An overview of impacts from weather, climate and water extremes globally from 1970 to 2019 based on disaster data from the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT). Disaster statistics are conducted for the 50-year and decadal periods at the national, regional and global scales.
A special section on the disproportionate impacts that tropical cyclones have on disaster statistics as well as on developing countries.
For example, on page 16:

“Of the top 10 disasters, the hazards that led to the largest human losses during the period have been droughts (650 000 deaths), storms (577 232 deaths), floods (58 700 deaths) and extreme temperature (55 736 deaths) (Table 1(a)). With regard to economic losses, the top 10 events include storms (US$ 521 billion) and floods (US$ 115 billion) (Table 1(b)).”

In Africa from 1970 to 2019, 1 695 recorded disasters caused the loss of economic damages 731 747 lives and
US$ 38.5 billion. Africa accounts for 15% of weather-, climate- and water-related disasters, 35% of associated deaths and 1% of economic losses reported globally.

Although disasters associated with floods were the most prevalent (60%), droughts led to the highest number of deaths, accounting for 95% of all lives lost in the region (Figure 8). The majority of deaths occurred during the severe droughts in Ethiopia in1973 and 1983 (total 400 000), Mozambique in 1981 (100 and Sudan in 1983 (150 000). These four drought events account for 89% of total deaths in Africa from weather, climate and water extremes in the last 50
years (Table 2 (a)). Storms (37%) and floods (34%) led to the highest economic losses in Africa, followed by
droughts (26%) (Table 2 (b)). The distributions of deaths and economic losses are indicated by country/territory in Maps 1 and 2.

Contributions from UNDRR and WHO discussing relevant sectoral loss and damage statistics, challenges and opportunities in recording and analysis of loss and damage data considering implementation of the Sendai Framework agreement and the 2030 global agenda.

Content for discussion at the next WMO sponsored International Workshop on Loss and Damage Data and Statistics (to be held Q3/4 2021) which is planned to discuss the state of recording, quality control and analysis of loss and damage data and information opportunities for better standardization and harmonization.The Atlas is WMO’s most exhaustive compilation to date of fatalities and economic costs from natural hazards. It provides comprehensive details of recorded disasters and their impacts, both at global and regional level. It gives statistics for the entire 50 year period, as well as a decadal breakdown which shows the evolution of disasters in our changing climate.

The Atlas is a multi-agency collaboration, with contributions from many partners including the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Statistics are from the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) maintained by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED).