Disasters
Lists of US and international disasters, with brief descriptions in 19 categories (Emergency Disaster Management Inc)

United States  Disasters
Excellent links (DMOZ Open Directory Project)

Natural Disasters
General information about disasters (Think Quest)

Worst Disasters
Student oriented pages (Information Please)
  .
Disasters
Hundreds of links to disaster pages (Yahoo)

Disasters.com
An eclectic collection of links to all sorts of disasters, but not all work (WebMagic)

Disaster Center
Eclectic site with some useful links (Chip Groat individual site)

Federal Emergency Management Agency
Official site

Disaster Relief
From the American Red Cross and CNN

Epidemics

Epidemics in the US, 1628-1918
A simple list of epidemics (Spencer County [Ky] Genealogical Society)
 

Yellow Fever

A Short History of Yellow Fever in the US
Introduction with useful links (Bob Arnbeck at Geocities)

1793, Philadelphia 
More than 4,000 died

Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793
Short description and bibliography (University of Pennsylvania)

Yellow Fever Epidemic 1793
Introduction with further links (PBS)

1853, New Orleans
7,790 died

1867, New Orleans
3,093 died

1873, US South

1878, Mississippi Valley
Over 13,000 died 
 

Cholera

1832 July—October, Nationwide
More than 7,000 people died 

Cholera Epidemic of 1832 in Buffalo, NY
Article with a few links (Stephen R. Powell in The Buffalonian)

1832 Cholera Epidemic in New York State
Article with footnotes on cholera in New York (G William Beardslee in Archiving Early America)

1849, Summer, Mississippi Valley
More than 5,000 deaths
 

Polio

1916, Nationwide
Over 7,000 deaths and 27,363 cases 

1949-1952, Nationwide
More than 6,000 died (mostly children) and 100,000 cases reported 
 

Influenza

1918 March–Nov., Nationwide 
More than 500,000 died in the US

Influenza Pandemic of 1918
General introduction with short bibliography (Molly Billings, Stanford University)

Influenza 1918
Based on a PBS film, with additional information and links (PBS)

Forgotten Killer
Introductory essay with short bibliography (Lindsay Redican, Haverford College)
 

Foot and Mouth Disease

1924, Southwestern US
 

Earthquakes

The Tsunami Page
General resources on tsunamis world-wide

15 Largest  Earthquakes in the United States
Links to specific events and other National Earthquake Information Center sites (US Geological Survey)

St  Louis University Earthquake Center
Links to general US earthquake information (St Louis University)

Southern California Earthquakes
Map and links to more than 50 major earthquakes in the Los Angeles area (Southern California Earthquake Center)

1727 Oct. 29, New England 

Frightening Earthquake Hits New England
Brief description (Colonial Gazette)

1755 Nov. 18, New England
Great shocks felt from Nova Scotia to the West Indies; some damage to masonry structures in New England, but no lives lost.

1811-1812, Central Mississippi Valley, New Madrid Earthquakes
It has been estimated that three of the earthquakes had magnitudes of 8.6, 8.4, and 8.8 on the Richter scale. They were the most intense series of earthquakes known to have occurred  in North America. Rising land reversed the course of the Mississippi River. Fatalities are unknown due to sparse population in the affected area. Aftershocks and tremors continued into 1812. 

The Great New Madrid Earthquake
Lots of links, including first-hand accounts (Virtual Times)

New Madrid Earthquake 1812
Excellent links (Ontalink)

"Whole Lotta Shain' Goin' On"
Excellent sites and links (US Geological Survey)

Mississippi Valley Earthquakes of 1811 and 1812
Good introduction with links (National Earthquake Information Center, US Geological Survey)

1857 Jan. 9, Fort Tejon (Los Angeles), California
Lasted four minutes along San Andreas fault

Fort Tejon, California, 1857 January 9 
Good introduction with some links (National Earthquake Information Center, US Geological Survey)

Great 1857 "Fort Tejon" Earthquake: Shake, Rattle, and Roll!
Introductory article with a few links (Aaron Meltzner, California Institute of Technology)

