Natural disasters have become an integral part of human history, destroying civilizations and killing millions of people. Here are some of the biggest natural disasters that rocked the world in history. One of the deadliest natural disasters was the Shaanxi Earthquake that occurred in China in 1556. With a magnitude of around 8.0 on the Richter scale, this disaster destroyed cities and killed around 830,000 people. Landslides and building debris added to the death toll, making it the most powerful earthquake ever recorded. The tsunami in the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004 was another major natural disaster. Triggered by an undersea earthquake measuring 9.1 to 9.3, this tsunami hit countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. More than 230,000 lives were lost, making it one of the deadliest tsunamis in history. The great flood that hit China in 1931 is also noteworthy. With continuous rain and melting snow, these floods cause rivers to overflow. An estimated 1 to 4 million people lost their lives due to inundation, disease, and starvation. This flood was one of the worst natural disasters that changed river management policies in China. The earthquake and tsunami in Japan on March 11 2011 was a disaster that shocked the world. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake damaged infrastructure and triggered a 40 meter high tsunami that hit Japan’s east coast. Around 18,500 people were reported missing and this tragedy also caused the nuclear crisis in Fukushima, raising global concerns about the safety of nuclear energy. Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD in Italy, burying the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in volcanic ash. The eruption of this mountain is estimated to have killed around 16,000 people in a short time. The results of excavations at Pompeii provide an insight into the daily life of Roman society at that time. Another natural disaster is a tropical storm or hurricane. An example is Typhoon Haiyan which hit the Philippines in November 2013. With wind speeds reaching 315 km/h, Haiyan was one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded and caused economic losses of up to $14 billion, and killed more than 6,000 people. The bushfires in Australia in 2019-2020, known as the “Black Summer,” also demonstrated the huge impact of natural disasters. These fires not only destroy habitat and biodiversity, but also cause huge losses to the economy and public health. These disasters show how vulnerable humans are to the forces of nature. Even though through technology and science, humans can predict and mitigate the effects of natural disasters, threats remain. Learning from these disasters is critical to improving preparedness in the future.