Are Natural Disasters Becoming More and More Common?

Such silly data. When "Events" happened in other parts of the world, not many even knew about it. Now, we have global view.

This is just the type of data that evangelicals use to "prove" that we're living in the end times. I wouldn't be surprised if you see Pat Robeterson or Jerry Falwell reference this sometime in the near future.

Maybe you're right Tim, that the increase is due to more reporting of insignificant natural events. But notice that significant natural disasters like flood also show an upswing in trend.

That's what I thought too. The world has had problems and disasters, but with modern communications, we know more and we know it sooner.
Notice you have "reported" disasters. With the plague of media nowadays, of course there's more reported everything. I mean how much crap do I really care to know about Tom Cruise or Paris Hilton?

I agree this data could vary well be confounded by current detection abilities being better than past ones, however there is also the possibility that disasters are on a slight rise with the advent of global warming and more and more naturally at risk areas becoming populated.

good points I feel with more sensative instruments and more sensative scientists sadly emerging this may just be another bit of a scare

theres always been natural disasters, it fluctuates, we had the boxing day tsunami lets hope now we are going to sail clear for a few more years =]

And more people living in more stupid places, building things where they don't belong anyway.....

So what once were natural areas with natural incidents become "disaster" areas.

More people living in places that are dangerous, as well as a more global and comprehensive tracking network (especially for earthquakes) and climate change and other factors such as top soil erosion and deforestation (in the case of floods).