America
smashed the record for billion-dollar weather disasters this year with a
deadly dozen – and counting. With an almost biblical onslaught of
twisters, floods, snow, drought, heat and wildfire, the U.S. has seen
more weather catastrophes in 2011 that caused at least $1 billion in
damage than it did in all of the 1980s, even after the dollar figures
from back then are adjusted for inflation. NOAA added two disasters to
the list Wednesday, bringing the total to 12. The two are the Texas, New
Mexico and Arizona wildfires and the mid-June tornadoes and severe
weather. NOAA uses $1 billion as a benchmark for the worst weather
disasters. Extreme weather in America this year has killed more than
1,000 people, according to National Weather Service. The dozen
billion-dollar disasters alone add up to $52 billion. The old record for
$1 billion disasters was nine, in 2008. And the full cost of some of
the events is still not known, so the total could go even higher before
the year ends. The weather related disasters in the U.S. included:
-
Wildfires in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona from spring to fall. Losses are more than $1 billion, with at least five deaths.
-
Hurricane Irene along the East Coast in August. Losses exceeded $7.3 billion with at least 45 deaths.
-
Flooding in the upper Midwest along the
Missouri and Souris rivers this summer. Damage was more than $2 billion,
with at least five deaths.
-
Flooding on the Mississippi River in spring, summer. Losses were $3 billion to $4 billion with at least two deaths.
-
Drought and heat wave in the southern Plains and Southwest from spring to fall. Losses were near $10 billion.
-
Tornadoes and severe storms in the
Midwest and Southeast from June 18th to 22nd. They caused more than $1.3
billion in damage and killed at least three people.
-
Twisters in the Midwest and Southeast
from May 22nd to 27th. These killed 177 people and caused more than $9.1
billion in damage.
-
Tornadoes in the Southeast and Ohio
Valley from April 25th to 28th. These killed 321 people and caused more
than $10.2 billion in damage.
-
Tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast
from April 14th to 16th. These left 38 people dead and caused more than
$2.1 billion in damage.
-
Tornadoes in the Southeast and Midwest from April 8th to 11th. These caused more than $2.2 billion in damage.
-
Tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast on April 4th and 5th. These inflicted more than $2.8 billion in damage and killed nine.
-
The Groundhog Day blizzard in the Midwest, Northeast. It killed 36 people and caused damage of more than $1.8 billion.
