List of deadliest floods
Updated: 5/20/2026, 7:34:13 PM Wikipedia source
This is a list of the deadliest floods worldwide, with a minimum of 60 deaths.
Tables
· List
1,000,000–2,000,000
1,000,000–2,000,000
Deaths
1,000,000–2,000,000
Event
1887 Yellow River flood
Location
China
Year
1887
422,000–2,000,000
422,000–2,000,000
Deaths
422,000–2,000,000
Event
1931 China floods
Location
China
Year
1931
470,000–500,000
470,000–500,000
Deaths
470,000–500,000
Event
1938 Yellow River flood
Location
China
Year
1938
300,000–500,000
300,000–500,000
Deaths
300,000–500,000
Event
1970 Bhola cyclone
Location
East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh)
Year
1970
145,000
145,000
Deaths
145,000
Event
1935 Yangtze flood
Location
China
Year
1935
100,000+
100,000+
Deaths
100,000+
Event
St. Felix's flood
Location
Netherlands
Year
1530
up to 100,000
up to 100,000
Deaths
up to 100,000
Event
The flood of 1099
Location
Netherlands, England
Year
1099
50,000–80,000
50,000–80,000
Deaths
50,000–80,000
Event
St. Lucia's flood, storm surge
Location
Holy Roman Empire
Year
1287
0 or 36,000 or 60,000
0 or 36,000 or 60,000
Deaths
0 or 36,000 or 60,000
Event
North sea flood, storm surge
Location
Holy Roman Empire
Year
1212
40,000
40,000
Deaths
40,000
Event
1949 Eastern Guatemalan floods
Location
Guatemala
Year
1949
25,000+
25,000+
Deaths
25,000+
Event
First St. Marcellus's flood, storm surge
Location
Holy Roman Empire
Year
1219
33,000
33,000
Deaths
33,000
Event
1954 Yangtze floods
Location
China
Year
1954
27,000–1,500,000
27,000–1,500,000
Deaths
27,000–1,500,000
Event
1974 Bangladesh flood due to monsoon rain
Location
Bangladesh
Year
1974
26,000–240,000
26,000–240,000
Deaths
26,000–240,000
Event
1975 Banqiao Dam failure and floods
Location
China
Year
1975
25,000–40,000
25,000–40,000
Deaths
25,000–40,000
Event
St. Marcellus's flood (Grote Mandrenke), storm tide
Location
Holy Roman Empire, Denmark
Year
1362
20,000–25,000
20,000–25,000
Deaths
20,000–25,000
Event
All Saints' Flood, storm surge
Location
Holy Roman Empire, Netherlands
Year
1570
20,000
20,000
Deaths
20,000
Event
1939 Tianjin flood
Location
China
Year
1939
15,000
15,000
Deaths
15,000
Event
1705 Po Valley flood
Location
Po Valley, Italy
Year
1705
14,000
14,000
Deaths
14,000
Event
Christmas flood, storm surge
Location
Netherlands, Germany, Denmark
Year
1717
11,498+
11,498+
Deaths
11,498+
Event
Storm Daniel
Location
Libya, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Egypt
Year
2023
10,000–100,000
10,000–100,000
Deaths
10,000–100,000
Event
St. Elizabeth's flood, storm surge
Location
Holy Roman Empire
Year
1421
10,000–30,000
10,000–30,000
Deaths
10,000–30,000
Event
1999 Vargas mudslide
Location
Venezuela
Year
1999
9,887–30,000
9,887–30,000
Deaths
9,887–30,000
Event
1999 Odisha cyclone, storm surge
Location
India (Odisha), Myanmar, Bangladesh
Year
1999
8,000–15,000
8,000–15,000
Deaths
8,000–15,000
Event
Burchardi flood
Location
Germany, Denmark
Year
1634
7,000
7,000
Deaths
7,000
Event
1557 Palermo flood
Location
Sicily
Year
1557
6,511
6,511
Deaths
6,511
Event
2020 South Asian floods
Location
Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Year
2020
6,200
6,200
Deaths
6,200
Event
Sichuan, Hubei, Anhui flood
Location
China
Year
1980
6,054
6,054
Deaths
6,054
Event
2013 North India floods
Location
India
Year
2013
6,000-12,000
6,000-12,000
Deaths
6,000-12,000
Event
1900 Galveston hurricane
Location
United States
Year
1900
5,154 (official)
5,154 (official)
Deaths
5,154 (official)
Event
1963 Great Hai River flood
Location
Hai River, China
Year
1963
5,000–10,000
5,000–10,000
Deaths
5,000–10,000
Event
Rajasthan flood
Location
India
Year
1943
5,000
5,000
Deaths
5,000
Event
Lake Palcacocha in the Cojup valley, Cordillera Blanca mountain range, landslide by massive avalanche
Location
Peru
Year
1941
4,892
4,892
Deaths
4,892
Event
1968 Rajasthan, Gujarat monsoon rain
Location
India
Year
1968
4,800
4,800
Deaths
4,800
Event
1951 Manchuria flood
Location
China
Year
1951
4,000
4,000
Deaths
4,000
Event
1610 Tanaro River flood
Location
Italy
Year
1610
3,838
3,838
Deaths
3,838
Event
1998 Eastern India, 1998 Bangladesh flood
Location
India, Bangladesh
Year
1998
3,814
3,814
Deaths
3,814
Event
1989 Sichuan flood
Location
China
Year
1989
3,800
3,800
Deaths
3,800
Event
1978 Northern India monsoon rain
Location
India
Year
1978
3,656
3,656
Deaths
3,656
Event
1998 Yangtze river flood
Location
China
Year
1998
3,500
3,500
Deaths
3,500
Event
1948 Fuzhou flood
Location
China
Year
1948
3,189+
3,189+
Deaths
3,189+
Event
2010 China floods, landslides
Location
China, North Korea
Year
2010
3,083
3,083
Deaths
3,083
Event
1993 South Asian monsoon floods
Location
Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan
Year
1993
3,076
3,076
Deaths
3,076
Event
2004 Eastern India, Bangladesh monsoon rain
Location
India, Bangladesh
Year
2004
3,000
3,000
Deaths
3,000
Event
1530 Tiber River flood
Location
Italy
Year
1530
3,000
3,000
Deaths
3,000
Event
1598 Tiber River flood
Location
Italy
Year
1598
3,000
3,000
Deaths
3,000
Event
1992 Afghanistan flood, mainly, Gulbahar, Kalotak, Shutul, Parwan, flash flood, mudslide
Location
Afghanistan
Year
1992
2,910
2,910
Deaths
2,910
Event
1950 Pakistan flood
Location
Pakistan
Year
1950
2,828+
2,828+
Deaths
2,828+
Event
2011 Southeast Asian floods
Location
Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia
Year
2011
2,775
2,775
Deaths
2,775
Event
1996 China flood, torrential floods, mud-rock flows
Location
China
Year
1996
2,566
2,566
Deaths
2,566
Event
1953 Japan floods (1953 Northern Kyushu flood and 1953 Wakayama flood), massive rain, flood, mudslides
Location
mainly Kitakyushu, Kumamoto, Wakayama, and Kizugawa, Japan
Year
1953
2,400
2,400
Deaths
2,400
Event
North Sea flood, storm surge
Location
Netherlands
Year
838
2,379
2,379
Deaths
2,379
Event
1988 Bangladesh monsoon rain
Location
Bangladesh
Year
1988
2,209
2,209
Deaths
2,209
Event
Johnstown Flood
Location
United States (Pennsylvania)
Year
1889
2,142
2,142
Deaths
2,142
Event
North Sea flood of 1953 storm surge
Location
Netherlands, United Kingdom, Belgium
Year
1953
2,075
2,075
Deaths
2,075
Event
1981 Sichuan, Shanxi flood
Location
China
Year
1981
2,055
2,055
Deaths
2,055
Event
1987 Bangladesh monsoon rain
