Natural disasters, January-June, 2011

The cost of mother nature

A recent report reveals that the economic losses caused by the extreme weather of the rst six months of this year are ve times the average of the previous decade.
USA, May 20-25 $210,000

IN MINUTES

News and events visually

January - June

Severe storms & tornadoes

May 20-25 Meteorological events (storm) Geophysical events (earthquake, tsunami, volcanic activity) Hydrological events (ood, mass movement) Climatological events (extreme temperature, drought, wildre) $265,000M USA, May-June

Floods

Earthquake & Tsunami

Japan, Mar.11 23,500 dead and missing

Number of disasters 355 Cumulative loss* 265 Insurance losses* 60 Deaths 19,380
*Billions $ U.S.

Severe storms & tornadoes

Apr. 22-28

Australia, Feb. 2 the most powerful in nearly a century with winds of over 280 km/h

Cyclone Yasi

Wildres

Losses

Brazil, Jan. 12-16 Dual disasters lead Japan to su er the

Landslides & oods

15,500

Australia, December & January

Floods

US dollars

January-June 2011

355 events

January-June average 2001-2010

390 events

Earthquake
New Zealand, June 13

Largest losses US dollars

52,900 19,380 Fatalities Japan Earthquake/ tsunami Mar. 3 New Zealand Earthquake Feb. 22 20,000 7,500 7,300

MOST LOSSES & FATALITIES

Largest fatalities
1,350 Japan Earthquake/ tsunami Brazil Landslides/ oods

$47,400M

$60,000M $12,100M

New Zealand, Feb. 22 7,000 350 USA Storms/ tornadoes 240 China Floods 181 New Zealand Earthquake

Earthquake

Overall losses

Insured losses

USA Australia USA Storms/tornadoes Floods Storm/tornadoes Apr. 22-28 Dec. 10/Jan. 11 May 20-25

The most expensive disasters, 1970-2011

Insured losses, in billions $US

The hurricane season of 2011 would be the ninth most expensive in the history of insurance

Three of the 15 most costly disasters have occurred in the last 18 months

72.3

8.0
Earthquake, Chile 2010

8.0
Hurricane Hugo 1989

9.0
Typhoon Mirielle 1991

9.3

10.0

11.3

14.0

14.0

14.9

20.5

20.8
Hurricane Northridge 1994

23.1
Sept. 11 attacks 2001

24.9
Hurricane Andrew 1992

30.0
Tsunami, Hurricane Japan 2011 Katrina 2005

Hurricane Earthquake, Hurricane Spring Charley New Zealand Rita tornadoes 2004 2011 2005 2011

Hurricane Hurricane Hurricane Wilma Ivan Ike 2005 2004 2008

Sources: Munchener Ruckversicherungs-Gesellschaft, Geo Risks Research, NatCatSERVICE

SUSAN BATSFORD, GRAPHICS EDITOR, TWITTER @SBATS1; INFOGRAPHIC BY TARA MARTIN/QMI AGENCY