Whether they’re expected or not, extreme weather events and earthquakes can lead to devastating loss of life and have a long-term impact on the infrastructures and economies of the destinations they hit. But they also often reveal strength and resilience in the face of destruction, and many communities have bounced back thanks to their sheer determination of spirit. From cities reborn from rubble to islands returning to glory after being all but wiped out by hurricanes, we showcase the places that have recovered from Mother Nature's worst.
Trillions of gallons of water poured down on the Texas coast in August 2017 when Hurricane Harvey hit, and Houston was among the worst affected places. At one point, a third of the city was underwater, residents were stranded on flooded freeways and homes were flattened. Causing an estimated £101.5 billion ($125 billion) in damage, Harvey is one of the costliest hurricanes to hit mainland US.
A magnitude-9.0 earthquake shook northeastern Japan in March 2011 and caused a huge tsunami that devastated coastal areas including the Tōhoku region, where three nuclear power reactors failed and leaked radiation. It’s the fourth largest earthquake ever recorded, and the worst in Japan’s history. The official number of people confirmed dead or missing is around 18,500, the majority of whom drowned due to the tsunami.
Hurricane Irma struck the Caribbean and southeastern US in September 2017, killing an estimated 129 people in total. The British Virgin Islands were among the worst-hit areas. Winds reaching speeds up to a staggering 180 miles per hour (290km/h) tore through the tropical island chain, ripping roofs from buildings and stripping bark from trees.
The idyllic chain of more than 50 islands – marketed as ‘nature’s little secrets’ – has an economy heavily reliant on tourism. Efforts to recover, rebuild and attract visitors back were swift. Within 18 months, the majority of ports and marinas reopened, sailing charter companies were back in business and new hotels were planned. Exciting projects included the installation of Beyond the Reef. This artificial reef located off Great Dog Island was created from three light planes that were damaged in the hurricanes and transformed into three metal sharks by local artists, before being sunk into the sea in December 2019.
Severe rainstorms and flash floods battered Ellicott City in July 2016, killing two people and causing an estimated £18.2 million ($22.4 million) in damage, plus more in lost tourism revenue. The Baltimore suburb had just edged its way towards recovery when storms hit again in May 2018, drowning Main Street and tearing homes apart, prompting evacuations.
Somehow the city managed to bounce back again and regroup efforts to restore buildings and businesses to their former glory. The welcome centre reopened in August 2018, and resorts and hotels including Turf Valley Resort, which helped shelter people during the storm, were repaired. Read on as we reveal the most dramatic weather photos from 1900 to today.
New Orleans was battered by Hurricane Katrina when it hit as a Category 3 storm in August 2005 – an estimated 1,500 people were killed in Louisiana and more than £100 billion ($125 billion) worth of damage was inflicted. Much of the worst devastation occurred in the aftermath, when the city’s levees failed, flooding 80% of the city. Many homes were destroyed and people fled, some never to return.
By 2012, the population had returned to 76% of what it was before Katrina, and the city’s resilient spirit and determination played a huge role in helping it to rebuild. Today, the Big Easy has more than bounced back, with visitor numbers rising from 3.7 million in 2006 to 18.51 million in 2018. The post-Katrina city has also seen neighbourhoods such as Bywater thriving with new independent businesses since the recovery.
At least 300 people were killed when torrential rains caused rivers to burst their banks, leading to severe flooding and mudslides that all but buried this Colombian rainforest town in April 2017. The recovery efforts are ongoing, with hundreds of homes already rebuilt. A series of flood prevention measures are also scheduled.
The town is surrounded by mountains and ringed by rain, cloud and oak forests, while Fin del Mundo waterfall is among the top attractions. It’s also home to the conservation area Santuario de Flora Plantas Medicinales Orito Ingi-Ande, between the Amazon and the Andes. Read more about incredible places destroyed by weather here.
Mexico City was hit by two earthquakes in September 2017, killing more than 300 people (including in other parts of central Mexico) and razing buildings to the ground. Shelters were set up around the city to provide food and medicine, while recovery and reconstruction efforts were swift.
