1721day.year
A massive earthquake devastates the Iranian city of Tabriz.
A massive earthquake struck the Iranian city of Tabriz in 1721, causing widespread destruction and significant loss of life.
On April 26, 1721, a powerful earthquake devastated Tabriz, then a key city in northwestern Iran under Safavid rule.
Estimates suggest tens of thousands of people perished as buildings collapsed and fires broke out.
The disaster razed large portions of the urban center, leaving survivors to grapple with shortages of food and shelter.
The calamity prompted relief efforts and highlighted the region’s seismic vulnerability.
Reconstruction in the following years reshaped the city’s architecture and infrastructure.
The earthquake remains one of the deadliest in Iranian history, remembered for its scale of destruction.
1721
A massive earthquake
Tabriz
1900day.year
Fires destroy Canadian cities Ottawa and Hull, reducing them to ashes in 12 hours. Twelve thousand people are left without a home.
A devastating blaze razes Ottawa and Hull within half a day, leaving thousands homeless.
On April 26, 1900, a massive fire swept through the Canadian cities of Ottawa and Hull, driven by strong winds and dry conditions. In just 12 hours, homes, businesses, and government buildings were reduced to charred ruins. Approximately twelve thousand residents found themselves without shelter, facing a crisis amid limited relief resources. The disaster prompted swift aid from neighboring communities and spurred the development of more robust fire prevention and response measures. Reconstruction efforts reshaped the cityscapes, laying the groundwork for modern urban planning in Canada's capital region.
1900
Fires
1942day.year
Benxihu Colliery accident in Manchukuo leaves 1,549 Chinese miners dead.
On April 26, 1942, a catastrophic fire at the Benxihu Colliery in Japanese-occupied Manchukuo killed 1,549 Chinese miners, making it the deadliest coal mining disaster in history.
The Benxihu Colliery accident occurred when an underground fire broke out at the Japanese-run coal mine in Liaoning Province. Rescue efforts were hampered by the complex tunnel network and lack of proper safety equipment. The use of hydraulic systems to seal the fire inadvertently trapped workers underground. Over 1,500 Chinese miners lost their lives, making it the deadliest coal mining disaster to date. The incident highlighted the dangerous working conditions imposed by the occupying forces. It also drew attention to colonial exploitation and forced labor practices. Following the accident, no significant safety reforms were implemented under Japanese administration. The disaster remains a somber example of industrial neglect and human cost during wartime occupation.
1942
Benxihu Colliery
Manchukuo
1966day.year
The magnitude 5.1 Tashkent earthquake affects the largest city in Soviet Central Asia with a maximum MSK intensity of VII (Very strong). Tashkent is mostly destroyed and 15–200 are killed.
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake devastates Tashkent, Soviet Central Asia, causing widespread destruction and significant casualties.
At dawn on April 26, 1966, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck near Tashkent, the largest city in Soviet Central Asia.
With a maximum MSK intensity of VII, the tremors leveled large sections of the city’s infrastructure.
Between 15 and 200 residents lost their lives, and tens of thousands were left homeless.
The Soviet government launched a massive reconstruction effort, redesigning Tashkent with modern urban planning.
The disaster led to stricter building codes across the USSR to mitigate future earthquake risks.
1966
Tashkent earthquake
Soviet Central Asia
MSK intensity
Tashkent
1986day.year
The Chernobyl disaster occurs in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
A reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant explodes, triggering the worst nuclear disaster in history in the Ukrainian SSR.
In the early hours of April 26, 1986, Reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant suffered a catastrophic steam explosion.
The disaster released massive amounts of radioactive material into the environment, contaminating vast areas across Europe.
Emergency crews and plant operators risked lethal radiation exposure to contain fires and avert further explosions.
The nearby town of Pripyat was evacuated days later, leaving behind an exclusion zone that remains restricted today.
Chernobyl’s legacy prompted global reforms in nuclear safety and emergency response protocols.
1986
Chernobyl disaster
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
1989day.year
The deadliest known tornado strikes Central Bangladesh, killing upwards of 1,300, injuring 12,000, and leaving as many as 80,000 homeless.
The deadliest recorded tornado in history hits central Bangladesh, killing over 1,300 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
On April 26, 1989, a powerful tornado struck central Bangladesh, marking it as the deadliest confirmed tornado in recorded history with at least 1,300 fatalities.
The twister carved a path through multiple villages, destroying homes, schools, and crops across a wide region.
Injuries exceeded 12,000, and nearly 80,000 people were left without shelter amid limited relief infrastructure.
Local and international aid efforts struggled to reach the hardest-hit areas, highlighting challenges in disaster response.
This event prompted improvements in meteorological monitoring and early warning systems in Bangladesh.
It remains a somber reminder of the destructive power of extreme weather in vulnerable regions.
1989
The deadliest known tornado
1991day.year
Fifty-five tornadoes break out in the central United States. Before the outbreak's end, Andover, Kansas, would record the year's only F5 tornado.
An outbreak of 55 tornadoes tears through the central United States, including the only F5 tornado of the year in Andover, Kansas.
On April 26, 1991, 55 tornadoes erupted across multiple states in the central United States, unleashing widespread damage.
The small city of Andover, Kansas, experienced the year's only F5-rated tornado, leveling neighborhoods and causing significant destruction.
Homes, businesses, and agricultural land were devastated, leaving communities to begin arduous recovery efforts.
Emergency services were stretched thin as injured residents sought medical care and shelters filled with displaced families.
Meteorologists studied the outbreak to better understand the severe weather patterns behind such prolific tornado activity.
This event remains a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of springtime storms in Tornado Alley.
1991
Fifty-five tornadoes
central United States
Andover, Kansas
F5
1994day.year
China Airlines Flight 140 crashes at Nagoya Airport in Japan, killing 264 of the 271 people on board.
China Airlines Flight 140 crashes while landing in Nagoya, killing 264 of the 271 passengers and crew aboard.
China Airlines Flight 140 approached Nagoya Airport in Japan on April 26, 1994, bound from Taipei.
Moments before touchdown, the aircraft experienced a sudden stall due to pilot input errors and system alerts.
The plane descended rapidly and impacted runway structures, sparking fires upon collision.
Rescue teams found that 264 of the 271 people on board had perished, making it one of Japan's deadliest aviation accidents.
Investigations led to recommendations for improved pilot training and cockpit alert procedures to prevent similar tragedies.
The crash profoundly affected aviation safety standards and China Airlines' operational policies.
1994
China Airlines Flight 140
Nagoya Airport