1868 Oct. 21, Hayward (San Francisco), California
Main shock at 7:53 AM along Hayward fault, another at 9:33 AM and several aftershocks through the day; many buildings wrecked, 30 killed; extensive subsidence up to several feet, fissures opened

1872 March 26, Owens Valley, California
7-meter scarp formed, adobe houses wrecked, 27 killed at Lone Pine

1886 Aug. 31, Charleston, South Carolina
Main shock estimated at 7.7 on the Richter scale at 9:51 PM lasted more than 30 seconds; seven after shocks, including an eighth nearly as great as initial one; 60 persons killed, most structures extensively damaged; extensive craters, fissures to 1 meter wide, sand ejections covering acres; 

Charleston, South Carolina 1886 September 01
Good introduction with some links (National Earthquake Information Center, US Geological Survey)

1886 Charleston, South Carolina, Earthquake
Lots of photographs (Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, St Louis University)

1906 April 18, San Francisco
8.2 magnitude Earthquake accompanied by fire razed more than 4 square miles; more than 500 dead or missing.

Great 1906 Earthquake and Fire
Excellent site with many newspaper articles and photographs (Museum of the City of San Francisco) 

San Francisco Earthquake, 1906
Useful introduction (IBIS Communications)

1933 March 10, Long Beach, California
6.2 magnitude quake left 117 dead, extensive damage

Long Beach Earthquake of 1933
Technical introduction with bibliography (National Information Service for Earthquake, University of California, Berkeley)

1946 April 1, Tsunami, Hawaii
an earthquake in the Aleutian Islands generated tsunami waves 12 meters high as they struck the Hawaiian  Islands; at Hilo, a series of wave as high as 8 meters caused extensive damage and killed 159

1952 July 21, Bakersfield, California
7.7 magnitude; extensive damage; second in intensity to 1906 quake

1964 March 27, Prince William Sound (Anchorage), Alaska
8.4 magnitude quake (strongest ever to strike North America) centered 80 miles east of Anchorage; severe land slides and slumps; shorelines rose as much 10 meters in places; generated a tsunami that struck California coast and elsewhere; 117 killed

1964 March 27, Tsunami, Crescent City, California
Wave generated by the Alaska earthquake smashed through 56 blocks of the city and killed 38; total of 131 lives lost attributed to the tsunami along the West Coast; in San Francisco Bay, Texaco refinery tanks exploded, but no damage to the city

1971 Feb. 9, San Fernando Valley (Los Angles): California
6.6 magnitude, 65 killed

1989 Oct. 17, Loma Prieta (San Francisco), California
7.1 magnitude quake killed 67 and injured over 3,000; over 100,000 buildings damaged or destroyed; damage in the billions of dollars

The October 17, 1989 Loma Prieta  Earthquake
Comprehensive information, heavy on the technical (EQE Engineering Inc)

The October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta, California, Earthquake
Photographs from the US Geological Survey

1992 June 28, Landers/Big Bear, California
7.5 magnitude quake centered near Landers and 6.5 magnitude quake at Big Bear three hours later; 1 death in relatively sparsely populated San Bernardino County; $100-million in damage to homes, roads, public buildings; largest since 1952, second largest since 1906

The Landers and Big Bear Earthquakes of June 28, 1992
Comprehensive information, heavy on the technical (EQE Engineering Inc)

1994 Jan. 17, Northridge (Los Angeles), California
6.8 magnitude quake along a blind thrust; left 61 dead, extensive damage to buildings and freeways

USGS Response to an Urban Earthquake Northridge ’94
Comprehensive report from US Geological Survey 

Jan. 17, 1994, Northridge CA Earthquake
Comprehensive site from private EQE International
 

Volcanoes 

1980 May 18, Washington State, Mt. St. Helens volcano
Eruptions May 18, 25, June 12 killed 60 and caused $3-billion damage

Mt. St. Helens
Lots of information, photos, links (Volcano World at the University of North Dakota)
 

Weather (General)

Weather, Water, and Climate News
Extreme world-wide weather information and stories (NOAA)
 

Floods

1884 February, Ohio River

1889 May 31, Johnstown, Penn.
Flood wave resulting the collapse of a dam destroyed the city and left more than 2,200 dead.

