The 10 Cities Most At Risk Of Being Hit By Natural Disasters

Business Insider ^ | 03/30/2014 | Harrison Jacobs

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Swiss Re, a global reinsurance company, has analyzed the disaster potential for 616 of the world’s largest cities (PDF).

Each city is ranked according to its potential for earthquakes, storms, storm surges, tsunamis, and river floods. For each type of disaster, Swiss Re devised an extreme weather scenario in which defenses fail and the human and economic toll can be enormous. 

Further, each city was ranked based on the effect each scenario would have on its residents by combining population-distribution data and vulnerability estimates for each disaster. The scenarios consider fatalities, injuries, evacuations, those whose homes would be damaged or destroyed, and those who would be unable to access their workplace.

10. Tehran, Iran

15.6 million people potentially affected.

Tehran sits on one of the most dangerous fault lines in the world — the North Anatolian fault. The entire population of the city is heavily exposed to earthquakes.

9. Los Angeles, U.S.

A man assesses the damage to a store on a downtown Los Angeles street after a 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck on July 29, 2008.

16.4 million people potentially affected.

Los Angeles, like much of California, sits along the San Andreas Fault, making it one of the most earthquake-prone places in the world; 14.7 million people are at risk directly of earthquakes at any given time in the city. 

8. Shanghai, China

16.7 million people potentially affected.

Shanghai, China's most populated city, is located on the Yangtze River Delta, making it vulnerable to serious flooding from storms and typhoons.

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Womaen and minorities hardest hit.