Belgian heatwave in top 10 natural disasters of 2015

A total of 317 natural disasters worldwide last year were directly responsible for the deaths of nearly 23,000 people. That's 39 more natural disasters than in 2014, and an increase of approximately 15,000 victims, writes Het Laatste Nieuws based on the World Disasters Report published by the International Red Cross.

The rise in the number of casualties is largely due to the earthquake in Nepal, which last year claimed 8,831 lives, but also the heatwave in France, which took the lives of another 3,275 people.

Heat waves in Belgium, Pakistan and India are also included in the Report. According to the Red Cross, heat waves demand more lives every year. Four of the 10 worst natural disasters last year were due to a prolonged period of extremely high temperatures.