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Data files for HURRICANE DAMAGES SOAR TO NEW LEVELS
Insurance Companies Abandoning Homeowners in High-Risk Coastal Areas

Hurricanes and Typhoons with Economic Losses of One Billion Dollars or More, 1950-2005 (table)

Economic Losses from Billion-Dollar Hurricanes and Typhoons by Decade, 1950-2005 (figure)

Annual Economic Losses from Billion-Dollar Hurricanes and Typhoons, 1950-2005 (figure)

Insured Losses from Billion-Dollar Hurricanes and Typhoons by Decade, 1950-2005 (figure)

Annual Insured Losses from Billion-Dollar Hurricanes and Typhoons, 1950-2005 (figure)

Top 20 Ranking of Most Costly Hurricanes and Typhoons, 1950-2005 (table)

Number of Hurricanes in Categories 4 and 5 for the 15-Year Periods 1975–1989 and 1990–2004 for the Different Ocean Basins (table)

Hurricane Classification: The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale (table)

 

Hurricanes and Typhoons with Economic Losses of One Billion Dollars or More, 1950-2005
Year
Loss Event
Area Affected
Economic Losses
Insured Losses
     
Billion Dollars (Original Value)
         
1960 Hurricane Donna Caribbean, United States
1.3
0.1
1965 Hurricane Betsy United States
1.4
0.5
1969 Hurricane Camille United States
1.4
0.2
     
1960s SUM  
4.1
0.8
     
1972 Hurricane Agnes, floods United States
2.0
0.1
1977 2 Tropical cyclones India
1.0
0.0
1979 Hurricane David Caribbean, United States
2.0
0.8
1979 Hurricane Frederic Caribbean, United States
2.3
0.8
     
1970s SUM  
7.3
1.7
     
1980 Hurricane Allen Caribbean, United States
1.5
0.1
1983 Hurricane Alicia United States
3.0
1.5
1985 Hurricane Elena United States
1.3
0.6
1985 Hurricane Juan United States
1.5
0.1
1985 Hurricane Kate Caribbean, United States
1.6
0.1
1986 Typhoon Sarah (No. 10) Japan
2.2
0.1
1988 Hurricane Gilbert Caribbean, Central America, United States
3.0
0.8
1988 Hurricane Joan, Miriam Central America, South America
1.0
0.0
1989 Hurricane Hugo Caribbean, United States, Canada
9.0
4.5
     
1980s SUM  
24.1
7.8
     
1990 8 Typhoons China
1.2
0.0
1990 Typhoon Flo (No. 19) Japan
4.0
0.2
1991 Tropical cyclone Bangladesh
3.0
0.1
1991 Hurricane Bob United States
1.5
0.7
1991 Typhoon Mireille (No. 19) Japan
10.0
5.4
1992 Hurricane Andrew United States, Bahamas
26.5
17.0
1992 Hurricane Iniki United States
3.0
1.6
1993 Tropical storm Beatriz Mexico
1.7
0.0
1993 Typhoon Yancy  (No. 13) Japan
1.3
1.0
1994 Tropical cyclone Alberto United States
1.0
0.1
1994 Typhoon Fred China, Japan, Taiwan
1.2
0.0
1995 Hurricane Luis Caribbean, United States, Canada
2.5
1.5
1995 Hurricane Marilyn Caribbean, United States
2.1
1.0
1995 Hurricane Opal United States, Mexico
3.0
2.1
1995 Hurricane Roxanne Mexico, Cuba
1.5
0.2
1995 Tropical storm Ted China
1.0
0.0
1996 Typhoon Herb China, Taiwan
1.2
0.1
1996 Hurricane Fran United States
5.2
1.8
1996 Typhoon Sally China, Vietnam, Taiwan
1.5
0.0
1996 Tropical cyclone India
1.5
0.0
1997 Typhoon Winnie Japan, Taiwan, China, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Northern Mariana Islands
2.8
0.0
1998 Tropical cyclone 03A India
1.7
0.4
1998 Hurricane Bonnie United States
1.5
0.4
1998 Hurricane Georges Caribbean, United States
13.0
4.0
1998 Typhoon No. 7/8 Vicki and Waldo Japan
3.0
1.6
1998 Hurricane Mitch Central America, United States
5.5
0.2
1999 Hurricane Floyd United States, Bahamas
4.5
2.2
1999 Typhoon Bart  (No. 18) Japan, Republic of Korea
5.0
3.5
1999 Tropical cyclone 05B India
2.5
0.1
     
