Trending Now
We have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for Eurasia Group and its affiliates, including GZERO Media, to clarify the types of data we collect, how we collect it, how we use data and with whom we share data. By using our website you consent to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, including the transfer of your personal data to the United States from your country of residence, and our use of cookies described in our Cookie Policy.
{{ subpage.title }}
The Graphic Truth: Billion-dollar disasters have become more common
In addition to the devastating human toll of last weekend’s Texas floods, which have so far taken the lives of at least 100 people – including dozens of children – initial estimates put the economic damage to people’s homes, businesses, and public infrastructure at upwards of $18 billion.
The number of US weather and climate-related disasters that have inflicted at least $1 billion worth of damage has in fact grown significantly over the past two decades, as weather patterns become more severe, a phenomenon experts attribute to climate change. Here is a look at this tragic trend since 1980.