The devastating natural disasters and extreme weather events have resulted in the deaths and displacement of tens of thousands of people worldwide.
The most horrifying event of the year was the double earthquake measuring 7.8 and 7.5 on the Richter scale that struck Turkey, near the Syrian border, on February 6. The death toll reached 50,783 in Turkey and 8,476 in Syria.
A city worker digs graves following the earthquake in Hatay, Turkey, in February.
An aerial view of homes blanketed in volcanic ash after the eruption of Mount Merapi in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, on March 13.
The drinking water supply in Catalonia, Spain, has reached its lowest level since 1990 due to severe drought.
A backyard pool hangs precariously over a cliff after torrential rains devastated the coastal town of San Clemente, California, USA, on March 16.
Flooding occurred in the mountainous area of Mentougou District, west of Beijing, China, on August 4. Beijing recorded its heaviest rainfall in 140 years as Typhoon Doksuri resulted in 21 fatalities.
Flames and smoke rise from the trees as a wildfire breaks out in Dadia National Park in Evros, Greece, on September 1.
Dead sheep in the city of Volos, Greece, on September 6, following flooding caused by Storm Daniel.
A volunteer assists in salvaging belongings from a house damaged by the earthquake in Imi N’Tala, near Marrakech, Morocco, on September 13.
Rescue workers recovered the body of a victim who died in the flooding in Derna, Libya, on September 15. Following the collapse of two dams, the resulting flash floods caused thousands of fatalities.
Rescue teams and relatives gather in front of collapsed buildings after flooding caused by Storm Daniel in Derna, Libya, on September 18.
At the funeral for the victims of the series of earthquakes in Zendeh Jan District, Herat Province, on October 9.
Residents wade through floodwaters after a road was destroyed in Mororo, Northeastern Kenya, on November 30.
The carcass of an elephant lies just meters from a waterhole in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, on December 5. At least 100 elephants have died in the country’s largest national park due to drought.
The aftermath of a tornado on December 10 in Madison, Tennessee, USA. Several long-lasting tornadoes were reported across Northwestern Tennessee in December, leading to numerous casualties.
Stranded residents stand on a road that has been partially washed away in the suburbs of Holloways Beach in Cairns, Australia, on December 18.
Temporary shelters for residents in the main square of Dahejia, Jishishan County, Gansu Province, China, following an earthquake that resulted in 131 fatalities amid sub-zero temperatures.
