11 Facts About Disasters

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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).]