According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), released via Reliefweb site, the following natural disaster statistics were recorded for FY2023;

• Overall losses from natural disasters: US$ 250bn; more than 74,000 fatalities
• Insured global losses of US$ 95bn close to five-year average (US$ 105bn) and above the ten-year average (US$ 90bn)
• Earthquake in Turkey and Syria was the year’s most devastating humanitarian disaster
• Thunderstorms in North America and Europe more destructive than ever before: overall losses of US$ 76bn; insured losses US$ 58bn
• 2023 was the hottest year ever, with a large number of regional records broken

OCHA further gathers from several sources that natural disasters worldwide during 2023 resulted in losses of around US$ 250bn (previous year US$ 250bn), with insured losses of US$ 95bn (previous year US$ 125bn). Overall losses tally with the five-year average, while insured losses were slightly below the average figure of US$ 105bn. Unlike in previous years, there were no mega-disasters in industrialised countries that drove losses up (such as Hurricane Ian in 2022, which caused overall losses of US$ 100bn and insured losses of US$ 60bn).

The number of deaths caused by natural disasters rose to 74,000 in 2023, well above the annual average of the last five years (10,000). After years of relative calm, a series of devastating earthquakes led to humanitarian disasters. Around 63,000 people (85% of the year’s total fatalities) lost their lives as a result of such geophysical hazards in 2023 – more than at any time since 2010. In contrast, economic losses from natural disasters were dominated by severe storms: 76% of overall losses were weather-related, while 24% had geophysical causes.

Geographical Overview

North America (with Central America/Caribbean)

North America once again recorded the highest losses worldwide, although this year its share of global losses was smaller than usual (40%; five-year average 57%). Natural disasters destroyed assets worth US$ 100bn, of which around US$ 67bn was insured. In spite of the large number of severe thunderstorms, the loss amount for all natural disasters was less than that of the previous year (overall losses US$ 160bn, with US$ 100bn insured).

Europe

Losses from natural disasters in Europe came to US$ 83bn (€77bn), largely due to the earthquake in Turkey. Insured losses came to around US$ 19bn (€18bn). In particular, storms in the Alpine region and in the Mediterranean area contributed to the record thunderstorm losses.

Asia-Pacific and Africa

In the Asia-Pacific and Africa region, the overall losses in 2023 of US$ 64bn were slightly lower than in the previous year (US$ 66bn). Approximately US$ 8bn of this amount was insured (previous year: US$ 11bn). Japan, a country highly exposed to natural hazards, was largely spared major damage in 2023.