Re: At least 14 dead in Victoria bushfires
Nah, only one other natural disaster has killed more than these bushfires.
CYCLONE MAHINA, 1899: struck Cape York in the country's far north, causing the greatest death toll of any natural disaster in Australia's recorded history. More than 400 people died, including the crews of about 100 pearling fleet vessels, and an estimated 100 local Aborigines
In terms of other bushfires/cyclones, this surpasses them all.
nah wrong still
List of disasters in Australia by death toll - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[edit] 100 or more deaths
Disaster Location Deaths Date Notes
Epidemic Australia-wide 12,000+ 1918–1919 1918 Spanish Influenza epidemic Approximate death toll. Sydney was the worst affected area.[1]
Epidemic Australia-wide 1,013 1946–1955 Polio epidemic[2]
Sea battle Indian Ocean, near Shark Bay 645 19 November 1941 Sinking of HMAS Sydney - Sunk with all hands after a battle with German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran
Epidemic Australia-wide 550 1900–1910 Bubonic plague[3]
Heat wave Victoria 438 January 1939 Heatwave killed 438 and sparked the Black Friday bushfires (see below)[4]
Heat wave South-eastern Australia 437 1895–1896 Widespread heatwave killed 437, including 47 in Bourke, New South Wales[5]
Cyclone Bathurst Bay, Queensland 410 March 1889 Cyclone Mahina. Estimated toll[6]
Shipwreck King Island, Tasmania 406 1845 Cataraqui. Australia's worst ever maritime civil disaster incident[7]
Shipwreck coast near Murchison River, Western Australia 286 April 1712 Zuytdorp. There has been speculation that there were some survivors, helped by local Aborigines.[8][9]
Sinking Tweed Heads, New South Wales 268 14 May 1943 Sinking of AHS Centaur. Hospital ship torpedoed by a Japanese submarine[10]
Heat wave Southern states 246 December 1907-January 1908 [11]
Air raid Darwin, Northern Territory 243 19 February 1942 Bombing of Darwin. The first Japanese air raid against Australia. The toll may have been higher, itinerants and Aboriginal persons may be under-represented in the official count.[12]
Prison break Cowra, New South Wales 235-238 5 August 1944 Cowra breakout. Escape by Japanese POWs [13][14]
Shipwreck King Island, Tasmania 224 13 May 1835 Neva [15][16]
Heatwave / Bushfires Victoria/South Australia 216+* January 25 - February 8 2009 2009 Southeastern Australia heat wave and 2009 Victorian bushfires. 75 South Australian and 33 Victorian casualties attributed to the heatwave[17] and *108 confirmed so far as a result of Victorian bushfires.[18][19]
Shipwreck Perth, Western Australia 186 April 1656 Vergulde Draeck[20]
Cyclone/Sinking Western Australia 149 1 March 1912 SS Koombana[21][22]
Heatwaves Australia-wide 147 1920–1921 [23]
Heatwaves Australia-wide 143+ 1911–1912 [24]
Cyclone Broome, Western Australia 141 March 1935 Pearling fleet devastated [25]
Cyclone Eighty Mile Beach, Western Australia 140 1884 Pearling fleet sunk [26]
Shipwreck D'Entrecasteaux Channel, Tasmania 133 12 April 1835 George III [27]
Shipwreck Cape York, Queensland 133 28 February 1890 Quetta [28]
Heatwave Southern states 130 1926–1927 [29]
Shipwreck/Massacre Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia 125+ June-July 1629 Batavia. Mutineers murdered 125 other passengers. The death toll of 125 does not include the mutineers, of whom 7 were immediately hanged and 2 were cast away when Captain Pelsaert returned. Most of the remaining mutineers were later executed.[30]
Heatwave Australia-wide 122+ 1913–1914 [31]
Cyclone/Sinking North-eastern Queensland 122 16 March 1911 SS Yongala[32]
Shipwreck Sydney, New South Wales 121 20 August 1857 Dunbar. 1 survivor.[33]
Heatwave Australia-wide 112 1939–1940 [34]
Heatwave Australia-wide 109 1909–1910 [35]
Heatwave Southern regions, Australia 105+ 1959 One source puts death toll at 145[36][37][38]
Cyclone/sinking Ayr, Queensland 102-112 24 February 1875 SS Gothenburg. Records of passengers vary [39][40][41]
Massacre Richmond River, New South Wales 100 January 1846 Massacre of Aborigines
