Billion Dollar U.S. Weather Disasters, 1980–2013 (part 3 & last part): Severe Storms and Tornadoes(March 2006); preliminary estimate of over $1.0 billion in damage/costs; 10 deaths reported. 2005Hurricane Wilma(October); preliminary estimate of over $ 10.0 billion in damage/costs; estimated 35 deaths. Hurricane Rita(September); preliminary estimate of over $ 10.0 billion in damage/costs; estimated 35 deaths. Hurricane Katrina(August); preliminary estimate of around $100 billion in damage/costs, making this the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history; circa 1800 deaths - the highest U.S. total since the 1928 major hurricane in southern Florida. Hurricane Dennis(July); preliminary estimate of over $2 billion in damage/costs; at least 12 deaths. Midwest Drought(Spring-Summer); preliminary estimate of over $1.0 billion in damage/costs; no reported deaths. 2004Hurricane Jeanne(September); preliminary estimate of over $6.9 billion in damage/costs; at least 28 deaths. Hurricane Ivan(September); NY. estimate of over $14 billion in damage/costs; at least 57 deaths. Hurricane Frances(September); estimate of approximately $9 billion in damage/costs; at least 48 deaths. Hurricane Charley(August); estimate of approximately $15 billion in damage/costs; at least 34 deaths. 2003Southern California Wildfires(Oct.–Nov.); estimate of over $2.5 billion damage/costs; 22 deaths. Hurricane Isabel(Sept.); estimate of approximately $5 billion in damages/costs; at least 55 deaths. Severe Storms and Tornadoes(May); over $3.4 billion in damages/costs; 51 deaths. Storms and Hail(April.); over $ 1.6 billion in damages/costs: 3 deaths. 2002Widespread Drought(Spring–Fall); estimate of over $ 10.0 billion in damages; no deaths. Western Fire Season(Spring–Fall); $ 2.0 billion in damages/costs; 21 deaths. 2001Tropical Storm Allison(June); preliminary estimate of approximately $5.0 (5.1) billion; 43 deaths. Midwest and Ohio Tornadoes(June); $1.9 billion in damage/costs, at least 3 deaths. 2000Drought/Heat Wave(Spring–Summer); preliminary estimate more than $4.0 (4.2) billion; estimated 140 deaths nationwide. Western Fire Season(Spring–Summer); more than $2.0 (2.1) billion; no deaths reported. 1999Hurricane Floyd(Sept.); at least $6.0 (6.5) billion; 77 deaths. Eastern Drought/Heat Wave(Summer); more than $1.0 (1.1) billion; estimated 502 deaths. Oklahoma-Kansas Tornadoes(May); at least $1.6 (1.7) billion; 55 deaths. Arkansas-Tennessee Tornadoes(Jan.); approximately $1.3 (1.4) billion; 17 deaths. 1998Texas Flooding(Oct.–Nov.); approximately $1.0 (1.1) billion; 31 deaths. Hurricane Georges(Sept.); estimated $5.9 (6.5) billion; 16 deaths. Hurricane Bonnie(Aug.); approximately $1.0 (1.1) billion; 3 deaths. Southern Drought/Heat Wave(Summer); $6.0-$9.0 billion; at least 200 deaths. Minnesota Severe Storms/Hail(May); more than $1.5 (1.7) billion; 1 death. Southeast Tornadoes and Flooding(Winter–Spring); more than $1.0 (1.1) billion; at least 132 deaths. Northeast Ice Storm(Jan.); more than $1.4 (1.5) billion; 16 deaths. 1997Northern Plains Flooding(April–May); approximately $3.7 (4.1) billion; 11 deaths. Mississippi and Ohio Valleys Flooding and Tornadoes(March); estimated $1.0 (1.1) billion; 67 deaths. West Coast Flooding(Dec. 1996–Jan. 1997); approximately $3.0 (3.4) billion; 36 deaths. 1996Hurricane Fran(Sept.); more than $5.0 (5.8) billion; 37 deaths. Southern Plains Severe Drought(Fall 1995–Summer 1996); approximately $5.0 (6.0) billion; no deaths. Pacific Northwest Severe Flooding(Feb.); approximately $1.0 (1.2) billion; 9 deaths. Blizzard of '96 and Flooding(Jan.); approximately $3.0 (3.5) billion; 187 deaths. 1995Hurricane Opal(Oct.); more than $3.0 (3.6) billion; 27 deaths. Hurricane Marilyn(Sept.); estimated $2.1 (2.5) billion; 13 deaths. Southern Severe Weather and Flooding(May); 5.0-$6.0 (6.5-7.1) billion; 32 deaths. California Flooding(Jan.–March); more than $3.0 (3.6) billion; 27 deaths. 1994Western Fire Season(Summer–Fall); approximately $1.0 (1.2) billion; death toll undetermined. Texas Flooding(Oct.); approximately $1.0 (1.2) billion; 19 deaths. Tropical Storm Alberto(July); approximately $1.0 (1.2) billion; 32 deaths. Southeast Ice Storm(Feb.); approximately $3.0 (3.7) billion; 9 deaths. 1993California Wildfires(Fall); approximately $1.0 (1.3) billion; 4 deaths. Midwest Flooding(Summer); approximately $21.0 (26.7) billion; 48 deaths. Drought/Heat Wave(Summer); about $1.0 (1.3) billion; at least 16 deaths. “Storm of the Century” Blizzard(March); $3.0-$6.0 (3.8-7.6) billion; approximately 270 deaths. 1992Nor'easter of 1992(Dec.); $1.0-$2.0 (1.3-2.6) billion; 19 deaths. Hurricane Iniki(Sept.); about $1.8 (2.4) billion; 7 deaths. Hurricane Andrew(Aug.); approximately $27.0 (35.6) billion; 61 deaths. 1991Oakland Firestorm(Oct.): approximately $2.5 (3.5) billion; 25 deaths. Hurricane Bob(Aug.); $1.5 (2.1) billion; 18 deaths.