Johnstown Flood Museum
Excellent site (Johnstown Flood Museum)

1913 March-April, Ohio River
454 dead

1927 March-April, Mississippi River
Mississippi River widened to 80 miles across, 600,000 homeless, 246 died

1928 March 12, Santa Paula, Calif.
Collapse of St. Francis Dam left 450 dead.

1937 January-February, Ohio River

1969 Jan. 18–26, southern California
Mudslides from heavy rains caused widespread property damage; at least 100 dead; another downpour (Feb. 23–26) caused further floods and mudslides; at least 18 dead.

1972 Feb. 26, Buffalo Creek, W.Va.
More than 118 died when slag-pile dam collapsed under pressure of torrential rains 

1972 June 9–10, Rapid City, S.D.
Flash flood caused 237 deaths and $160 million in damage. 

1976 Aug. 1, Loveland, Colo.
Flash flood along Route 34 in Big Thompson Canyon left 139 dead.

1993 June–Aug., Mississippi River
Two months of heavy rain caused Mississippi River and tributaries to flood; almost 50 deaths and about $12 billion in damage from the Dakotas to Illinois; almost 70,000 left homeless.

1997 Dec. 1996–Jan. 1997, West Coast
Torrential rains and snow melt produced severe floods throughout the West, causing 36 deaths and about $2–3 billion in damage. 

1997 March, Ohio and Mississippi valleys
Flooding and tornadoes plagued Arkansas to West Virginia, 67 killed and damage totaled approximately $1 billion.

1997 April, Red River
Grand Forks, N.D., and surrounding area devastated as the Red River swelled 13 ft above flood level.
 

Hurricanes
(Damages are given in 1998 dollars, except where noted.)

National Hurricane Center
Starting point for a wide variety of historical and current information about hurricanes (NOAA)

Hurricane History
Comprehensive introductions to notable storms with photographs, maps, and other features (National Weather Service, Corpus Christi)

United States Hurricanes
Introduction to hurricanes with separate pages on notable storms (Tidal Wave Productions)

1776 Sept. 2–Sept. 9, North Carolina to Nova Scotia, “Hurricane of Independence” 
About 4,170 died in the U.S. and Canada

1856 Aug. 11, Last Island, La.
400 died

1893 Aug. 28, Georgia and South Carolina coasts
At least 1,000 died

1900 Sept. 8, Galveston, Tex., “Galveston Hurricane”
Estimated 6,000–8,000 died in hurricane and tidal surge

The 1900 Storm
Excellent site with some primary sources (Galveston County Daily News)

Worst Natural Disaster in US History
Probably not the worst, but a useful introduction, no links (Ronald Fields individual site)

The 1900 Galveston Hurricane
Illustrated introduction with useful links (Chip Groat, Disaster Center individual site)

1909 Sept. 10–21, Louisiana and Mississippi
350 deaths

1915 Aug. 5–23, Galveston, Texas and New Orleans, La.
275 killed

1919 Sept. 2–15, Florida Keys, Louisiana, and southern Texas
More than 600 killed, mostly lost on ships at sea

1926 Sept. 11–22, Southeast Florida and Alabama
243 deaths; damages estimated at nearly $84 billion (in 1998 dollars): making it the costliest US hurricane

1928 Sept. 6–20, Lake Okeechobee, southeast Florida
1,836 deaths; second-deadliest U.S. hurricane

Lake Okeechobee Hurricane Pictures
Nice collection of before-and-after photographs from a private site

1935 Aug. 29–Sept. 10, Florida Keys, “Labor Day Hurricane”
200 mph winds; 408 deaths

1938 Sept. 10–22, Long Island and southern New England, “New England Hurricane”
600 deaths, extensive damage

Long Island Express
Extensive description (Scott Mandia, SUNY-Suffolk)

