ISLAMABAD: The year 2025 saw 358 natural hazard-related disasters, resulting in over 16,000 fatalities, affecting 110.2 million people and causing $169.68 billion in economic losses, according to Emergency Events Database maintained by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (Cred) at one of the oldest universities in Europe.

The Cred at the University of Louvain in Belgium provides data on significant disasters to support research, humanitarian action, evidence-based decision-making in disaster preparedness and response, and disaster risk reduction. The database also helps assess community vulnerability and inform policy priorities.

Asia accounted for a disproportionately large share of disaster-related deaths, due largely to major earthquakes in Myanmar and Afghanistan.

The year was also marked by a record-breaking drought in Syria, which left 80 per cent of the population in need of assistance; and by the Palisades and Eaton Fires, which ranked among the costliest wildfires ever recorded, both globally and in the United States.

Pakistan experienced massive floods due to monsoon, causing over 1,000 deaths and affecting 6.9m people, says Cred data

From June to September, Pakistan experienced a series of floods triggered by an intense monsoon season that peaked in mid-August, causing more than 1,000 deaths and affecting 6.9m people, according to the data available on Monday.

Climate impact figures still evolving

Cred says the 2025 impact figures are still evolving and may be revised. Despite heatwave in Pakistan, India, and Europe, reporting delays have meant that many heatwave deaths — as drought-related deaths — have not yet been considered.

Data on natural disasters show that Asia had 175 disasters recorded in 2025, followed by Americas with 93 disasters. There were 63 natural disasters in Africa, 33 in the United States, 22 in Europe, 20 in Indonesia, 16 in India, 16 in the Philippines, 14 in Vietnam, 14 in Thailand, 10 in Brazil, 8 in Madagascar, 7 in Malaysia, and 5 in Oceania.

Asia recorded 72.8pc of deaths due to natural disasters, with economic losses of $53.6bn. Americas suffered loss of $110.6bn. The top ten total affected countries include Pakistan with 6.9m people. In 2025, Pakistan suffered 1037 mortality due to floods.

Earthquakes in Myanmar and Afghanistan were the two deadliest disasters of 2025. In Myanmar, the earthquake caused at least 3,820 deaths with $11bn economic losses. The earthquake in Afghanistan caused an estimated 2200 deaths.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2026