Billion Dollar U.S. Weather Disasters, 1980–2013 (part 2): Southeast/Midwest Tornadoes and Severe Weather(June 18-22, 2011); over $1.3 billion in total damages/costs; an estimated 81 tornadoes over central and southern states; wind and hail damage in the Southeast; 3 deaths. Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes(May 22–27, 2011); estimate of over $9.1 billion in total damage/costs; an estimated 180 tornadoes over central and southern states; 177 reported deaths. Southeast/Ohio Valley/Midwest Tornadoes(April 25-30, 2011); over $10.2 billion in total damages/costs; an estimated 343 tornadoes over central and southern states; 321 deaths (240 in Alabama). Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes(April 14–16, 2011); Over $2.1 billion in total losses/costs; an estimated 177 tornadoes in several central and southern states; 38 deaths (22 in North Carolina). Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes(April 8–11, 2011); over $1.5 billion in losses/costs; an estimated 59 tornadoes in central and southern states; no deaths reported. Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes(April 4–5, 2011); over $2.8 billion in total losses with damage in several central and southern states; an estimated 46 tornadoes reported; 9 deaths. Groundhog Day Blizzard(Jan. 29–Feb. 3, 2011); over $1.8 billion in damages/costs from a large winter storm affecting central, eastern and northeastern states; Chicago was at a standstill; 36 deaths. 2010Midwest Tornadoes and Severe Weather(May 2010 ); total losses exceeded $3.0 billion in damages/costs; 3 deaths. Mid-South Flooding and Severe Weather(April-May 2010 ); total losses exceeded $2.3 billion in damages/costs; 32 deaths. Northeast Flooding(March 2010 ); over $1.5 billion in damages/costs; 11 deaths. 2009Southwest/Great Plains Drought(entire year 2009); estimate of over $5.0 billion in damage/costs; no reported deaths. Western Wildfires(Summer-Fall 2009); over $1.0 billion in damages/costs (including annual fire suppression costs); 10 deaths. Midwest, South and Eastern Severe Weather(June 2009); Over $1.1 billion in damages/costs; no deaths reported. South/Southeast Tornadoes and Severe Weather(April 2009); over $1.2 billion in damages/costs; 6 deaths. Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes(March 2009); Over $1.0 billion in damages/costs with majority of damage in TX; no deaths reported. Southeast/Ohio Valley Severe Weather(February 2009); over $1.4 billion in damages/costs with majority of damage in OK and OH; 10 deaths. 2008Widespread Drought(entire year 2008); estimate of over $2.0 billion in damage/costs; no reported deaths. Hurricane Ike(September 2008); estimate of over $27.0 billion in damage/costs; 112 deaths reported. Hurricane Gustav(September 2008); preliminary estimate of at least $5.0 billion in damage/costs; 43 deaths reported. Hurricane Dolly(July 2008); preliminary estimate of over $1.2 billion in damage/costs; three deaths reported. US Wildfires(Summer-Fall 2008); preliminary estimate of over $2.0 billion in damage/costs; 16 deaths reported. Midwest Flood(June 2008); preliminary estimate of over $15 billion in damage/costs; 24 deaths reported. Midwest/Mid-Atlantic Severe Weather/Tornadoes(June 2008); preliminary estimate of over $1.1 billion in damage/costs; 18 deaths reported. Midwest/Ohio Valley Severe Weather/Tornadoes(May 2008); preliminary estimate of over $2.4 billion in damage/costs; 13 deaths reported. Southeast/Midwest Tornadoes(February 2008); preliminary estimate of over $1.0 billion in damage/costs; 57 deaths reported. 2007Great Plains and Eastern Drought(entire year 2007); preliminary estimate of over $5.0 billion in damage/costs; no reported deaths. Western Wildfires(Summer-Fall 2007); preliminary estimate of over $1.0 billion in damage/costs; at least 12 deaths. East/South Severe Weather(April 2007); preliminary estimate of over $1.5 billion in damage/costs; nine deaths reported. 2006Wildfires(Entire year 2006); preliminary estimate of over $1.0 billion in damage/costs; 28 deaths, including 20 firefighters. Widespread Drought(Spring-Summer 2006); preliminary estimate of over $6.0 billion in damage/costs; some heat-related deaths, but not beyond typical annual averages. Northeast Flooding(June 2006); preliminary estimate of over $1.0 billion in damage/costs; at least 20 deaths reported. Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes(April 2006); preliminary estimate of over $1.5 billion in damage/costs; 10 deaths reported. Midwest/Ohio Valley Tornadoes(April 2006); preliminary estimate of over $1.1 billion in damage/costs; 27 deaths reported.

