flood · · 1 min read

U.S. Billion Dollar Inland Flood Events Doubled in 2016

U.S. Billion Dollar Inland Flood Events Doubled in 2016

Inland flooding created more billion dollar losses in 2016 than at any other period over the last 15 years, according to data released Monday by the NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

The U.S. has experienced four billion-dollar inland flood events during last year, doubling the average of two inland flood events that have occurred in a year since 1980.

2016’s billion dollar losses include flood events in the Gulf states of Texas and Louisiana as well as losses in the Ohio Valley and West Virginia.

“This is a notable record, further highlighted by the numerous other record flooding events that have impacted the U.S. in 2016,” said the NCEI’s statement on billion dollar weather disasters.

The report added there in the U.S. there were 15 weather and climate disaster events in 2016 with losses exceeding $1 billion. The 15 events included: one drought event, four flooding events, eight severe storms, and a single tropical cyclone and wildfire event.

“This represents the 2nd highest total number of events surpassing the 11 events observed in 2012,” the NCEI said. “The record number of events in one year (since 1980) is 16, as observed in 2011.”

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