America’s Most Expensive Natural Disasters of 2011
From tornadoes in the Midwest to the devastation of Hurricane Irene, here are the 10 billion dollar disasters that struck America this year.
From tornadoes in the Midwest to the devastation of Hurricane Irene, here are the 10 billion-dollar disasters that struck America this year.
August 20-29, 2011
Cost: TBD
The damage from Hurricane Irene has been estimated at $13 billion, and about 750,000 people remain without electricity because of the storm. The hurricane tore up the East Coast, caused massive inland flooding, and resulted in at least 45 deaths in 13 states.
Scott Olson / Getty Images
Summer, 2011
Cost: Estimated to exceed $2 billion
The melting of an above-average snow pack across the Northern Rocky Mountains combined with above-average precipitation caused the Missouri and Souris Rivers to swell beyond their banks across the Upper Midwest. An estimated 11,000 people were forced to evacuate Minot, N.D., due to the record high water level of the Souris River, where 4,000 homes were flooded. Numerous levees were breached along the Missouri River, flooding thousands of acres of farmland.
Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo
Spring-Summer, 2011
Cost: $2 to $4 billion
Three times normal rainfall in the Ohio Valley combined with melting snowpack caused historical flooding along the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
Jeff Roberson / AP Photo
Spring-Summer, 2011
Cost: $5 billion (as of Aug. 15)
Drought, heat waves, and wildfires spread across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, southern Kansas, western Arkansas, and Louisiana. Fighting the wildfire costs are estimated at $1 million per day with over 2,000 homes and structures lost. Direct losses (as of Aug. 15) to agriculture, cattle, and structures are well over $5 billion.
Tom Pennington / Getty Images
May 22-27, 2011
Cost: $4.9 billion insured losses; total losses greater than $7 billion
The May tornado outbreak will be remembered for the EF-5 tornado that struck Joplin, Mo., resulting in at least 141 deaths, making it the deadliest single tornado to strike the U.S. since modern tornado record-keeping began in 1950.
Charlie Riedel / AP Photo
April 25-30, 2011
Cost: $9 billion
The deadliest tornado of the outbreak, an EF-5, hit northern Alabama, killing 78 people. Several major metropolitan areas were directly affected by strong tornadoes including Chattanooga, Tenn., and the Alabama cities of Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and Huntsville. A total of 327 people were killed.
Dave Martin / AP Photo
April 14-16, 2011
Cost: $2 billion
The third tornado outbreak in April led to an estimated 160 tornadoes and resulted in total losses exceeding $2 billion and 38 deaths (22 of which were in North Carolina).
Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo
April 8-11, 2011
Cost: $2.2 billion
The second April outbreak of roughly 60 tornadoes across central and southern states resulted in total losses greater than $2.2 billion and numerous injuries.
Nati Harnik / AP Photo
April 4-5, 2011
Cost: $2.3 billion
The first April outbreak of roughly 46 tornadoes across central and southern states resulted in total losses of greater than $2.3 billion and nine deaths.
Nati Harnik / AP Photo
Jan. 29-Feb. 3, 2011
Cost: $2 billion
Chicago was brought to a standstill when between one and two feet of snow fell over the area. The blizzard resulted in total losses of greater than $2 billion and 36 deaths.
Scott Olson / Getty Images
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