1938 Hurricane Left Mark on New England
Short introduction with selected links (USA Today)

1944 Sept. 9–16, North Carolina to New England
390 deaths, 344 of which were at sea.

1947 Sept. 4–21, Southeast Florida to Louisiana
51 killed

1954 Aug. 25–31, North Carolina to New England, “Carol”
Killed 60 in Long Island–New England area

1954 Oct. 5–18, South Carolina to New York, “Hazel” 
Killed 95 in U.S.

1955 Aug. 7–21, North Carolina to New England, “Diane”
Took 184 lives

1957 June 25–28, southwest Louisiana to northern Texas, “Audrey”
Wiped out Cameron, La., causing 390 deaths

1960 Aug. 29–Sept. 13, Florida to New England, “Donna” 
Killed 50

1961 Sept. 3–15, Texas coast, “Carla”
Devastated Texas Gulf cities, taking 46 lives.

1965 Aug. 27–Sept. 12, southern Florida and Louisiana, “Betsy”
Killed 75 people and cost more than $14 billion

1969 Aug. 14–22, Mississippi to West Virginia, “Camille”
256 killed; damages estimated at nearly $13 billion.

1972 June 14–23, Northwest Florida to New York, “Agnes” 
Caused 117 deaths (50 in Pa.). Damages estimated at $3.1 billion (over $12 billion in 1998 dollars)

1979 Aug. 29–Sept. 15, Alabama and Mississippi, “Frederic” 
Devastated Mobile, Ala., and caused $7.2 billion in damage overall 

1980 Aug. 3–10, Texas Gulf,  “Allen”
Killed 28 in U.S.

1983 Aug. 15–21, Galveston and Houston, Texas,  “Alicia” 
Caused 21 deaths and $2 billion (actual cost) in damages

1985 Oct. 6–Nov. 1: Southeastern states, “Juan” 
Caused severe flooding and $1.5 billion (actual cost) in damages; 63 lives were lost

1989 Sept. 10–22, South Carolina and North Carolina, “Hugo” 
Claimed 86 lives (57 U.S. mainland). With damages estimated at over $9 billion (actual cost; $12.6 billion 1998 dollars), it was one of the most costly U.S. hurricanes

1991 Oct. 29-Nov. 3, New England Coast, The Perfect Storm
A huge storm of hurricane intensity (although it did not originate as a tropical depression) with 70 mph sustained winds and seas approaching 100 feet caused widespread damage to fishing boats, shipping, and coastal areas

The Perfect Storm
Overview, description and satellite photographs from NOAA.

1992 Aug. 22–26, Southern Florida and Louisiana, “Andrew”
Winds peaked 145 mph; left 26 dead and more than 100,000 homes destroyed or damaged; total U.S. damages estimated at $38.3 billion, making it the second-most costly hurricane in U.S. history

1994 Nov. 8–21, Southern Florida, “Gordon” 
8 deaths in Fla.; total estimated U.S. damage nearly $400 million (actual cost)

1995 Nov. 29, Florida panhandle and Alabama, “Opal” 
Storm surge caused extensive damage to coastal areas. In U.S. death toll reached nine and damages more than $3 billion

1996 Sept. 5, North Carolina and Virginia, “Fran” 
Took 37 lives and caused more than $3.5 billion in damage

1999 Sept. 14–18, East Coast, “Floyd” 
Associated flooding caused at least 57 deaths; hardest-hit N.C. suffered 35 deaths; damage estimated at $4.5 billion (actual cost)

Tornadoes

1840 May 6, Natchez, Miss.
Tornado struck heart of the city, killing 317 and injuring over 1,000

1880 April 18, Marshfield, Mo.
Series of 24 tornadoes demolished city, killing 99 people

1884 Feb. 19, Mississippi to North Carolina, Tennessee to Indiana
Series of 60 tornadoes caused estimated 800 deaths

1890 March 27, Louisville, Ky.
76 deaths

1896 May 27, Eastern Missouri and southern Illinois
Series of 18 tornadoes; one tornado destroyed large section of St. Louis, Mo., killing 255

1899 June 12, New Richmond, Wis. 
Tornado struck while circus was in town, causing 117 deaths

1902 May 18, Goliad, Tex.
Killed 114

1903 June 1, Gainesville and Holland, Ga.
98 deaths

1905 May 10, Snyder, Okla.
Killed 97

1908 April 24–25, Louisiana to Georgia 
18 tornadoes resulted in 310 deaths (143 of these caused by one tornado that moved from Amite, La., to Purvis, Miss.)

