Great Fire of London Begins on Pudding Lane
On September 2, 1666, a bakery fire on Pudding Lane swept through London, destroying 13,000 houses and St Paul's Cathedral over four days.
The Great Lisbon Earthquake Devastates Portugal
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake killed tens of thousands on November 1 and reshaped how Europe thought about disaster and faith.
Napoleon Enters Moscow and the City Burns
On September 14, 1812, Napoleon entered Moscow as the Russians set the city on fire, beginning the end of his invasion.
The Great Chicago Fire Burns the Centre of the City
The Great Chicago Fire began on October 8, 1871, killed about 300 people and burned for two days, leaving a third of the city homeless.
The Galveston Hurricane Devastates Texas
On September 8, 1900, a hurricane hit Galveston, Texas, killing up to 12,000 people in the deadliest natural disaster in US history.
The Great Kanto Earthquake Devastates Tokyo and Yokohama
On September 1, 1923, a magnitude 7.9 quake hit Tokyo and Yokohama. Most of the 100,000-plus deaths came from fires, not the shaking.
The Babi Yar Massacre Begins Near Kiev
On September 29, 1941, German forces began the Babi Yar massacre outside Kiev, killing some 33,771 Jews in two days.
The Vajont Landslide Sends a Wave Over the Dam and Into Longarone
A landslide into the Vajont reservoir on October 9, 1963 sent a wave over the dam and destroyed Longarone, killing around 2,000 people.
A Magnitude 8.0 Earthquake Devastates Mexico City
On September 19, 1985, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake killed thousands in Mexico City and reshaped the country's politics.
Mozambique's President Dies in a Plane Crash
On October 19, 1986, Mozambican president Samora Machel died when his plane crashed into a hillside in South Africa; 34 people were killed.
The Loma Prieta Earthquake Strikes the San Francisco Area
The Loma Prieta earthquake, magnitude 6.9, struck the San Francisco area on October 17, 1989, killing 63 people.
The Latur Earthquake Strikes Western India
On September 30, 1993, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake killed about 10,000 people in Latur, India.
The Ferry Estonia Sinks in the Baltic Sea
On September 28, 1994, the ferry Estonia sank in the Baltic with the loss of 852 lives, the worst European maritime disaster in decades.
The Yellow River Is Diverted at Xiaolangdi
On October 28, 1997, the Yellow river was diverted at Xiaolangdi and the dam was closed, a key step in a large flood control project.
Swissair Flight 111 Crashes off Nova Scotia
On September 2, 1998, Swissair Flight 111 crashed into the Atlantic off Nova Scotia, killing all 229 aboard after an in-flight fire.
The 1999 Athens Earthquake
On September 7, 1999, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake near Athens killed 143 people and damaged thousands of buildings.
The September 11 Attacks on the United States
On September 11, 2001, hijackers flew four planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 people.
The Kashmir Earthquake Kills Tens of Thousands in Pakistan
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Kashmir on October 8, 2005, killing more than 73,000 people and leaving 3.5 million homeless.
The Last of the 33 Chilean Miners Is Brought to the Surface
The last of 33 miners trapped in Chile's San Jose mine was rescued on October 13, 2010, after 69 days underground.