Location
Bangladesh
Year
1987
several thousands
several thousands
Deaths
several thousands
Event
North Sea flood, storm surge
Location
Holy Roman Empire
Year
1014
several thousands
several thousands
Deaths
several thousands
Event
St. Juliana flood, storm surge
Location
Holy Roman Empire
Year
1164
several thousands
several thousands
Deaths
several thousands
Event
St. Agatha flood, storm surge
Location
Holy Roman Empire
Year
1288
several thousands
several thousands
Deaths
several thousands
Event
St. Clemens flood, storm surge
Location
Holy Roman Empire
Year
1334
several thousands
several thousands
Deaths
several thousands
Event
St. Mary Magdalene's flood
Location
Central Europe
Year
1342
several thousands
several thousands
Deaths
several thousands
Event
All Saints flood, storm surge
Location
Holy Roman Empire
Year
1532
several thousands
several thousands
Deaths
several thousands
Event
North Sea flood, storm surge
Location
Netherlands
Year
1703
2,000–10,000
2,000–10,000
Deaths
2,000–10,000
Event
Great Iran Flood
Location
Iran
Year
1954
2,000–5,0001
2,000–5,0001
Deaths
2,000–5,0001
Event
1979 Machchhu dam failure
Location
India (Morvi, Gujarat)
Year
1979
2,000–3,000
2,000–3,000
Deaths
2,000–3,000
Event
Mostaganem and Oran flood
Location
Algeria
Year
1927
2,000+
2,000+
Deaths
2,000+
Event
Bristol Channel floods
Location
England and Wales; possible tsunami
Year
1607
2,000+
2,000+
Deaths
2,000+
Event
May 2004 Caribbean floods
Location
Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands
Year
2004
1,985
1,985
Deaths
1,985
Event
Pakistan floods, monsoon flooding
Location
Pakistan
Year
2010
1,921
1,921
Deaths
1,921
Event
Vajont Dam landslide and flood
Location
Italy
Year
1963
1,834
1,834
Deaths
1,834
Event
1992 Pakistan, Northern India monsoon rain
Location
Pakistan, India
Year
1992
1,739
1,739
Deaths
1,739
Event
2022 Pakistan floods
Location
Pakistan
Year
2022
1,723
1,723
Deaths
1,723
Event
1991 China flood, mainly, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hubei, torrential floods, mud-rock flows
Location
China
Year
1991
1,700
1,700
Deaths
1,700
Event
1955 Northern India flood
Location
India
Year
1955
1,624
1,624
Deaths
1,624
Event
Fujian, Anhui, Zhejiang flood
Location
China
Year
2005
1,605–3,363
1,605–3,363
Deaths
1,605–3,363
Event
spring flooding
Location
Haiti, Dominican Republic
Year
2004
1,558
1,558
Deaths
1,558
Event
St. Martin flood, storm surge
Location
Netherlands
Year
1686
1,532
1,532
Deaths
1,532
Event
2002 China flood, torrential floods, mud-rock flows
Location
China
Year
2002
1,503
1,503
Deaths
1,503
Event
Mumbai and the surrounding state Maharashtra, Karnataka, monsoon rain in 2005
Location
India
Year
2005
| Deaths | Event | Location | Year |
| 1,000,000–2,000,000 | 1887 Yellow River flood | China | 1887 |
| 422,000–2,000,000 | 1931 China floods | China | 1931 |
| 470,000–500,000 | 1938 Yellow River flood | China | 1938 |
| 300,000–500,000 | 1970 Bhola cyclone | East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) | 1970 |
| 145,000 | 1935 Yangtze flood | China | 1935 |
| 100,000+ | St. Felix's flood | Netherlands | 1530 |