1908 April 24, Natchez, Miss.
91 deaths

1913 March 23, Eastern Nebraska to western Iowa
Easter Sunday, 8 tornadoes resulted in 181 deaths (94 in Omaha, Nebr.)

1917 May 26, Mattoon, Ill.
101 deaths

1920 April 20, Starkville, Miss. and Waco, Ala.
88 killed

1924 June 28, Lorain and Sandusky, Ohio
85 deaths

1925 March 18, Missouri to Indiana, “Tri-State Tornado” 
Most violent single tornado in U.S. history; it caused 689 deaths and injured over 2,000; property damage estimated at $16.5 million

1927 May 9, Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Killed 98

1927 Sept. 29, St. Louis, Mo.
A five-minute tornado ripped through the city and caused 79 deaths

1932 March 21–22, Mississippi to Georgia, Tennessee 
Outbreak of 33 tornadoes killed 334 (268 in Alabama)

1936 April 5–6, Mississippi to Georgia
Series of 17 tornadoes killed 216 in Tupelo, Miss., and 203 in Gainesville, Ga.

1944 June 23, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland
4 tornadoes caused 153 deaths

1947 April 9, Woodward, Okla.
Tornado demolished town, killing 181

1952 March 21–22, Arkansas and Tennessee 
28 tornadoes caused 204 deaths

1953 May 11, Waco, Texas
A single tornado struck, killing 114

1953 June 8, Flint, Mich.
Killed 116

1953 June 9, Worcester, Mass.
A tornado struck the central part of the state, causing 90 deaths

2008 Feb. 7, Upper South
An outbreak of 67 tornadoes did considerable damage in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, and Kentucky. At least 58 people died.

Tornado of 1953
Brief introduction with eye witness accounts (Worcester, Mass.)

1955 May 25, Udall, Kansas
Killed 80

1965 April 11–12, Iowa to Ohio
256 deaths

1967 April 21, Iowa to southern Michigan
Series of 52 tornadoes caused 58 deaths

1971 Feb. 21, Louisiana to Tennessee 
Series of 10 tornadoes resulted in 121 deaths

1974 April 3–4, Eastern U.S., “Super Tornado Outbreak” 
Series of 148 tornadoes struck 13 states; 330 died and 5,484 were injured in a damage path covering more than 2,500 miles, worst tornado outbreak in U.S. history

1979 April 10, Northern Texas to southern Oklahoma
11 tornadoes caused 59 deaths

1984 March 28, North Carolina and South Carolina 
22 tornadoes caused 57 deaths

1985 May 31, Pennsylvania and Ohio: 
27 tornadoes resulted in 75 deaths; damages estimated at $450 million

1992 Nov. 21–23, Southeast Texas to Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley
94 tornadoes caused 26 deaths, $291 million in damage

1997 May 27, Jarrell, Texas
Multiple tornadoes, including one particularly strong one that devastated the town of Jarrell, caused 29 deaths and an estimated $20 million in damage

1999 Jan. 17–22, Tennessee and Arkansas 
A series of tornadoes left 17 dead; damages were estimated at $1.3 billion

1999 May 3, Oklahoma and Kansas
Unusually large tornado, thought to have been a mile wide at times, killed 41 people and injured at least 748 others in Oklahoma; a separate tornado killed another 5 and injured about 150 in Kansas; damages totaled at least $1 billion
 

Blizzards

1888 Jan. 12: Northern Great Plains, “School Children's Blizzard” 
Resulted in 235 deaths, many of which were children on their way home from school

1888 March 11–14, East Coast, “Blizzard of 1888” 
Resulted in 400 deaths and as much as 5 ft of snow; damage was estimated at $20 million.

