Hurricane Katrina, 2005: 1,833 deaths

The costliest natural disaster ever to hit America, Katrina claimed at least 1,833 lives. Over 1,500 of the fatalities occurred in the state of Louisiana, nearly half of whom were over the age of 74.

Katrina initially sruck Florida, before making its way across Louisiana and Mississippi.

In Louisiana, 80 per cent of New Orleans was flooded, with much of the city remaining underwater for weeks, and 70 per cent of homes were damaged.