Billion Dollar U.S. Weather Disasters, 1980–2013 (part 1): Source:National Climatic Data Center The U.S. has sustained 123 weather-related disasters during the 1980-2012 period in which overall damages and costs reached or exceeded $1 billion at the time of the event. Twelve occurred during 2011 alone—the most for any year on record, with total costs being approximately $52 billion. Two damage figures are given for events prior to 2002: the first represents actual dollar costs and is not adjusted for inflation. The second (in parentheses) is the dollar cost normalized to 2002 dollars using a GNP inflation/wealth index. The total normalized losses for the 99 events are over $725 billion. Sources include Storm Data (NCDC publication), the National Weather Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, other U.S. government agencies, individual state emergency management agencies, state and regional climate centers, and insurance industry estimates. 2013Category 4 Tornado in Oklahoma(May 20, 2013); an enormous category 4 tornado hit Oklahoma City, Moore, and Newcastle. Moore was the hardest hit. The city's Plaza Towers Elementary School was flattened. More than 90 people were killed in the storm, including 20 children. The tornado, stretching about a mile wide, was on the ground for 40 minutes. 2012National Drought(2012); a drought began in the spring of 2012 due to the lack of snow the U.S. received during the previous winter. The drought has caused 123 deaths and over $40 billion in damages / cost. Southeast/Ohio Valley Tornadoes(March 2–3 2012); a total of 75 tornadoes caused 4 billion in damages/costs and 42 deaths. Texas Tornadoes(April 2–3 2012); a total of 22 tornadoes, including several in the Dallas area, caused 1.3 billion in damages/costs. The tornadoes caused no deaths. Midwest Tornadoes(April 13–14 2012); 98 confirmed tornadoes hit Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. The damage cost $283 million in Wichita alone. The disaster caused nearly $2 billion in total damages/costs. Six people were killed. Midwest/Ohio Valley Storms(April 28–May 1 2012); a total of 38 tornadoes and large hail caused major damage, especially in St. Louis. At least $4 billion in damages/costs was estimated. One person was killed. Southern Plains/Midwest/Northeast Severe Weather(May 25–30 2012); a total of 27 tornadoes and severe storms caused major damage in several states and cost $2.5 billion. One person was killed. Rockies/Southwest Severe Weather(June 6–12 2012); 25 tornadoes and large hail hit Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. The hail damage cost more than $1 billion in Colorado alone. The total cost of the storms was estimated at $3 billion. East/Northeast/Plains Severe Storms (Derecho)(June 29–July 2 2012); a large storm system, also called a derecho, left damage from Ohio and Indiana through the mid-Atlantic. Damage by this disaster was estimated at $4 billion. The storm system also caused 28 deaths. Hurricane Isaac(August 2012); the hurricane hit the Gulf Coast, bringing flooding, strong winds and tornadoes. Isaac caused an estimated 2.3 billion in damages and 42 deaths. Western Wildfires(Summer/Fall 2012); various wildfires burned up 9.1 million acres. The most intense wildfires were in the western part of the United States. The estimated cost of damage was between $1 and $2 billion. Hurricane Sandy(October 2012); Sandy struck the east coast, killing 132 people. Sandy caused an estimated $82 billion dollars in damages to New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. 