The Deadliest Natural Disaster to Ever Strike Your State

Natural disasters affect every part of the United States, but the types of events and their severity vary widely depending on geography. Coastal states often face hurricanes, while others are more vulnerable to earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, or wildfires. Some disasters leave only limited damage, while others reshape communities and cause devastating loss of life.

In this slideshow, 24/7 Tempo looks at the deadliest natural disaster ever recorded in each state. The difference between states can be dramatic. For example, the 1900 Galveston hurricane in Texas remains one of the deadliest disasters in U.S. history, killing an estimated 8,000 people. In contrast, Maine's deadliest disaster was an ice storm that caused far fewer fatalities.

To identify these events, 24/7 Tempo reviewed historical data from government sources including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Weather Service, and the United States Geological Survey. Disasters were selected based on the event in each state that resulted in the highest number of deaths.

Here are the deadliest natural disasters ever recorded in each state.

Here is the worst natural disaster in each state:

• Natural disaster: Deep South Tornado Outbreak
• Date: March 21, 1932
• Fatalities: 286
• Other events considered: Killer tornadoes of 1920, 1980 Heat Wave

• Natural disaster: Good Friday Earthquake
• Date: March 27, 1964
• Fatalities: 131
• Other events considered: Chilkoot Trail "Palm Sunday" Avalanche of 1898, 1967 Fairbanks Flood

• Natural disaster: Tropical Storm Norma
• Date: Sept. 4-5, 1970
• Fatalities: 23
• Other events considered: Tropical Storm Norma (1970),Yarnell Hill Fire (2013)

• Natural disaster: Mississippi River Flood
• Date: May-August 1927
• Fatalities: 127
• Other events considered: Albert Pike Flash Floods (2010), Flood of 1978

• Natural disaster: San Francisco Earthquake
• Date: April 18, 1906
• Fatalities: 3,000
• Other events considered: Crescenta Valley Flood (1933-34),Los Angeles Flood (1938)

• Natural disaster: Big Thompson Canyon Flood
• Date: July 31, 1976
• Fatalities: 144
• Other events considered: Denver Flood (1965)

• Natural disaster: Great New England Hurricane
• Date: September 21, 1938
• Fatalities: 85
• Other events considered: Great Flood (1955)

• Natural disaster: Gale of '78
• Date: October 23, 1878
• Fatalities: 100
• Other events considered: Mid-Atlantic Flood (2006)

• Natural disaster: Lake Okeechobee Hurricane
• Date: September 6-20, 1928
• Fatalities: 2,500-3,000
• Other events considered: Labor Day Hurricane (1935)

• Natural disaster: Sea Islands Hurricane
• Date: August 15, 1893
• Fatalities: 2,000+
• Other events considered: Atlanta Flood (2009)

• Natural disaster: Aleutian Islands Earthquake/Tsunami
• Date: April 1, 1946
• Fatalities: 159
• Other events considered: Maui Wildfires (2023),Hurricane Iniki (1992)

• Natural disaster: The Big Burn of 1910
• Date: August 20-21, 1910
• Fatalities: 87
• Other events considered: Borah Earthquake (1983)

• Natural disaster: Chicago Heat Wave
• Date: July 13-15, 1995
• Fatalities: 750
• Other events considered: Tri-State Tornado (1925)

• Natural disaster: The Great Flood of 1913
• Date: March 1913
• Fatalities: 100
• Other events considered: Tri-State Tornadoes (1925)

• Natural disaster: The Armistice Day Blizzard
• Date: November 11, 1940
• Fatalities: 154
• Other events considered: Great Flood (1993)

• Natural disaster: Great Plains Tornado Outbreak
• Date: May 25-26, 1955
• Fatalities: 80
• Other events considered: Great Flood (1951)

• Natural disaster: Louisville Cyclone
• Date: March 27, 1890
• Fatalities: 100
• Other events considered: Ice and snowstorm (2009)

• Natural disaster: Hurricane Katrina
• Date: August 23-31, 2005
• Fatalities: 1,577
• Other events considered: Cheniere Caminada Hurricane (1893)

• Natural disaster: Ice Storm of '98
• Date: January 4, 1998
• Fatalities: 8
• Other events considered: Great Flood (1987)

• Natural disaster: Lightning strike leading to Pan American jet crash
• Date: December 8, 1963
• Fatalities: 81
• Other events considered: Rainstorm and Flood (1971)

• Natural disaster: Worcester Tornado
• Date: June 9, 1953
• Fatalities: 90
• Other events considered: Great New England Hurricane (1938)

