Looking Back at the World's Deadliest Tornado Events

The U.S. records about 1,200 tornadoes a year, and roughly three out of four of the world's most violent twisters — those rated F4/EF4 or stronger — touch down somewhere in the Lower 48. But while the United States leads the global tornado map, some of the deadliest tornadoes ever recorded have spun up an ocean away. Here's a look at a handful of the most devastating tornadoes ever recorded outside U.S. borders.

Bangladesh: Daulatpur–Saturia Tornado | April 26, 1989

The deadliest tornado in recorded human history struck central Bangladesh on April 26, 1989. The storm tore across a densely populated stretch of the Manikganj District, flattening entire villages and displacing tens of thousands of residents. Modern damage analysis puts it at the equivalent of a high-end F4 tornado, although some surveys argue it reached F5 strength.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, the tornado killed roughly 1,300 people and injured about 12,000 more. Only about six tornadoes are reported each year across the Ganges Basin, where Bangladesh sits, and most happen during the pre-monsoon season in March, April, and May. That's when rising heat and humidity meet stronger upper-level winds, the kind of pattern that produces severe thunderstorms capable of spawning tornadoes.