• The frequency of geophysical disasters stayed broadly consistent from 1994 to 2013.
• More casualties from earthquakes and tsunamis than all other natural disasters combined.
• Population growth and economic development varied greatly during this period.
• Asia, particularly India and China, bore most of the natural disasters.
• Low-income countries carry a larger burden of natural disasters, needing improvement in migration measures.

Real World Example: Tsunamis have been the most deadly natural disaster, with the Asian tsunami killing over 225,000 people across 12 countries.

• Megadisasters kill over 100,000 people; three such disasters occurred between 1994–2013.
• They include the Asian tsunami, Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
• Earthquakes and tsunamis, although rarer than floods, can cause a high number of casualties in a short period.

Real World Example: Earthquake in Haiti in 2010 led to the loss of over 220,000 lives.

• Significant increase in urbanization within seismic zones.
• Slums often expand onto high-risk areas like slopes and embankments.
• Population growth and globalization make people more susceptible to natural disasters.
• Mitigation, forecasting, and warning methods need to improve to prevent disastrous outcomes.
• Solutions include economic, political, cultural, sociological, and psychological approaches.

Real World Example: Tehran, a megacity in Iran, built on active fault lines, increasing vulnerability to earthquakes due to the large population.

• Increase in geophysical events impact due to more people living in high-risk areas.
• Human activities changing climate and land use lead to greater impacts, like landslides.
• The frequency and intensity of earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes are mainly due to tectonic forces.

Real World Example: Destruction of mangrove swamps in Sri Lanka increased the vulnerability of coastal communities to the 2004 Asian tsunami.