Natural Disaster Data Book 2012 (An Analytical Overview)
Overview
The Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) Natural Disasters Data Book 2012 provides the statistical perspectives in figures and tables for 2012 as well as for the period 1983-2012 based on data obtained by EM-DAT. According to EM-DAT, 328 natural disasters occurred in 2012 worldwide, killing 10,783 people and affecting over 104 million people. The estimated amount of economic damage came close to US$142 billion.
In 2012, Typhoon Bopha which hit Philippines brought about largest death toll of the year, some 1,900 together with over 6 million people affected and nearly 1.7 billion USD in economic damage. On the other hand, a flood in China in July has largest 17 million people affected and another flood in December caused largest economic damage worth 8 billion USD.
By region, Asia is ranked the highest in the indices of disaster occurrences, number of people killed and affected. Asia accounts for 39.3 percent, occurrences; number of people killed, 55.9 percent; number of affected people, 69.2 percent; and amount of economic damage, 23.0 percent. As for economic damage, Americas amount to 61.1 percent of the total damage of the year.
By disaster types, floods has greatest impacts among all in terms of occurrence, number of people killed and affected, 36.9 percent, 31.6 percent and 58.6 percent, respectively while storm shares largest in economic damage, 52.8 percent. The indices in 2012 show a similar trend to the previous year. In all categories, hydro meteorological disasters such as flood, storm, and drought are dominant in all indices.
Data Book 2012 also contains tables of the 25 worst disasters by number of people killed and total affected people, economic damage, and their respective ratios to population and gross domestic product. It also includes tables of 2012 disasters in ADRC member and other Asian countries sorted by country and disaster type.
