Texas ranks third in a list of states most impacted by natural disasters when considering two significant factors.
The study was conducted by WalletHub, which tracked two key metrics to determine which states were most affected by natural disasters: the number of natural disasters causing at least $1 billion in damage since 1980 and the loss amount per capita of those disasters.
WalletHub used data collected from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Centers for Environmental Information to create its survey ranking. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest level of vulnerability to natural disasters.
The Lone Star State is no stranger to the forces of nature. Some of the most common natural disasters in Texas are caused by hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and winter storms, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS).
Hurricane Harvey was the most recent major natural disaster to impact Texas. Harvey hit the Texas Gulf Coast in 2017 with speeds up to 170 mph. The hurricane dumped torrential amounts of rain as it made its way from Victoria to Houston before finally dissipating.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) called Hurricane Harvey “the worst disaster the state has ever seen,” considering the significant financial damage it caused to the state’s infrastructure and people’s homes.
In total, Hurricane Harvey created a total of $125 billion in damage, the second-most costly natural disaster to hit the U.S. mainland since 1900, according to the Office for Coastal Management (OFCM).
On a national level, Hurricane Ian recently caused as much as $57 billion worth of damages in Florida and South Carolina.
The hurricane’s total death toll has climbed to 120 and left 628,285 Florida homes and businesses without power, at least temporarily.
Here are the Top 10 states impacted by natural disasters, according to WalletHub’s methodology:
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Texas
- Iowa
- Alabama
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- North Carolina
- Florida
- Missouri
To take a look at WalletHub’s study, click here.
