True for earthquakes(more people die because they get to them in time than died from building falling).
True for typhoons/hurricanes for much the same reasons of dehydration, disease, looting and all the other reasons that come about when help and organization can't happen quick enough afterwards(why the death-toll is always worse in the third-world than it is in the west and why the worst storms in the west has the highest aftermath death-toll(Katrina...)
Think people are too focused on 'The STORM' and the notion that once done the worst will be over, when realistically the aftermath will be an utter shit-show that is likely to last A LOT LONGER....
When I was 13 a tornado hit our house. We were in it and by the grace of God survived. It actually took about 5 years for us to get back to some part of normal. The problem I think will be, most people have never been through a storm.
Most people don't want to think about bad things, as they are happening, let alone think enough about what may happen to prepare for it..