-
16,000 – Bhopal Disaster (India, 1984) The Bhopal disaster also known as Bhopal Gas Tragedy was one of the world's worst industrial catastrophes. It occurred on the night of December 2–3, 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. A leak of methyl isocyanate gas and other chemicals from the plant resulted in the exposure of hundreds of thousands of people. Estimates vary on the death toll. The official immediate death toll was 2,259 and the government of Madhya Pradesh has confirmed a total of 3,787 deaths related to the gas release.[1] Others estimate 3,000 died within weeks and another 8,000 have since died from gas-related diseases.[2][3] A government affidavit in 2006 stated the leak caused 558,125 injuries including 38,478 temporary partial and approximately 3,900 severely and permanently disabling injuries.[4] UCIL was the Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC). Indian Government controlled banks and the Indian public held 49.1 percent ownership share. In 1994, the Supreme Court of India allowed UCC to sell its 50.9 percent share. Union Carbide sold UCIL, the Bhopal plant operator, to Eveready Industries India Limited in 1994. The Bhopal plant was later sold to McLeod Russel (India) Ltd. Dow Chemical Company purchased UCC in 2001. Civil and criminal cases are pending in the United States District Court, Manhattan and the District Court of Bhopal, India, involving UCC, UCIL employees, and Warren Anderson, UCC CEO at the time of the disaster.[5][6] In June 2010, seven ex-employees, including the former UCIL chairman, were convicted in Bhopal of causing death by negligence and sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine of about $2,000 each, the maximum punishment allowed by law. An eighth former employee was also convicted, but died before judgment was passed.[7]
-
1,549 – Benxihu Colliery explosion, (China, 1942)
-
568 – Texas City Disaster (Texas City, Texas, April 16 & 17, 1947)
-
512 – Sumitomo Besshi bronze mine area where landslide with debris flow disaster, Niihama, Shikoku, Japan, 1899
-
500+ – San Juanico Disaster (Mexico City, November 19, 1984)
-
319 – Marie iron mine fire, Příbram, Czech Republic, May 31, 1892
-
254 – Illegal Tashan mine collapsed with mud-rock flow at Xiangfen, Linfen, Shanxi, China (September 2008)
-
245 – Kogushi sulfur mine collapse, western Gunma, Japan, 1937
-
234 – PetroChina Chuandongbei natural gas field explosion, Guoqiao, Kai County, Chongqing, China, 2003
-
220 – El Cobre talling dam and cooper mine failure by earthquake in Chile on March 28, 1965.
-
65 – KTS Composite Textile factory fire, at Chittagong, Bangladesh on 24 February 2006.
-
60 – Shahe iron mine caught fire, Hebei, China, November 22, 2004
-
55 – Four-story Rosamor Furniture ameublements plant fire, Lissasfa, Casablanca, Morocco on April 25, 2008
-
29 – AZF factory explosion (chemical) , Toulouse, France, September 21, 2001
-
17 – Ganglu Iron and Steel Co Ltd., gas leak (Hebei, China, December 24, 2008)
-
15 – BP Americas Texas City isomerization unit explosion (Texas City, Texas, USA, March 23, 2005)
-
11 – BP Deepwater Horizon explosion (Gulf of Mexico, April 20, 2010)
-
5 – Xcel Energy Cabin Creek Hydroelectric Plant Fire (Georgetown, Colorado October 2, 2007)
Maritime -
1,565–4,400 – MV Doña Paz (Tablas Strait, Philippines, 1987). Estimates of casualties vary because of overloading and unmanifested passengers; the official death toll was 1,565, with only 21 survivors; apparently the deadliest peacetime shipping disaster ever. The MV Doña Paz was a Philippine-registered passenger ferry that sank after colliding with the MT Vector on December 20, 1987. With a death toll of at most 4,375 people,[1] the collision resulted in the deadliest ferry disaster in history. It was traveling from Leyte island to Manila, the country's capital.[2]
-
2,750–3,920 – SS Kiangya (off Shanghai, 1948). Estimates of casualties vary due to large number of stowaways on board.
-
1,863 – MV Joola (Senegal, 2002)
-
1,547 – SS Sultana (Mississippi River, 1865)
-
1,517 – RMS Titanic (North Atlantic, 1912)
-
1,159 – Toya Maru (Tsugaru Strait, 1954)
-
1,021 – SS General Slocum (New York, 1904)
-
1,018 – MS al-Salam Boccaccio 98 (Red Sea, 2006)
-
1,012 – RMS Empress of Ireland, (Saint Lawrence River, 1914)
-
c.1,000 – SS Hong Moh (South China Sea, 1921)
-
832 – MV Princess of Stars capsized by Typhoon Fengshen off Sibuyan Island, Philippines, June 21, 2008.
-
550 – Cahaya Bahari (off Sulawesi, Indonesia, 2000)
-
528 – MV Nazreen 1 (Chandpur, Bangladesh, July 2003)
-
461 – MV Senopati Nusantara (off Mandalika Island, Indonesia, 2006)
-
353 – SIEV-X (off Indonesia, 2001)
-
340 – MV Shalahuddin 2 (Meghna River, Bangladesh, 2002)
-
240+ – MV Teratai Prima sinking (near Sulawesi, Indonesia, January 11, 2009)
-
210 – Illegal African immigrants boat sank off Sfax, Tunisia, 2003
-
200 – Indonesian passenger ferry KMP Digul capsized in rough sea off Merakuke, Papua, Indonesia, July 2005.
-
192 – Two illegal immigrants boats sank off Gulf of Aden, Yemen, 2007
-
189 – MV Maharaj (Buriganga River, Bangladesh, 2005)
-
182 – Congo ferry Dieu Merci capsized at Mai-Ndombe Lake, Bandunu, Democratic Republic of Congo, November 27, 2003.
-
158 – Sierra Leone boat Amunafa capsized off coast Bailor, Sierra Leone, August 3, 2007
-
140 – Two African immigrants boat sank off Seferihisar, Turkey, 2007
-
131 – Chinese passenger boat Rong Jian capsized at Hejiang River, Rongshan, Sichuan, China, June 2000.
-
124 – Djibouti ferry Al Baraqua 2 capsized off Tadjoura, Djibouti, April 6, 2006
-
122+ – Russian river cruise ship Bulgaria capsized on the Kuybyshev Reservoir of the Volga River in Tatarstan, Russia, July 10, 2011
-
120 – Ghanan motorboat capsized at Lake Volta, Jasikan, Ghana, April 10, 2006.
-
118 – Kursk (Barents Sea, 2000)
-
85 – Illegal African immigrants boat sank Mareg, Puntland, Yemen, 2003
-
81 – MS Express Samina (near Paros, Greece, 2000)
-
70 – Ming 361 (2003)
-
58 – Bahrain wooden plesure boat al-Dana capsized off Gulf of Bahrain, 2006
-
48 – Brazilian river boat Comandante Sales capsized at Solimoes River, on the outskirts of Manacapura, Amazonas, Brazil, May 4, 2008.
-
46 – PCC-772 Cheonan Pohang class corvette (Baengnyeong-do island, South Korea, March 26, 2010)
-
42 – Masbate, Philippines (including 11 children) crowded Don Dexter Cathlyn, inter-island ferry was hit by a squall and overturned; 76 of 119 passengers were rescued, but 10 were still missing, on November 4, 2008.
-
20 – Ethan Allen (Lake George (New York), 2 October 2005)
Share with your friends: |