1949 Jan. 1-Feb. 22, Western Plains 
Series of winter storms between Jan. 1 and Feb. 22,  left 1 to 3 feet of snow across the western Plains with winds of up to 72 mph created drifts as high as 30 feet; tens of thousands of cattle and sheep perished

1950 Nov. 25–27, Eastern U.S., “Storm of the Century” 
Generated heavy snow and hurricane-force winds across 22 states and claimed 383 lives; damages estimated at $70 million

1977 Jan. 28–29, Buffalo, N.Y., “Blizzard of 1977” 
Dumped about 7 in. of new snow on top of 30–35 in. already on the ground; with winds gusting to 70 mph, drifts were as high as 30 feet; death toll reached 29

1978 Feb. 6–8, Eastern U.S., “Blizzard of 1978”
Battered the East Coast, particularly the Northeast; claimed 54 lives and caused $1 billion in damage; snowfall ranged from 2–4 ft in New England, plus nearly 2 ft of snow already on the ground from an earlier storm

1993 March 12–14, Eastern U.S., “Superstorm”
Paralyzed the eastern seaboard, causing the deaths of some 270 people; record snowfalls (with rates of 2–3 in. per hour) and high winds caused $3–6 billion in damage

1996 Jan. 6–8, Eastern U.S.
Heavy snow paralyzed the Appalachians, the mid-Atlantic, and the Northeast; 187 were killed in the blizzard and in the floods that resulted after a sudden warm-up; damages reached $3 billion
 

Other Weather Extremes

1816 May-September, “Year without a Summer”
Widespread cold throughout the United States, crops failed

Eighteen Hundred and Froze to Death
Brief chronological introduction (Keith C. Heidorn at Spectrum Educational Enterprise)

1911 July, Northeastern US, Heat Wave
Temperatures were over 100F early in the month and many died from heat shock and drowning while attempting to cool off.

1930-1940, Great Plains, “Dust Bowl” Drought
Worst period 1934-1936, especially in southern Plains

The Dust Bowl
Eclectic links to documents, photos, and songs (Library of Congress)

1995 July, Midwestern Heat Wave
739 Chicago residents died of heat exhaustion and related causes
 

Forest Fires

1871 Oct. 8–14, Peshtigo, Wisconsin
Over 1,200 lives lost and 1.2 million acres burned in nation's worst forest fire

The Great Peshtigo Fire
Brief introduction with some source links (John H. Leinard in Engines of Our Ingenuity)

Great Peshtigo Fire of 1871
Brief description (Boise State University)

1881 Sept. 5-8,  Eastern Michigan, "Thumb Fire"
Half a million acres burned and 138 people died; first major relief effort by the Red Cross

1894 Sept. 1, Hinckley, Minn.
Burned over 160,000 acres and destroyed six towns, killing 600, including 413 in town of Hinckley

1894 September, Wisconsin
Several million acres burned

1902 September, Yacoult, Washington and Oregon
More than 1-million acres burned, 38 lives lost

1903 April, Adirondack Mountains, New York
637,000 acres burned

1910 Aug. 20-21, Idaho and Montana, "Big Blowup"
  3 million acres of forests burned, 86 killed 

1918 Oct. 13–15, Cloquet, Minnesota and Wisconsin
1,000 died, including 400 in town of Cloquet, Minn.; about $1 million in losses

1947 Oct. 25–27, Bar Harbor, Maine
Destroyed part of Bar Harbor and damaged Acadia National Park

The Year Maine Burned
Short description (Acadia National Park)

1956 Nov. 25, Cleveland National Forest, California
Destroyed 40,000 acres in and caused 11 deaths

1987, Siege of 1987, California
640,000 acres of timber burned in Klamath and Stanislaus National Forests

1988 Aug.–Sept., Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Destroyed over 1.2 million acres

1988 June 25-Sept. 18, Canyon Creek, Montana
250,000 acres burned

Ecological Disasters

1978, Niagara Falls, New York, Love Canal
400 families ordered out of their homes after years of unusually high rates of cancer, miscarriages, birth defects and other problems linked to 20,000 tons of toxic chemicals buried during the 1940s and 1950s

Love Canal Collection
Comprehensive introduction and sources (University Archives, State University of New York at Buffalo)

1989 March 23, Prince William Sound, Alaska, Exxon Valdez oil spill 
Oil tanker ran aground, spilling more than 10-million gallons of petroleum and causing widespread ecological damage

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
Introduction with links to a variety of related ecological issues (NOAA)

Legacy of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
A series of retrospective articles from the Anchorage Daily News.