1990s SUM  
113.3
45.2
     
2000 Typhoon Saomai, floods Japan, South Korea, Guam, Russia
1.5
1.1
2001 Tropical storm Allison, flood United States
6.0
3.5
2002 Typhoon Rusa South Korea, North Korea
4.9
0.2
2002 Hurricane Lili Caribbean, United States
2.0
0.8
2003 Typhoon Maemi Japan, South Korea
4.5
0.5
2003 Hurricane Isabel United States, Canada
5.0
2.1
2004 Hurricane Charley Caribbean, United States
18.0
8.0
2004 Typhoon Rananim (No.13) China, Taiwan
2.2
0.0
2004 Typhoon Chaba (No.16) Japan, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Russia
2.0
1.2
2004 Hurricane Frances Caribbean, United States
12.0
6.0
2004 Typhoon Songda (No.18) Japan, South Korea
9.0
4.7
2004 Hurricane Ivan Caribbean, South America, United States
23.0
13.0
2004 Hurricane Jeanne, floods Caribbean, United States
9.2
5.0
2004 Typhoon Tokage (No.23) Japan
2.3
1.3
2005 Hurricane Dennis Caribbean, United States
3.1
1.2
2005 Typhoon Haitang (No. 5) China, Taiwan
1.1
0.1
2005 Hurricane Katrina, storm surge United States
125.0
60.0
2005 Typhoon Talim (No. 13), floods China, Taiwan
1.9
0.0
2005 Hurricane Rita, storm surge United States
16.0
11.3
2005 Typhoon Damrey  (No. 18) Philippines, China, Vietnam, Thailand
1.2
0.0
2005 Hurricane Stan, floods, landslides Central America
3.5
0.1
2005 Hurricane Wilma Caribbean, Central America, United States
20.0
12.2
     
2000-2005 SUM  
273.4
132.1
     
TOTAL SUM, 1950-2005
422.2
187.6
         
Note: Strong tropical cyclones are called hurricanes in the North Atlantic and typhoons in the Northwest Pacific.
Source: Munich Re, NatCatSERVICE (Munich, Germany: August 2006).

 

 

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Economic Losses from Billion-Dollar Hurricanes and Typhoons, 1950-2005

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Annual Economic Losses from Billion-Dollar Hurricanes and Typhoons, 1950-2005

 

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Insured Losses from Billion-Dollar Hurricanes and Typhoons by Decade, 1950-2005

 

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Annual Insured Losses from Billion-Dollar Hurricanes and Typhoons, 1950-2005

 

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Top 20 Ranking of Most Costly Hurricanes and Typhoons, 1950-2005
Year
Loss Event
Area Affected
Economic Losses
Insured Losses
     
Billion Dollars (Original Value)
         
