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10 Deadliest Natural Disasters in the U.S

By rspano01

  • U.S. Drought/Heat wave

    U.S. Drought/Heat wave
    The U.S drought and heat wave of 1988 was deadly, especially for farmers and agricultural industries. The estimate of deaths was 454, costing $54.3 billion.

  • Hurricane Andrew

    Hurricane Andrew
    Hurricane Andrew was one of three category five hurricanes to hit mainland U.S. This destroyed over 125,000 homes, leaving more then 160,000 people homeless and costing about $54.3 billion. 23 direct deaths were recorded from this disaster.

  • The Great Midwest Flooding

    The Great Midwest Flooding
    Very heavy rain caused record breaking flooding in the Midwest, overflowing many rivers. This badly affected agriculture, infrastructure, homes and businesses. An estimation of 48 deaths were recorded, with the cost being $41.7 billion.

  • Hurricane Katrina

    Hurricane Katrina
    Considered the most deadly hurricane to hit the U.S. The death toll was estimated to be about 1,800 people. The estimated cost of reconstruction was $180 billion.

  • Hurricane Ike

    Hurricane Ike
    Hurricane Ike was extremely large in size, making it the biggest hurricane recorded in the Atlantic. Starting off on the Texas coast and ending after running through 10 other states, Hurricane Ike resulted in over 100 deaths and the cost being $39 billion.

  • Hurricane Sandy

    Hurricane Sandy
    Hurricane Sandy was extremely deadly, with an estimated death toll of 159 people. The cost was about $80 billion because of the destruction of homes and New Jersey's water and electrical services.

  • Hurricane Harvey

    Hurricane Harvey
    Hurricane Harvey was devastating, killing over 100 civilians and destroying over 200,000 homes. The estimated cost was $143.8 billion.

  • Hurricane Irma

    Hurricane Irma
    Hurricane Irma destroyed a fourth of homes in the Florida Keys and two thirds of homes were damaged. This caused the estimated cost to be $57.5 billion and the death toll being around 100 people.

  • Hurricane Maria

    Hurricane Maria
    Hurricane Maria was a disaster, with the estimated cost of destruction being $103.5 billion. The amount of deaths are unknown, with a wide range estimated to be anywhere from 800-8,500 people.

  • Hurricane Ida

    Hurricane Ida
    This hurricane was so powerful due to the fast winds, destroying almost 40% of homes in Grand Isle, Louisiana. The cost was about $76.5 billion and the death toll was 91 people.