• Natural disaster: Great Michigan Fire
• Date: September 5, 1881
• Fatalities: 282
• Other events considered: Flint Tornadoes (1953)

• Natural disaster: Cloquet Fire
• Date: October 12, 1918
• Fatalities: 450
• Other events considered: Twin Cities Tornadoes (1965)

• Natural disaster: Hurricane Katrina
• Date: August 23-31, 2005
• Fatalities: 238
• Other events considered: Mississippi River Flood (1927)

• Natural disaster: Joplin Tornado
• Date: May 22, 2011
• Fatalities: 158
• Other events considered: Great Flood (1951)

• Natural disaster: The Big Burn of 1910
• Date: August 20-21, 1910
• Fatalities: 87
• Other events considered: Flood (1964)

• Natural disaster: Schoolhouse Blizzard
• Date: January 12, 1888
• Fatalities: 100
• Other events considered: Blizzard (1949)

• Natural disaster: Heat wave
• Date: July 14-23, 2005
• Fatalities: 17
• Other events considered: Flash Flood (1974)

• Natural disaster: Great New England Hurricane
• Date: September 21, 1938
• Fatalities: 13
• Other events considered: Heat wave (1911)

• Natural disaster: Superstorm Sandy
• Date: October 29, 2012
• Fatalities: 43
• Other events considered: Hurricane Connie (1955)

• Natural disaster: Blizzard
• Date: December 14, 1967
• Fatalities: 51
• Other events considered: Cero Grande Fire (2000)

• Natural disaster: Great Blizzard of 1888
• Date: March 12-14, 1888
• Fatalities: 200
• Other events considered: Superstorm Sandy (2012)

• Natural disaster: Hurricane Floyd
• Date: September 16, 1999
• Fatalities: 26
• Other events considered: Hurricane Hazel (1954)

• Natural disaster: Schoolhouse Blizzard
• Date: January 12, 1888
• Fatalities: 235
• Other events considered: Red River Flood (1997)

• Natural disaster: Great Ohio Flood
• Date: March 23-27, 1913
• Fatalities: 467
• Other events considered: Ohio River Flood (1937)

• Natural disaster: Glazier-Higgins-Woodward Tornadoes
• Date: April 4, 1947
• Fatalities: 113
• Other events considered: Tornado Outbreak (1999)

• Natural disaster: Heppner Flash Flood
• Date: June 2, 1903
• Fatalities: 247
• Other events considered: Vanport Flood (1948)

• Natural disaster: Johnstown Flood
• Date: May 31, 1889
• Fatalities: 2,209
• Other events considered: Flood (1996)

• Natural disaster: Great New England Hurricane
• Date: September 21, 1938
• Fatalities: 100
• Other events considered: Great Gale (1815)

• Natural disaster: Sea Islands Hurricane
• Date: August 15, 1893
• Fatalities: 2,000+
• Other events considered: Charleston Earthquake (1886)

• Natural disaster: Black Hills Flood
• Date: June 9-10, 1972
• Fatalities: 238
• Other events considered: Schoolhouse Blizzard (1888)

• Natural disaster: Southern United States Tornado Outbreak
• Date: March 21-22, 1952
• Fatalities: 67
• Other events considered: Nashville Tornado (1933)

• Natural disaster: Galveston Hurricane
• Date: September 8, 1900
• Fatalities: 8,000
• Other events considered: Brazos River Flood (1899)

• Natural disaster: Bingham Canyon Avalanche
• Date: February 17, 1926
• Fatalities: 36
• Other events considered: Flash Flood (2015)

• Natural disaster: Great Vermont Flood
• Date: November 2-4, 1927
• Fatalities: 84
• Other events considered: Great New England Hurricane (1938)

• Natural disaster: Hurricane Camille
• Date: August 19, 1969
• Fatalities: 153
• Other events considered: Hurricane Isabel (2003)

• Natural disaster: Wellington Avalanche
• Date: March 1, 1910
• Fatalities: 96
• Other events considered: Mount St. Helens Eruption (1980)

• Natural disaster: Great Appalachian Storm
• Date: November 24-30, 1950
• Fatalities: 160
• Other events considered: Tornado outbreak (1944)

• Natural disaster: Peshtigo Fire
• Date: October 8, 1871
• Fatalities: 1,500-2,500
• Other events considered: Barneveld Tornadoes (1984)

• Natural disaster: Blackwater Fire
• Date: August 18, 1937
• Fatalities: 15
• Other events considered: Gros Ventre Landslide (1925)