Severe storms and tornadoes claimed at least 28 lives across the Midwest and South from May 17 to 18. This tragedy underscores the increasing frequency of billion-dollar disasters, which have surged since 1980, exacerbated by rising property values and building costs. As the NOAA prepares to retire its critical database tracking these events, the implications for low-income communities, who face the greatest risks, are dire. With this loss of data, understanding the true economic toll of natural disasters will be significantly hampered, further complicating disaster response and risk management efforts.
The increase in billion-dollar disasters reflects not only more frequent severe storms but also an alarming rise in property values in vulnerable areas, intensifying the economic impact.
The recent severe storms demonstrate the urgent need for a robust database to understand the economic consequences of natural disasters, which is now jeopardized by NOAA's program cuts.
Natural disasters costing over a billion have increased more than sixfold since 1980, with both the number of events and the financial damages rising significantly.
Low-income communities are disproportionately affected by these billion-dollar disasters, highlighting the critical need for accurate data to drive disaster response and preparedness efforts.
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