2011Texas, New Mexico, Arizona Wildfires(Spring-Fall, 2011); over $1.0 billion in total damages/costs; drought and extreme heat caused several historic wildfires across Texas, New Mexico and Arizona; over 3 million acres burned in Texas; 5 deaths reported. Hurricane Irene(August 20–29, 2011); estimate of over $7.3 billion in total damage/costs; minimal category 1 hurricane hit coastal North Carolina and moved north along Mid-Atlantic Coast causing flooding in the Northeast; numerous tornadoes were also reported; 45 reported deaths. Upper Midwest Flooding(Summer 2011); over $2.0 billion in total damages/costs; melting snow combined with above normal precipitation caused the Missouri and Souris Rivers to flood across the Upper Midwest; 4,000 homes were flooded and 11,000 people evacuated Minot, North Dakota; 5 deaths. Mississippi River Flooding(Spring–Summer 2011); $3.0–4.0 billion in total losses/costs; nearly 300 percent more than normal precipitation amounts in the Ohio Valley combined with melting snow caused historical flooding along the Mississippi River and its tributaries; 7 deaths reported. Southern Plains/Southwest Drought and Heatwave(Spring–Fall, 2011); nearly $10.0 billion in losses to crops, livestock and timber; Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, southern Kansas, and western Louisiana are all impacted; no deaths reported.

Tsunami Factfile The Indian Ocean tsunami that occured in December 2004 was the deadliest in history: Indian Ocean Tsunami: The Deadliest in History On Dec. 26, 2004, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake—the largest earthquakein 40 years—ruptured in the Indian Ocean, off the northwest coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The earthquake triggered the deadliest tsunamiin world history, so powerful that the waves caused loss of life on the coast of Africa and were even detected on the East Coast of the United States. More than 225,000 people have died from the disaster, a half a million have been injured, thousands still remain missing, and millions were left homeless. Eleven countries bordering the Indian Ocean—all relatively poor and vulnerable—suffered devastation. Hardest hit were Indonesia(particularly the province of Aceh), Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and the Maldives. The catastrophic damage included the destruction of entire cities, the contamination of farmland and forests, and the depletion of fishing stocks. Some areas faced starvation and increased suseptibility to disease. Even countries with relatively low death tolls suffered enormous damage—the Maldives, for example, had less than 100 deaths, yet the tsunami left 14 of the archipelago's islands uninhabitable, requiring its inhabitants to be permanently evacuated, and another 79 islands without safe drinking water. Seestatistics on Deadliest Tsunamisand Deadliest Earthquakes. The Science of Tsunami A tsunami(pronounced soo-NAHM-ee) is a series of huge waves that occur as the result of a violent underwater disturbance, such as an earthquakeor volcanic eruption. The waves travel in all directions from the epicenter of the disturbance. The waves may travel in the open sea as fast as 450 miles per hour. As they travel in the open ocean, tsunami waves are generally not particularly large—hence the difficulty in detecting the approach of a tsunami. But as these powerful waves approach shallow waters along the coast, their velocity is slowed and they consequently grow to a great height before smashing into the shore. They can grow as high as 100 feet; the Indian Ocean tsunami generated waves reaching 30 feet. Tsunamiis the Japanese word for "harbor wave." They are sometimes mistakenly referred to as tidal waves, but tsunamis have nothing to do with the tides. Tsunamis have been relatively rare in the Indian Ocean, and are most common in the Pacific Ocean. For more details on Tsunami, see our encyclopedia articleand Tsunami FAQs. Countries Damaged by the Indian Ocean Tsunami Deadliest Tsunamis in History Fatalities1YearMagnitudePrincipal areas 350,00020049.0Indian Ocean 100,000+1410 b.c.Crete-Santorini, Ancient Greece 100,00017558.5Portugal, Morocco, Ireland, and the United Kingdom 100,0001908Messina, Italy 40,00017827.0South China Sea, Taiwan 36,5001883Krakatau, Indonesia 30,00017078.4Tokaido-Nankaido, Japan 26,36018967.6Sanriku, Japan 25,67418688.5Northern Chile 15,03017926.4Kyushu Island, Japan Source:National Geophysical Data Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Deadliest Earthquakes in History FatalitiesYearMagnitudePrincipal areas 830,00015568.0Shansi, China 255,000+19768.0Tangshan, China 230,000+20049.1off west coast of northern Sumatra 230,0001138n.a.Aleppo, Syria 222,57020107.0Haiti 200,00019208.6Gansu, China 200,00019277.9near Xining, China 200,000856n.a.Damghan, Iran 150,000893n.a.Ardabil, Iran 143,00019237.9Kwanto, Japan Source:National Earthquake Information Center, U.S. Geological Survey. Data compiled from several sources.

