Factors Behind Global Internal Disaster Displacements in 2024

Disasters drove a staggering 45.8 million internal displacements globally in 2024, accounting for 70% of all internal movements that year.

The overwhelming majority, 45.5 million, were related to weather events, dwarfing the 228,000 displacements caused by geophysical hazards.

Storms were the single largest trigger, causing 25.2 million people to flee their homes. Floods followed as the second-most significant factor, displacing 19.1 million.

Other notable weather-related causes included 425,000 displacements due to wildfires, 397,000 from landslides, and 387,000 due to droughts.

In comparison, the main geophysical contributors were earthquakes, which led to 153,000 displacements, and other unspecified geophysical hazards, accounting for 75,000.

An additional 21,000 displacements were attributed to other weather-related hazards. The data highlights the dominant role of climate and weather patterns in forced internal migration.