/7 Wall St.
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / Department of Commerce
43. Texas
> Natural disaster: Galveston Hurricane
> Date: Sept. 8, 1900
> Fatalities: 8,000
> Other event considered: Brazos River Flood-1899
Source: Utah State Historical Society
44. Utah
> Natural disaster: Bingham Canyon Avalanche
> Date: Feb. 17, 1926
> Fatalities: 36
> Other event considered: Flash flood-2015
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Source: Vermont Historical Society
45. Vermont
> Natural disaster: Great Vermont Flood
> Date: Nov. 2-4, 1927
> Fatalities: 84
> Other event considered: Great New England Hurricane-1938
Source: The Library of Virginia / Wikimedia Commons
46. Virginia
> Natural disaster: Hurricane Camille
> Date: Aug. 19, 1969
> Fatalities: 153
> Other event considered: Hurricane Isabel-2003
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Source: E.J. Frazier, Thompson, Montana / Wikimedia Commons
47. Washington
> Natural disaster: Wellington Avalanche
> Date: March 1, 1910
> Fatalities: 96
> Other event considered: Mount St. Helens Eruption-1980
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Source: Bettmann / Getty Images
48. West Virginia
> Natural disaster: Great Appalachian Storm
> Date: Nov. 24-30, 1950
> Fatalities: 160
> Other event considered: Tornado outbreak-1944
Source: Wikimedia Commons
49. Wisconsin
> Natural disaster: Peshtigo Fire
> Date: Oct. 8, 1871
> Fatalities: 1,500-2,500
> Other event considered: Barneveld tornadoes-1984
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Source: U.S. Forest Service / Wikimedia Commons
50. Wyoming
> Natural disaster: Blackwater Fire
> Date: Aug. 18, 1937
> Fatalities: 15
> Other event considered: Gros Ventre landslide-1925
Detailed Findings & Methodology
A look at natural disasters in each state offers a lesson in geography as well as climatology.
The majority of states along the Atlantic Coast have been slammed by a catastrophic hurricane, such as Sandy in 2012. Parts of states along the Mississippi River have been saturated by floods like the one that occurred in 1927. The Plains states, unprotected by mountain ranges, have borne the wrath of horrific snow storms such as the Schoolhouse Blizzard of 1888. The heavily forested sections of the western U.S. have been the sites of devastating wildfires, like the Big Burn in 1910. The far western states have been jolted by earthquakes, including the Good Friday Earthquake in Alaska in 1964. Hawaii has been rocked by recent volcanic eruptions.
Texas, California, and Florida are the most populous U.S. states, and all three have extensive coastlines, making them vulnerable to hurricanes, storm surge, and flooding.
No state has fallen victim to more kinds of natural cataclysms than Texas, which has been ravaged by hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. The city of Galveston holds the dubious distinction as the site of the worst natural disaster in U.S. history, when a hurricane left 8,000 people dead in 1900. Killer tornadoes claimed 114 lives in Waco in 1953, the worst such outbreak in state history. The Brazos River has flooded many times, with sometimes deadly results, such as the 1899 flood that killed 284 people.
California has been pummeled by numerous earthquakes. The most infamous of them was the 1906 temblor that destroyed much of San Francisco and killed about 3,000 people. Other kinds of natural events have roiled the state as well, such as flooding that inundated Los Angeles in 1938 and convinced government officials to rethink the development of the city. Wildfires and mudslides have contributed to tragedies in California as well.
Major storms have taken the lives of hundreds of people in Florida over the years, including the Lake Okeechobee Hurricane in 1928 that claimed more than 2,500 people. Tornadoes — the U.S. has more of them than any other country — also have been a tragic fact of life in Florida, such as the outbreak in 1998 that killed 25 people.
People have learned from natural disasters. Technologies such as satellite imaging and early-warning systems, better architectural and engineering designs for buildings, and the use of geospatial data have helped limit the loss of life and property. The public’s reaction to the tragic events on this list eventually led to the improvement of safety codes and infrastructure.
Even so, recent events such as hurricanes Katrina and Harvey serve as cautionary tales of the power and unpredictability of nature.
Few could have foreseen the devastation wrought by the recent eruption of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii. As of this writing, there have been no fatalities resulting from the event.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed natural disasters in each state and determined the worst event by the number of fatalities. For this list we considered disasters caused by a naturally occurring event — tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, floods, ice storms, heat waves, avalanches, and volcanic eruptions. 24/7 Wall St. used government sources such as the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the United States Geological Survey as well as media reports about these events to create the list of the worst natural disaster in every state.
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