Extreme Weather Extracts Heavy Toll Across States: 1992-2012

STATELINE INFOGRAPHIC ENVIRONMENT Extreme Weather Extracts Heavy Toll Across States Extreme weather wreaked havoc on the nation in 2012, as almost every state was touched by a climate event whose economy-wide cost exceeded $1 billion. The year saw a near-record 11 of those events, highlighted by Hurricane Sandy and a still-lingering drought. Combined, the two disasters are thought to have killed 254 people. Using federally compiled data, here's a look at the costliest disasters over the past two decades. Billion Dollar Disasters Cost 4 2012* TBD 199 A| 4 * 2011 $61B 2011: The federal 31 A 2010 $9 government declared a record 99 major disasters, highlighted by a devastating drought and heat wave, 2009 $12 9 2008 $61 Hurricane Irene and tornados that whirled O 2007 $12 across the Southeast, Midwest and Ohio Valley. 7 A 4 2006 $13 2005: No storm has been 2005 $187B more devastating than Hurricane Katrina, which 99 2004 $56 pulverized the Gulf Coast, particularly New Orleans, plunging it into death and chaos after its levee system 19 2003 $17 failed. The storm killed 2002 $18 1,833 people and cost about $146 billion. 2001 $9 2 2000 $8 9* 1999 $15 1998: A summer EFz|99 A * 1998 drought and heat wave stretching from $32B Oklahoma and Texas 1997 $11 to South Carolina caused more than $10 S A* 1996 $21 billion in damages, mostly to agriculture. The event is thought to have led to as many a 1995 $21 9A O 1994 $13 as 200 deaths. 1993: Heavy and steady *A 1993 $45B rains and snows throughout the year 11199 * 1992 $55 overflowed the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers by 1992: Hurricane Andrew summer, triggering one of destroyed more than 125,000 worst floods to hit the homes across Florida and A wildfire Midwest, destroying and Louisiana, killing 61 people swamping much of its and costing more than agriculture. The flood $43 billion. It sparked major killed 48 people and cost changes in the way the about $34 billion. states prepare for disasters. Severe Storm 9 Tropical Cyclone 4 Flooding Drought * Winter Storm/Freeze All dollar amounts are translated into today's dollars. "Researchers are still tabulating the total costs of 2012's major events, but say they will almost certainly top last year's total. Sources: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, National Climate Data Center http://www.ncdc.noaa.gowbillions/events. Aggregated data from a variety of sources, including: the National Weather Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, other U.S. government agencies, individual state emergency management agencies, state and regional climate centers, media reports, and insurance industry estimates. Stateline infographic by: Carla Uriona, Evan Potler, Mark Pinkston, and Jim Malewitz January 22, 2013