The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake: At 5:12 a.m. on April 18, 1906, the people of San Francisco were awakened by an earthquakethat would devastate the city. The main temblor, having a 7.7–7.9 magnitude, lasted about one minute and was the result of the rupturing of the northernmost 296 miles of the 800-mile San Andreas fault. But when calculating destruction, the earthquake took second place to the great fire that followed. The fire, lasting four days, most likely started with broken gas lines (and, in some cases, was helped along by people hoping to collect insurance for their property—they were covered for fire, but not earthquake, damage). With water mains broken, fighting the fires was almost impossible, and about 500 city blocks were destroyed. The damages were estimated at about $400,000,000 in 1906 dollars, which would translate to about $8.2 billion today. Uncertain Death Toll In 1906 San Franciscowas the ninth largest U.S. city with a population of 400,000, and over 225,000 were left homeless by the disaster. The death toll is uncertain. City officials estimated the casualties at 700 but more modern calculations say about 3,000 lost their lives. The lowballing city figures may have been a public relations ploy to downplay the disaster with an eye on rebuilding the city. On April 20, the U.S.S.Chicagorescued 20,000 victims, one of the largest sea evacuations in history, rivaling Dunkirkin World War II. Martial law was not declared, but some 500 looters were shot by police and the military. Shifting Seismologic Knowledge The epicenter of this earthquake has moved around in the past 100 years, as advances in seismology have been made. It was first thought to have been in Marin County, then northwest of the Golden Gate, and most recently, in the Pacific Ocean about two miles west of San Francisco. The plate-tectonics theorythat would shed some light on the quake wasn't formulated until the 1920s and not embraced until some three decades later. The San Andreas faultis on the boundary between the Pacific plate and the North American plate. During the earthquake, the ground west of the fault tended to move northward and, in the most extreme instance, a 21-foot shift was measured. Earthquake ruptures are fast movers—seismologists estimated the average speed of this rupture to have been 8,300 mi/hr going north, and 6,300 mi/hr traveling south. The quake was felt from southern Oregon to south of Los Angeles and inland as far as central Nevada. Magnitude Charles Richterdeveloped his scale in 1935 to measure the amount of seismic energy released, the magnitude, of an earthquake. Seismologists found the Richter scale fine for lower magnitude quakes, but inaccurate for higher magnitude ones. The 1906 earthquake was assigned a Richter rating of 8.3, but on the newer moment magnitude scaleit has been demoted to one measuring 7.8 or 7.9. "The Big One" On Oct. 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m., at the height of the rush hour, Bay Area residents thought the "big one" had struck. The 7.1 Richter scale (6.9 moment magnitude) Loma Prieta earthquake, with its epicenter about 60 miles from San Francisco, was the largest one to hit the region since 1906. Sixty to 70 deaths were reported, freeways and bridges were damaged, and the World Series between the Oakland and San Francisco teams was postponed for 10 days. Property damage was estimated at $6 billion dollars, making this the costliest natural disaster to that date. But seismologists said this was not the major earthquake feared by all. That one is still in the future. In 1906 there were only about 650,000 people living in the area, but today more than 7 million people make their homes in the San Francisco Bay region. Scientists in 2003 estimated that there is a 62% probability of a 6.7 magnitude or larger earthquake hitting the Bay Area in the next 30 years and Californians live in the shadow of "the big one."