July 2004 Disasters

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

• June, July, and Aug., South Asia: The worst monsoon flooding in fifteen years in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh left up to 5 million homeless, killed more than 1800 people with at least 600 in Bangladesh, and destroyed much of the infrastructure. Many people died from drinking polluted water. Hundreds of people in South Asia die every year from the flooding and landslides caused by the monsoon rains.
• July-Aug., Alaska: Wildfires in Alaska this summer have burned more than 5 million acres, the worst season on record.
• July 1–3, Taiwan: Flooding from tropical storm Mindulle and the heavy rains that followed killed at least 27 people and left 13 missing. Agricultural losses were very heavy.
• July 5–11, Romania: A heat wave killed 22 people in Romania and left many more sweltering in southern Europe.
• July 12, Zhongba County, Tibet A powerful earthquake hit Tibet in the Gangdise mountains. Damages and casualties in this remote region are not yet known.
• July 12, Burlington County, N.J.: Up to 13 inches of rains caused dams to break and severe flooding conditions in Burlington and Camden Country. More than 750 people were evacuated.
• July 16, Southern India: The thatched roof of a private elementary school caught fire in southern India, killing 94 children. There were numerous safety hazards and many children who died were trapped in a room with one exit.
• July 16–18: New Zealand: Floods and more than 30 earthquakes killed 2 people and led to the evacuation of 1500 people.
• July 22, Sakarya province, Turkey: A high-speed train from Istanbul to Ankara derailed, killing 37 people.

See also Major Earthquakes Around the World 2004

See also Estimated Deaths from Earthquakes, 2004

See also Recent Volcanic Activity