2005 Hurricane Katrina, storm surge United States
125.0
60.0
1992 Hurricane Andrew United States, Bahamas
26.5
17.0
2004 Hurricane Ivan Caribbean, South America, United States
23.0
13.0
2005 Hurricane Wilma Caribbean, Central America, United States
20.0
12.2
2004 Hurricane Charley Caribbean, United States
18.0
8.0
2005 Hurricane Rita, storm surge United States
16.0
11.3
1998 Hurricane Georges Caribbean, United States
13.0
4.0
2004 Hurricane Frances Caribbean, United States
12.0
6.0
1991 Typhoon Mireille (No. 19) Japan
10.0
5.4
2004 Hurricane Jeanne, floods Caribbean, United States
9.2
5.0
2004 Typhoon Songda (No.18) Japan, South Korea
9.0
4.7
1989 Hurricane Hugo Caribbean, United States, Canada
9.0
4.5
2001 Tropical storm Allison, flood United States
6.0
3.5
1998 Hurricane Mitch Central America, United States
5.5
0.2
1996 Hurricane Fran United States
5.2
1.8
2003 Hurricane Isabel United States, Canada
5.0
2.1
1999 Typhoon Bart  (No. 18) Japan, Republic of Korea
5.0
3.5
2002 Typhoon Rusa South Korea, North Korea
4.9
0.2
2003 Typhoon Maemi Japan, South Korea
4.5
0.5
1999 Hurricane Floyd United States, Bahamas
4.5
2.2
         
Note: Strong tropical cyclones are called hurricanes in the North Atlantic and typhoons in the Northwest Pacific.
Source: Munich Re, NatCatSERVICE (Munich, Germany: August 2006).

 

 

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Number of Hurricanes in Categories 4 and 5 for the 15-Year Periods 1975–1989 and 1990–2004 for the Different Ocean Basins
Basin
Period
 
1975-1989
1990-2004
 
Number
East Pacific
36
49
West Pacific
85
116
North Atlantic
16
25
Southwestern Pacific
10
22
North Indian
1
7
South Indian
23
50
     
Source: Adapted by Earth Policy Institute from P.J. Webster et al., "Changes in Tropical Cyclone Number, Duration, and Intensity in a Warming Environment," Science, vol. 309 (16 September 2005), pp. 1844-46.

 

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Hurricane Classification: The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a 1-5 rating based on hurricane intensity. This is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall. Wind speed is the determining factor in the scale, as storm surge values are highly dependent on the slope of the continental shelf and the shape of the coastline in the landfall region.
 
Category One Hurricane:
Winds 74-95 miles per hour (64-82 knots or 119-153 kilometers per hour). Storm surge generally 4-5 feet (1.2-1.5 meters) above normal. No real damage to building structures. Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees. Some damage to poorly constructed signs. Also, some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage.
Category Two Hurricane:
Winds 96-110 mph (83-95 kt or 154-177 km/hr). Storm surge generally 6-8 feet above normal. Some roofing material, door, and window damage of buildings. Considerable damage to shrubbery and trees with some trees blown down. Considerable damage to mobile homes, poorly constructed signs, and piers. Coastal and low-lying escape routes flood 2-4 hours before arrival of the hurricane center. Small craft in unprotected anchorages break moorings.
Category Three Hurricane:
Winds 111-130 mph (96-113 kt or 178-209 km/hr). Storm surge generally 9-12 feet above normal. Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with a minor amount of curtainwall failures. Damage to shrubbery and trees with foliage blown off trees and large trees blown down. Mobile homes and poorly constructed signs are destroyed. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by battering from floating debris. Terrain continuously lower than 5 feet above mean sea level may be flooded inland 8 miles (13 km) or more. Evacuation of low-lying residences with several blocks of the shoreline may be required.
Category Four Hurricane:
Winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt or 210-249 km/hr). Storm surge generally 13-18 feet above normal. More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failures on small residences. Shrubs, trees, and all signs are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape routes may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore. Terrain lower than 10 feet above sea level may be flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential areas as far inland as 6 miles (10 km).
Category Five Hurricane:
Winds greater than 155 mph (135 kt or 249 km/hr). Storm surge generally greater than 18 ft above normal. Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. All shrubs, trees, and signs blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Severe and extensive window and door damage. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 feet above sea level and within 500 yards (457 meters) of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5-10 miles (8-16 km) of the shoreline may be required. Only 3 Category Five Hurricanes have made landfall in the United States since records began: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Camille in 1969, and Hurricane Andrew in August 1992.
Source: Adapted by Earth Policy Institute from U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Hurricane Center, "The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale," updated 22 June 2006.

 

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