[Photos] Some Of The Worst Disasters In United States History
Disasters come in all shapes and forms — from natural disasters that strike like a bolt from the blue to incidents of intentional attacks. While human efforts can help curb the risk, the risk of disasters will always be with us.
These disasters contextualized and shaped the era in which they happened. While many of them are in the distant past, they left scars and ripple effects that are still being felt today.
Pearl Harbor Attack (1941)
A surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii killed 2,403 Americans and led to the United States entering World War II.
The attack lasted approximately 90 minutes and damaged or destroyed 19 U.S. Navy ships. Today, the Pearl Harbor Memorial sits on the site and honors those who were lost.
9/11 (2001)
The September 11th attacks, usually referred to as 9/11, were a series of coordinated attacks carried out by the extremist group al-Qaeda. Four planes were hijacked — two destroyed the World Trade Center towers, one was crashed into the Pentagon, and another crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
The event immediately made Osama Bin Laden the most wanted man in the world and launched the U.S. War on Terror. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks.
Galveston Hurricane (1900)
To this day, the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 is one of the deadliest disasters in U.S. history. The coastal city of Galveston, Texas had almost no warning before a devastating hurricane struck.
A massive storm surge submerged almost the entire city of Galveston. At the time, the city was one of the most prosperous and important areas on the Gulf Coast — but after the hurricane, its status was diminished significantly.
Loma Prieta Earthquake (1989)
The magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake struck California’s Central Coast along the notorious San Andreas Fault.
The quake triggered landslides and fires, collapsed expressways, and even threatened a stadium full of people for Game 3 of the 1989 World Series at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park. The disaster prompted California to implement stricter building codes moving forward.
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (1989)
The Exxon Valdez, a massive oil tanker, struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, which caused it to leak an unimaginable 10.8 million gallons of crude oil into the surrounding waterways.
Human error was blamed for the disaster, which covered about 1,300 miles of coastline with thick crude oil. The remote location of the spill made cleanup efforts especially challenging.
Johnstown Flood (1889)
Also known as the Great Flood of 1889, the Johnstown Flood is still one of the deadliest floods in U.S. history. After surging floodwaters caused the collapse of the South Fork Dam, millions of tons of water flooded the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
The floodwaters raced down the valley toward Johnstown at 40 miles per hour, obliterating everything in their path — including towns and villages along the way.
Great Fire of Peshtigo (1871)
Often overshadowed by the Great Chicago Fire (which occurred on the same day), the Great Peshtigo Fire (named for the northeastern Wisconsin town of Peshtigo) was fuelled by dry conditions and high winds.
Peshtigo was completely destroyed in just a few hours, causing the river and waterways in the town to boil. It’s one of the most intense wildfires ever observed in the United States.
Hurricane Katrina (2005)
One of the most devastating storms in U.S. history, Hurricane Katrina was exacerbated by broken levees which caused the low-lying city of New Orleans to flood.
Much of the city was submerged under 10 to 20 feet of water, which led to chaotic conditions in the wake of the disaster.
Hurricane Florence
Hurricane Florence had weakened to a Category 1 hurricane when it made landfall near Wilmington, North Carolina, but its slow-moving nature and heavy rainfall caused widespread devastation.
The storm affected the Carolinas in particular, with some areas reporting more than 40 inches of rain. This was a hurricane with relatively weak winds, but unimaginable amounts of rain.
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (2010)
An explosion on the BP-operated Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico killed 11 workers and caused the rig to sink. The larger catastrophe was the fact that it prompted the uncontrolled release of oil from a well 5,000 feet underwater.
Oil poured into the gulf at a rate of 60,000 barrels per day for 87 days. Eventually the well was plugged, but the impact of the spill is still being felt.
Hurricane Ian (2022)
Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that made landfall in Southwest Florida, led to heavy rains and a storm surge that caused heavy damage to the communities of Fort Myers and Naples.
Ian’s slow speed brought significant rainfall to many areas, and its path of destruction spanned an area from Florida up to North Carolina.
Hurricane Irma (2017)
One of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic, Hurricane Irma first caused massive devastation in the Caribbean before making landfall in Florida.
Irma brought destruction to the Florida Keys before making its way north and hitting the major cities of Miami, Tampa, and Jacksonville. Over 6.5 million people lost electricity.
Superstorm Sandy (2012)
Hurricane Sandy formed in the Caribbean, but after it lost its hurricane status it continued moving north and merged with a cold front, turning it into a hybrid storm.
Its storm surge impacted areas like New York, where the East River and Hudson River surged over their banks. It also flooded subway tunnels and effectively shut down the city.
Great Chicago Fire (1871)
The Great Chicago Fire burned for three days, destroying much of the city of Chicago. Legend has it that it was caused by a cow kicking over a lantern, but this is debatable.
A combination of strong winds, dry conditions, and wooden buildings turned Chicago into a tinderbox, and approximately 17,500 buildings were destroyed.
Hurricane Andrew (1992)
Hurricane Andrew, one of the most powerful hurricanes of the 20th century, made an impact on Homestead Florida, with sustained winds of 165 miles per hour reported as it made landfall.
Andrew caused significant destruction on the Miami metro area, with the city of Homestead seeing 80 to 90 percent of its buildings destroyed entirely.
Big Thompson Canyon Flood (1976)
A thunderstorm stalled over Big Thompson Canyon, Colorado, for several hours, which in turn caused a sudden and extreme flash flood to flow through the canyon.
A combination of significant rainfall (12 inches in just a few hours) with a narrow, steep canyon spelled disaster for those in the area. At least 144 people were killed in the flood, with damage extending into nearby towns.
Aleutian Islands Tsunami (1946)
A massive earthquake off the coast of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands triggered a powerful tsunami that affected areas up and down the Pacific coast, all the way to Hawaii.
Areas like Hilo on Hawaii’s Big Island and Waikiki Beach in Honolulu were devastated by the tsunami, which killed over 159 people in Hawaii.
San Francisco Earthquake (1906)
The epicenter of San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake was near the city, along the San Andreas Fault. Because the city was still lit with gas lamps, ruptured gas lines caused much of San Francisco to catch fire.
About 80 percent of San Francisco, including virtually its entire business district, was destroyed by the fires. The total cost of the disaster was estimated at $350 million, around $10 billion today.
Tornado Outbreak (2023)
A series of severe tornadoes hit the states of Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri over a few days in March of 2023.
Spurred by a powerful low-pressure system, the tornado outbreak spawned powerful EF3 and EF4 tornadoes. At least 60 separated tornadoes were reported, leaving a trail of damage in rural and suburban communities.
California Wildfires (2024-2025)
California is no stranger to wildfires, but the 2024-2025 wildfire season was particularly devastating. A series of wildfires in Los Angeles County in January of 2025 resulted in at least 28 deaths and the destruction of over 16,200 structures.
In all, more than 57,000 acres were burned, making these fires among the most destructive in California’s history.
