Top 10 Worst Natural Disasters in United States

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Here’s a look at the top 10 worst natural disasters in united states that caused the most monetary damage. Hurricanes are at the top of the list, but heat waves and floods also took a significant toll in terms of both lives and wealth.

natural disasters in united states
Hurricane

Here’s a look at the 10 worst natural Disasters in United States

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is standing by its forecast that this storm season will be more active than average. The weather forecasters are predicting that a number of the current atmospheric and oceanic conditions will persist.
Here’s a look at the 10 worst natural Disasters in United States that caused the greatest monetary damage, based on statistics from NOAA.

  1. Hurricane Katrina –August 2005-First hit land north of Miami as a Category 1 storm. Once it hit the Gulf Coast states, it got stronger and became a Category 3 storm. Hurricane Katrina raised the level of the ocean, damaged the levee system in New Orleans, killed more than 1,800 people, and forced more than 1 million to leave their homes.
  2. Hurricane Harvey–August 2017-The Category 4 hurricane caused a lot of flooding in Houston. Over 30 inches of rain fell on 6.9 million people, killing more than 100, forcing 30,000 to move, and destroying more than 200,000 homes and businesses.
  3. Hurricane Maria–September 2017-Puerto Rico was the hardest hit by Hurricane Maria. Infrastructure for transportation, agriculture, communication, and energy on the island broke down. No one knows who died in a storm. Researchers at Harvard thought there would be 800–8,500 deaths, while NOAA thought there would be around 3,000.
  4. Hurricane Sandy–October 2012-Late October’s storm and nor’easter delivered wind, rain, and heavy snow to the Northeast. High winds and storm surge in New York and New Jersey caused most of the damage to water and electricity systems, killing 159 people. The New York Stock Exchange closed for two days for the first time since 1888.
  5. Hurricane IDA–August 2021-Ida was one of only three hurricanes to impact Louisiana with sustained 150-mph winds. The hurricane damaged the state’s electricity infrastructure, leaving millions without power for almost a week. Grand Isle, Louisiana, lost 40% of its homes.
  6. Hurricane IRMA–September 2017-Category 4 hurricane winds and storm surge destroyed 25% of Florida Keys homes and damaged 2/3. After Category 5 Irma destroyed the USVI. The storm killed about 100.
  7. Hurricane Andrew–August 1992-Only three Category 5 storms have hit the U.S. mainland, including Andrew. (Camille in 1969 and the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane) In Dade County, Fla., the storm destroyed or damaged 125,000 homes and displaced 160,000 people. Category 3 Andrew hit Louisiana.
  8. Drought and Heat Wave–August 1988-Farmers and other agricultural enterprises suffered from a widespread drought from June to August 1988. Heat stress may have caused 5,000 deaths, although NOAA estimated 454.
  9. Midwest Flooding–August 1993-From late June to mid-August, heavy rains and thunderstorms destroyed farmland, infrastructure, residences, and businesses. Many rivers reached record flood heights, killing 48 people.
  10. Hurricane IKE–September 2008-Ike, which was the biggest hurricane to ever hit the Atlantic, caused a big storm surge along the Texas coast. Ten more states were affected by the winds and flooding. Gas shortages were caused by damage to oil platforms, pipelines, and refineries. Hurricanes killed more than 100 people.

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