Urban Fires
.
1740 Nov. 18, Charleston
300 houses (about a third of the city) lost to fire

1835 Dec. 16-17, New York City
530 buildings destroyed 

1845 April 10, Pittsburgh
700 houses and 500 other buildings in a 50-acre area lost in a 5-hour fire
.
Downtown: The Great Fire
Contemporary newspaper account (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)

1849 May 17-18, St. Louis
400 buildings and 23 steamboats burned along a 15-block area facing the riverfront

1871 Oct. 8-9, Chicago
Burned 17,450 buildings and killed 250 persons; $200 million in damage

Great Chicago Fire and the Web of Memory
Excellent and extensive (Chicago Historical Society and Northwestern University)

A New Look at the Cause of the Great Chicago Fire
Discussion of one aspect of the fire with many links (Richard F. Bales, individual site)

1872 Nov. 9, Boston
Destroyed 800 buildings; $75 million in damage

1889 June 6, Seattle, Wash.
Destroyed 64 acres of the city and killed 2 persons; damage estimated at $15 million  

1904 Feb. 7, Baltimore, Md.
More than 1,500 buildings were destroyed; damages $150 million, but no lives lost  

1947 April 16–18, Texas City, Texas
Most of the city was destroyed by a fire and subsequent explosion on the French freighter Grandcamp, which was carrying a cargo of ammonium nitrate; at least 516 were killed and over 3,000 injured.

Texas City Disaster April 16 and 17, 1947
Illustrated introduction, but no further links (City of Texas City)

Texas City Explosion of 1947
Brief introductory article (David Perry on PageWise)

1991 Oct. 20–23, Oakland–Berkeley, Calif.
A firestorm raced up to 80 mph through a fashionable residential area in the hills above Oakland and Berkeley. It destroyed 3,471 homes, caused more than $1-billion in damages, and killed 25 persons.

Individual Fires and Explosions

1811 Dec. 26, Richmond, Va., Theater
Fire in the crowded theater killed 71

Richmond Theater Fire
Concise overview (Gynger Cook at the Clay Family Place Newsletter)

1903 Dec. 30, Chicago, Iroquois Theatre
Fire killed 602

1908 Jan. 13, Boyertown, Pa., Rhoads Opera House
 Fire killed 170 people who were attending church-sponsored stage performance

1908 March 4, Cleveland, Lakeview School
Fire killed 170 students and teachers

1930 April 21, Columbus, Ohio, Ohio State Penitentiary
Fire killed 320 convicts

1937 March 18, New London, Texas Junior-Senior High School 
Natural gas explosion destroyed schoolhouse, killing 294 

1942 Nov. 28, Boston, Mass., Coconut Grove nightclub
Fire killed 491

1944 July 6, Hartford, Conn., Ringling Brothers Circus
Fire and ensuing stampede in main tent of killed 168, injured 487

Hartford Circus Fire
Introductory hype for the book by Rick Davey and Don Massey (Willow Brook Press)

1946 Dec. 7, Atlanta, Winecoff Hotel
Fire killed 119

1958 Dec. 1, Chicago, Illinois, Our Lady of Angels school
90 students and 3 nuns died in fire

1977 May 28, Southgate, Ky., Beverly Hills Supper Club
Fire left 167 dead

Beverly Hills Tragedy
Comprehensive introduction (Cincinnati Post)

2003 Feb. 20, West Warwick, R.I., Station Nightclub fire
Fire killed 100, injured 200

Historical Mining Disasters
Includes a list of hundreds of US mining accidents in which 5 or more killed (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

1900 May 1, Scofield, Utah, Coal mine 
Explosion killed 200

1900 June 30, Hoboken, N.J., Harbor
Piers of North German Lloyd Steamship line burned; 326 dead

1907 Dec. 6, Monongha, W. Va.: Coal mine 
Explosion killed 361

1907 Dec. 19, Jacobs Creek, Pa.: Coal mine
Explosion left 239 dead

1909 Nov. 13, Cherry, Ill., Coal mine
Explosion killed 259

1911 March 25, New York City, Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
Fire killed 145, mostly young women

Triangle Fire
Excellent introduction, sources, photos (Kheel Center, Cornell University Library)