The city was quick to resume normal life, too, with monuments, hotels and museums – including the Frida Kahlo Museum and the Palacio de Bellas Artes – reopened after being inspected for structural damage. And there have been new developments, too, with a luxurious Ritz-Carlton due to open in the financial district in late 2020. Now discover the most significant weather event in every state and DC.
Puerto Rico was hit by a double whammy of storms in September 2017, with Hurricanes Irma and Maria tearing through the Caribbean island within a fortnight. The latter was the most devastating storm to hit the country for more than 80 years, with reports placing the death toll at more than 4,600 people.
The US territory remains vulnerable to extreme conditions, with a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hitting in January 2020. Yet its recovery has been impressive, with trails and waterfalls reopening in lush areas including El Yunque National Forest. The capital San Juan – whose old town is surrounded by forts and lined with candy-hued buildings – is back to its colourful best.
Heavy monsoon rains in May 2017 led to swollen rivers and mudslides that swept over homes and killed at least 200 people – this came a year after the country had suffered landslides that completely buried villages. The Kalutara, Matara and Ratnapura districts were the hardest hit, though damage was widespread.
More than 300 people were killed when a depression formed over the Bay of Bengal in November 2015, followed by heavy rains and severe flooding. Chennai’s streets and buildings were drenched in water up to chest height, while many homes, businesses and cars were destroyed or swept away. Recovery efforts are ongoing and floods have hit again since, though not to the same extent.
The city, usually a popular travel destination with 17th-century Fort St. George and ornate Kapaleeshwarar Temple, is known as the ‘Gateway to South India’ and swiftly welcomed visitors again once waters had receded. Authorities have created booklets with advice and emergency contacts in the event of heavy rainfall, while restored wetlands in the city’s Sholinganallur area have attracted birdlife. It’s hoped they will also help to absorb water and lessen the impact of floods.
Hurricane Sandy battered parts of the Caribbean and affected 24 states in October and November 2012 – the storm was responsible for almost 150 deaths and caused an estimated £56.9 billion ($70.2 billion) of damage too. New York and New Jersey suffered some of the most severe damage. Sandy had reached wind speeds of 80 miles per hour (129km/h) when it hit New Jersey, tearing through homes and destroying boardwalks and amusement parks like those at Seaside Heights, which was wiped out by the storm.
The damaged rollercoaster at Seaside Heights, crumpled and toppling into the sea, became an iconic image of the damage caused by ‘Superstorm Sandy’. It also became a symbol of triumph over adversity when a replacement opened, along with a new Ferris wheel, five years later. The state also rebuilt its boardwalks, restoring the Jersey Shore to its former glory.
A staggering 9,000 people died (with many more injured) and more than 600,000 structures were destroyed as a result of the magnitude-7.8 earthquake that shook Nepal’s capital to its core in April 2015. The earthquake, which reached parts of China, India and Bangladesh, crumbled homes and shattered temples, and also caused an avalanche on Mount Everest. It was Nepal’s worst natural disaster in 80 years.
Aid and rescue efforts were swift. The rubble was cleared off the roads within a year, and businesses began reopening. Five years on, life has largely returned to normal and structures are being rebuilt, though the recovery is ongoing. UNESCO is working with the government to restore hundreds of temples, palaces and museums damaged by the earthquake.
Tropical Cyclone Debbie threatened to completely wipe out the Whitsundays – 74 island jewels scattered in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef – in March 2017. The cyclone battered the Queensland coast, passing over the islands and causing significant damage, but narrowly missing hitting and destroying them completely. It also left reefs severely damaged.
By April 2017, however, Tourism Whitsundays declared the region open for business, with sailing and snorkelling trips operating again. The islands are famous for their glistening white beaches, including Whitehaven, considered one of the world’s most beautiful stretches of sand. New experiences and resorts include the lavish Reefsuites, an underwater hotel room attached to a pontoon, were opened too. Read on as we reveal the world's most dramatic weather phenomena and where to find them.