Extreme weather and natural disasters have already caused an estimated $344 billion to $382 billion in damage and economic loss in the U.S. this year, (Credit: cherylvb/Adobe Stock)
Multiple days of intense rainfall and a tornado outbreak in the central U.S. caused roughly $80 billion to $90 billion in damage and losses, according to AccuWeather.
From April 2 to April 6, communities in Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana saw 8 to 16 inches of rainfall, triggering extreme flash flooding. In the same week, more than 90 tornadoes were reported in the region, of which three have been preliminary rated as EF3 or stronger, with winds of at least 136 mph. Hailstones of up to three inches and wind gusts of up to 100 mph were also recorded in parts of the impacted states.
“A rare atmospheric river continually resupplying a firehose of deep tropical moisture into the central U.S., combined with a series of storms traversing the same area in rapid succession, created a ‘perfect storm’ for catastrophic flooding and devastating tornadoes,” said Jonathan Porter, AccuWeather chief meteorologist, in a statement.
The storms and tornadoes wiped out homes and businesses and washed out bridges and roadways. AccuWeather’s estimate includes the costs of damage to homes and businesses, disruptions to commerce, travel delays, damage to infrastructure and other factors.
Extreme weather and natural disasters have already caused somewhere between $344 billion and $382 billion in damage and economic loss in the U.S. this year, according to AccuWeather estimates. Peak wildfire and hurricane seasons are still months away, Porter noted.
“There is no doubt that the frequency and severity of extreme weather in America is escalating,” Porter said. “More people, businesses and communities are feeling the direct impacts, which are being fueled by a warming climate.”
Porter encouraged homeowners and business owners to review their insurance coverages, particularly flood coverage. According to the National Flood Insurance Program, just 4% of homeowners have flood insurance.
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