The 16 deadliest storms of the last century

One of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded, Irma led to the deaths of at least 41 people. That number is expected to rise.

Hurricanes can be so deadly because they often bring uncontrollable winds and flooding. Irma, for instance, was a Category 5 storm — with sustained winds of 185 mph for 37 hours at its peak — when it slammed into several Caribbean islands. At one point, wind gusts reached 216 mph, fast enough to flip over trains, rip roofs off houses, shatter windows, and suck the ocean away from shorelines.

he US National Weather Service started tracking global weather data in the mid-19th century, and established a formal hurricane warning system in 1889.

According to the 2017 climate change he scale and frequency of extreme weather events has increased over the last four decades.

Here's a look at some of the deadliest storms around the world in the past century.

Note: The following climate disasters include tropical cyclones, typhoons, and hurricanes, since meteorological classifications differ depending on the location and strength. (A storm that might be classified as a "Category 1 hurricane" in the US might be called a "typhoon" in China.)

The death toll counts are also estimations. For many large-scale disasters, it's nearly impossible

Hurricane Pauline (1997) — Up to 500 people

Kavali Cyclone (1989) — 902 people

The Kavali Cyclone (also known as Typhoon Gay) was a small but powerful tropical storm that caused more than 900 fatalities near the Gulf of Thailand in November 1989.

It made landfall with sustained winds of 115 mph, destroying thousands of homes. Approximately 134 people went missing as well.

Andhra Pradesh cyclone (1990) — 967 people

At the time, the 1990 Andhra Pradesh cyclone was the worst weather disaster to affect Southern India in over a decade.

Severe flooding contributed to the deaths of nearly 1,000 people, while some 2.6 million were affected in other ways, including injuries, power outages, lack of access to food or water, or home damage.

Hurricane Liza (1976) — 1,263 people

Hurricane Liza is considered the deadliest weather disaster in the history of Baja California Sur, Mexico. At its peak, it was a Category 4 storm.

The eighth hurricane of the 1976 Pacific hurricane season, Liza brought severe flooding. It killed approximately 1,263 people, and left 20,000 more homeless.

Hurricane Paul (1982) — 1,696 people

Hurricane Paul was a destructive Pacific hurricane that killed approximately 1,696 people, caused $1.156 billion in damage, and forced around 60,000 people to flee their homes.

It ravaged northern Mexico with wind speeds up to 150 mph.

The 1959 'Mexico' hurricane — 1,800 people

A category 4 hurricane at landfall with winds estimated at 140 mph, the 1959 "Mexico" hurricane was one of the deadliest East Pacific hurricanes in recorded history.

mudslide

Hurricane Katrina (2005) — At least 1,833 people

One of the costliest weather disasters to happen in the US, Hurricane Katrina devastated areas near the Gulf of Mexico, most notably Haiti and New Orleans, in 2005.

A Category 5 storm at its peak, Katrina was

Typhoon Haiyan (2013) — 6,329 people

Typhoon Haiyan tore across central Philippines, and

The Odisha Cyclone (1999) — At least 10,000 people

This massive cyclone swept through

At the time, it was the strongest recorded tropical cyclone in the North Indian Ocean. The storm triggered a giant tidal wave, which wiped out entire villages.

Hurricane Mitch (1998) — approximately 11,374 people

Hurricane Mitch — hitting Florida, Honduras, Nicaragua, Central America, and the Yucatán Peninsula — was one of the deadliest Atlantic hurricanes on record.

In Honduras, the slow-moving hurricane dumped up to 4 inches of rain per hour for two days, causing mudslides and mass flooding. Over 11,000 people died from the disaster, and thousands more went missing.

Severe Cyclonic Storm Three (1963) — 11,520 people

Called " target="_blank"Severe Cyclonic Storm Three," this weather disaster was one of 17 storms in the 1963 North Indian Ocean cyclone season.

One of the strongest cyclones ever recorded in the Northern Indian Ocean, it killed approximately 11,520 people in Pakistan.

Andhra Pradesh cyclone (1977) — At least 14,204 people

The 1977 Andhra Pradesh cyclone is considered India's first super cyclonic storm — meaning winds exceeded 138 mph. The cyclone hit a southeast state in the country.

Heavy storm surges and winds (up to 155 mph in some areas) contributed to the deaths of at least 14,204 people.

Cyclone Nargis (2008) — 138,366 people

One of the deadliest tropical cyclones on record, Cyclone Nargis hit India, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Laos, Yangon, and the Ayeyarwady Region in 2008.

Packing winds upward of 120 miles an hour, the storm triggered extreme flooding that contributed to the death of over 138,000 people.

The 1991 Bangladesh cyclone — 138,866 people

Typhoon Nina (1975) — 229,000 people

Typhoon Nina brought severe flooding to the Philippines, causing the Banqiao Dam and a series of smaller nearby dams to collapse in 1975.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that 229,000 people died in the disaster.

Bhola Cyclone (1970) — Up to 500,000 people