Texas saw most natural disasters in US over the past 40 years, report finds

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Pure disasters in the US have almost tripled previously 40 years, in line with a brand new report by insurance coverage firm Quote Wizard. In that point, Texas noticed essentially the most billion-dollar disasters within the nation. Nearly all of these disasters had been extreme storms and droughts. Illinois got here in second.

Meteorologist Nick Bannin spoke with the crew at Quote Wizard in regards to the report and its particular findings. You’ll be able to watch that interview above or learn the transcript under.

NICK BANNIN, KXAN NEWS: Nick VinZandt joins us from Quote Wizard with some new details about disasters throughout the nation, and particularly right here in Texas, the place it appears to be like like we’re main the way in which and never in a great way, proper, Nick?

NICK VINZANT, QUOTE WIZARD: We checked out pure disasters and what number of billion-dollar pure disasters have occurred during the last 40 years. And what we discovered is that pure disasters have elevated by 163% nationwide during the last 20 years. And after we have a look at the state that has essentially the most pure disasters, it’s Texas.

137 billion greenback plus pure disasters within the final 40 years. And it’s not even actually shut. Texas has 137 pure disasters, important pure disasters. The following closest state is Illinois with 96.

BANNIN: Give me some particular numbers so far as disasters right here in Texas.

VINZANT: So simply trying on the final 20 years, 103 complete main pure disasters — 10 of these have been droughts, six flooding. There have been technically no freezes but. However it is a lagging quantity. So that’s most likely going to vary.

Seventy extreme storms, 9 cyclones or hurricanes, six wildfires and two winter storms, the classification can get a bit of tough, proper, like a winter storm might not essentially classify as a freeze. However total, you may see that extreme storms are by far the most important pure catastrophe affecting Texas.

BANNIN: And all of these numbers are disasters that attain a sure financial threshold.

VINZANT: Yeah, so these are all thought of to be billion-dollar pure disasters. And that may get a bit of bit difficult within the sense that it’s an estimate, proper at this level. So it hasn’t essentially price the state a billion {dollars} but, however it’s projected that it’s going to price the state a billion {dollars}. So, for instance, within the final 20 years proper now, 103 complete billion-dollar pure disasters which have price the state round $250 billion.

BANNIN: Nick VinZandt from Quote Wizard, thanks for becoming a member of us at this time.

VINZANT: Thanks for having me.