Costliest natural disaster

According to estimates by The Economist, the earthquake and associated tsunami that struck off the Pacific coast of Tōhoku, Japan, on 11 March 2011 resulted in an economic loss to the country of $210 billion (£130 billion), of which only $35 billion (£21.6 billion) was insured. Two thirds of all the people killed in natural disasters in 2011 worldwide perished in the Japanese quake and its aftermath.

The World Bank also published a similar, although slightly higher figure, at the time of the quake, estimating losses at $235 billion (£145.5 billion). The quake occurred in the year that proved to be the costliest ever for the insurance industry, with estimated putting the insured losses at $362 billion (£224.2 billion). The Tōhoku quake was the most powerful earthquake to hit Japan, and the fifth most powerful quake since modern record-keeping began in 1900.