MADISON, Wis. — Poverty is often perpetuated at the hands of mankind, but the one area that humans have little control over is mother nature. The time it takes fohttp://borgenproject.org/natural-disasters-increasing one earthquake to hit or one hurricane to strike is the time it takes to send a family into poverty. The U.N. and other international organizations are constantly prepared to combat the aftermath of natural disasters, but their alleviation efforts can only do so much: they cannot replace the lives lost or the sense of safety the victims once had.
Here is a list of the world’s 10 worst natural disasters since 1900:
10. Flooding in Vietnam, 1971
The Red River in North Vietnam flooded, killing an estimated 100,000 people.
Photo: Telegraph
9. Turkmenistan Earthquake, 1948
110,000 people died in this deadly earthquake that destroyed concrete buildings and derailed trains.
Photo: Google Content
8. Bangladesh Cyclone 02B, 1991
This tropical cyclone killed 138,000 people and caused $1.5 billion in damages.
Photo: Friendship
7. Kwanto Earthquake (Japan), 1923
Extreme destruction occurred in Tokyo causing 142,800 deaths.
Photo: Blog Spot
6. Haiyuan Earthquake (China), 1920
This 1920s earthquake caused extreme landslides and ground cracks, killing 200,000 people.
Photo: Pentagist
5. Indian Ocean Tsunami/Earthquake, 2004
The most recent disaster, this tsunami claimed 227, 898 lives and is the worst tsunami in history.
Photo: Norisximena
4. Super Typhoon Nina, 1975

This typhoon killed 229,000 people in China in 1975.
Photo: Wunderground
3. Tangshan Earthquake, 1976
A year after Super Typhoon Nina, the Tangshan Earthquake hit, causing 255,000 deaths.
Photo: Travel Smart
2. Pakistan Cyclone, 1970
A 115 mph hurricane with a 20-foot storm surge killed 300,000 people in Pakistan in 1970.
Photo: Central Asia Online
1. Chinese Floods, 1931
The worst natural disaster of all time is the Chinese floods in 1931 which killed an estimated 3.7 million people due to disease, starvation and drowning.
Photo: Sick Chirpse
Sources: Chron
Featured Photo: Easy Travel Insurance