Five ‘billion dollar’ weather disasters struck the US in 2005. by Jo Farrow
The US has had its fair share of severe weather over the past year, and a recent report issued by the US Climate Centre states that 2005 has added an extra five events to the nation’s list of ‘billion dollar’ disasters (disasters which amounted to over a billion dollars worth of damage).
Four hurricanes and a severe drought across the Midwest were the costliest calamities. Hurricane Katrina topped the list, with damage amounting to over 100 billion dollars, making it the costliest disaster in history.
Before Katrina, the most expensive weather related disaster in the US since 1980 was the severe drought of 1988, where an estimated 62 billion dollars worth of damaged was caused.
Also making the top five were Hurricane Wilma – $10 billion, Hurricane Rita - $8 billion, Hurricane Dennis - $2 billion and the severe drought which gripped the US Midwest during the spring and summer months - $1 billion.
So it would seem that weather related disasters are becoming more costly, and some would link this fact to global warming. However, caution must be used when making monetary comparisons to past events. In recent years development along coastlines has increased immensely, along with the price of housing and buildings.
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