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11 Facts About Disasters

Welcome to DoSomething.org, a global movement of millions of young people making positive change, online and off! The 11 facts you want are below, and the sources for the facts are at the very bottom of the page. After you learn something, Do Something! Find out how to take action here.

  1. Between 2000 and 2012, natural disasters caused $1.7 trillion in damage and affected 2.9 billion people.^["21st Century Emergency Management." IBM. http://citizenibm.com/wp-content/uploads/2-WR1057039CA-IBM-IOC-for-the-Philippines.pdf (accessed July 21, 2014).]
  2. 2012 marked the third consecutive year of worldwide natural disaster damage exceeding $100 billion. 2011 reached a record high of $371 billion.^["21st Century Emergency Management." IBM. http://citizenibm.com/wp-content/uploads/2-WR1057039CA-IBM-IOC-for-the-Philippines.pdf (accessed July 21, 2014).]
  3. Worldwide in 2011, there were 154 floods, 16 droughts, and 15 cases of extreme temperature.^["2011: Natural Disasters Revisited." Brookings Institution . http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/reports/2012/3/natural%20disaster%20review%20ferris/03_nd_review_chapter2.pdf (accessed July 21, 2014).]
  4. Over 1/2 of the victims of both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy were senior citizens over the age of 65. Work with seniors to create an emergency plan in case of a disaster. Sign up for Seniors Safe and Sound.^[The New York Times, "Mapping Hurricane Sandy's Death Toll," November 17, 2012. Web. Accessed December 13, 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/11/17/nyregion/hurricane-sandy-map.html?_r=0.]
  5. Floods are the most widespread natural disaster aside from wildfires. 90% of all US natural disasters declared by the president involve some sort of flooding.^["Flood Facts." Palm Beach County. Accessed April 7, 2014.]
  6. “Earthquakes” are disasters that cause associated destruction of man-made structures and instigate other natural disasters such as tsunamis, avalanches, and landslides.^[National Atlas of the United States. "Article." Geologic Hazards. Accessed February 26, 2014, http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/geology/a_geohazards.html.]
  7. In 2012 there were 905 natural catastrophes worldwide including severe storms, droughts, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, hail storms, typhoons, wildfires, and hurricanes.^["21st Century Emergency Management." IBM. http://citizenibm.com/wp-content/uploads/2-WR1057039CA-IBM-IOC-for-the-Philippines.pdf (accessed July 21, 2014).]
  8. Nearly 50% of the fatalities caused by natural disasters in 2012 were due to hydrological events like flooding or mass movements.^["World Disasters Report." 2012 Disaster Data. http://worlddisastersreport.org/en/data/index.html (accessed July 21, 2014).]
  9. “Hurricanes” are large, spiraling tropical storms that can pack wind speeds of over 160 miles an hour and unleash more than 2.4 trillion gallons of rain a day. Hurricanes can be coupled with storm surges and severe flooding.^["Wind." - National Geographic Education. http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/wind/?ar_a=1 (accessed July 21, 2014).]
  10. Damage paths of tornadoes can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long.^["Missouri State Emergency Management Agency." Tornadoes. http://www.sema.dps.mo.gov/plan_and_prepare/tornadoes.asp (accessed July 21, 2014).]
  11. Landslides often accompany earthquakes, floods, storm surges, hurricanes, wildfires, or volcanic activity. They are often more damaging and deadly than the triggering event.^["Landslides." Northern Maine Development Commission. http://www.nmdc.org/planning/emergency/landslides.pdf (accessed July 21, 2014).]
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