| up to 100,000 | The flood of 1099 | Netherlands, England | 1099 |
| 50,000–80,000 | St. Lucia's flood, storm surge | Holy Roman Empire | 1287 |
| 0 or 36,000 or 60,000 | North sea flood, storm surge | Holy Roman Empire | 1212 |
| 40,000 | 1949 Eastern Guatemalan floods | Guatemala | 1949 |
| 25,000+ | First St. Marcellus's flood, storm surge | Holy Roman Empire | 1219 |
| 33,000 | 1954 Yangtze floods | China | 1954 |
| 27,000–1,500,000 | 1974 Bangladesh flood due to monsoon rain | Bangladesh | 1974 |
| 26,000–240,000 | 1975 Banqiao Dam failure and floods | China | 1975 |
| 25,000–40,000 | St. Marcellus's flood (Grote Mandrenke), storm tide | Holy Roman Empire, Denmark | 1362 |
| 20,000–25,000 | All Saints' Flood, storm surge | Holy Roman Empire, Netherlands | 1570 |
| 20,000 | 1939 Tianjin flood | China | 1939 |
| 15,000 | 1705 Po Valley flood | Po Valley, Italy | 1705 |
| 14,000 | Christmas flood, storm surge | Netherlands, Germany, Denmark | 1717 |
| 11,498+ | Storm Daniel | Libya, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Egypt | 2023 |
| 10,000–100,000 | St. Elizabeth's flood, storm surge | Holy Roman Empire | 1421 |
| 10,000–30,000 | 1999 Vargas mudslide | Venezuela | 1999 |
| 9,887–30,000 | 1999 Odisha cyclone, storm surge | India (Odisha), Myanmar, Bangladesh | 1999 |
| 8,000–15,000 | Burchardi flood | Germany, Denmark | 1634 |
| 7,000 | 1557 Palermo flood | Sicily | 1557 |
| 6,511 | 2020 South Asian floods | Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka | 2020 |
| 6,200 | Sichuan, Hubei, Anhui flood | China | 1980 |
| 6,054 | 2013 North India floods | India | 2013 |
| 6,000-12,000 | 1900 Galveston hurricane | United States | 1900 |
| 5,154 (official) | 1963 Great Hai River flood | Hai River, China | 1963 |
| 5,000–10,000 | Rajasthan flood | India | 1943 |
| 5,000 | Lake Palcacocha in the Cojup valley, Cordillera Blanca mountain range, landslide by massive avalanche | Peru | 1941 |
| 4,892 | 1968 Rajasthan, Gujarat monsoon rain | India | 1968 |
| 4,800 | 1951 Manchuria flood | China | 1951 |
| 4,000 | 1610 Tanaro River flood | Italy | 1610 |
| 3,838 | 1998 Eastern India, 1998 Bangladesh flood | India, Bangladesh | 1998 |
| 3,814 | 1989 Sichuan flood | China | 1989 |
| 3,800 | 1978 Northern India monsoon rain | India | 1978 |
| 3,656 | 1998 Yangtze river flood | China | 1998 |
| 3,500 | 1948 Fuzhou flood | China | 1948 |
| 3,189+ | 2010 China floods, landslides | China, North Korea | 2010 |
| 3,083 | 1993 South Asian monsoon floods | Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan | 1993 |
| 3,076 | 2004 Eastern India, Bangladesh monsoon rain | India, Bangladesh | 2004 |
| 3,000 | 1530 Tiber River flood | Italy | 1530 |
| 3,000 | 1598 Tiber River flood | Italy | 1598 |
| 3,000 | 1992 Afghanistan flood, mainly, Gulbahar, Kalotak, Shutul, Parwan, flash flood, mudslide | Afghanistan | 1992 |
| 2,910 | 1950 Pakistan flood | Pakistan | 1950 |
| 2,828+ | 2011 Southeast Asian floods | Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia | 2011 |
| 2,775 | 1996 China flood, torrential floods, mud-rock flows | China | 1996 |