1913 Oct. 22, Dawson, N.M.: Coal mine 
Explosion killed 263

1917 April 10, Eddystone, Pa., Munitions plant 
Explosion killed 133

1944 July 17, Port Chicago, Calif., Ammunition ships 
Explosions killed 322

1944 Oct. 20, Cleveland,  Liquid-gas tanks 
Explosions killed 130 
 

Worst Transpiration Accidents
Does not include peacetime accidents involving military ship, aircraft, or other vehicles in which casualties were limited to military personnel. There have been ten commercial aircraft accidents during the 20th century in which at least 100 persons have died and many more accidents with fewer casualties. Several dozen train wrecks killed 20 or more people since 1876.

   Ships

1865 April 27, Memphis, Steamboat Sultana
Mississippi River steamboat blew up near Memphis, 1,450 dead (highest death toll for any ship accident in the US)

1904 June 15, New York, Excursion steamer General Slocum
Fire on board killed 1,031 of 1,350 passengers

General Slocum Disaster
Introductory essay (Bill Bleyer at Long Island History)

1915 July 24, Chicago, Steamer Eastland
Excursion boat capsized in the Chicago River, 812 dead 

1934 Sept. 8, New Jersey Coast, Morro Castle
US steamer burned off Asbury Park with 134 deaths, the second highest civilian death toll for a maritime accident in US waters during the 20th century.

   Railroads

1918 July 9, Nashville, Tenn., Train wreck
101 died (highest death total for any US railroad accident)

   Aircraft

1937 May 6, Lakehurst, N.J., Hindenburg
German zeppelin burned at mooring, 36 died

1944 Aug. 24, New York City, Empire State Building
US Air Force B-25 crashed into the Empire State Building, 14 dead

1960 Dec. 16, New York City, Aircraft collision
DC-8 and Super-Constellation collided over New York, 134 died

1979 May 25, Chicago, Airliner crash
DC-10 crashed after takeoff, 275 killed (highest death total for any US airline accident)

1996 July 17, Long Island, New York, Airliner crash
Boeing 747 mysteriously exploded in mid-air, 265 killed

2001 Nov. 12, New York City, Airliner crash
Airbus A-300 crashed soon after take off from JFK airport with 265 deaths

     Space

1986 June 28, Challenger Space Shuttle
Seven-member crew killed when Challenger exploded shortly after lift off

Engineering Failures

Bridge Disasters
Engineering aspects of bridge failures (Infrastructure Technology Institute, Northwestern University)

1940 Nov. 7, Washington, Tacoma Narrows Bridge
4-month old suspension bridge disintegrated in a wind

1967 Dec. 15, West Virginia-Ohio, Point Pleasant Bridge
Bridge collapsed, 46 died

1980 May 9, Tampa Florida, Sunshine Skyway
A freighter hit the Sunshine Skyway, resulting in 35 deaths

1981, Kansas City, Mo., Hyatt-Regency Hotel
Walkway fell, killing 114
 

Civil Disturbances (Riots)

1863 June 13-16, New York
At least 120 killed and $2-million in property damage during draft riots in New York City

1921 June 1, Tulsa, Okla. 

Tulsa Race Riot of 1921
Several useful links (Alfred Brophy, University of Alabama School of Law)

1943 June 21, Detroit and New York
Street rioting left 34 dead, 700 injured in Detroit; 6 dead in Harlem

1965 Aug. 11-16, Los Angeles
Rioting in the Watts neighborhood resulted in $200-million damages and 34 dead

1967 July 12-17, Newark, N.J.
Riots left 26 dead, 1,500 injured

1967 July 23-30, Detroit
Rioting and burning in African-American ghetto killed 40, injured 2,000, 5,000 homeless

1992 April 29, Los Angeles
Rioting left 52 dead, widespread arson damage in the South-Central district
 

Disasters in green affected New England and adjacent New York.