According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there have been 96 natural disasters in the United States since 1980 that have resulted in at least $1 billion of damages. The impacts of natural disasters go far beyond economic losses -- many lives have been lost throughout America's history because of natural disasters, and it has taken years to rebuild what was lost.
The greatest natural disaster in American history was the Galveston hurricane of 1900. This Category 4 storm, with winds of 130 miles per hour, killed 8,000 people and destroyed the city of Galveston, Texas. It caused $30 million in damages. Warnings for this storm came late, and they were ignored by many. The majority of people who died were carried out to sea by the massive waves of water. In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina became the costliest natural disaster in America, with an economic impact of $150 billion. The Category 3 storm moved from Florida to Mississippi and Louisiana. When it reached New Orleans, the powerful winds and 20-foot surges of water breached the city’s levees, leaving 1,800 people dead and thousands more without homes.
The worst earthquake in America occurred in San Francisco in 1906. It lasted less than a minute, but several gas mains broke in the city, and more than 50 fires broke out instantly. San Francisco ran out of water and was unable to contain the fires -- rain finally stopped the burning three days later. In the aftermath, 522 city blocks had been destroyed and 3,000 people had been killed. 250,000 residents were left homeless.
From 1930 to 1940, the Great Plains suffered from drought, high temperatures and frequent dust storms. The exact cause of the "Dust Bowl" era was previously unknown, but 2004 NASA experiments revealed that changes in sea surface temperatures virtually halted rainfall over the Plains. There was no moisture to hold the dirt to the earth, so it was easily picked up by the wind. On some days, the dust was so intense that it blocked out the sun. The condition of the land and lack of rain meant farmers were unable to grow crops or keep their animals alive. 50 million acres of land were eroded by the storms and drought.
Many natural disasters last only minutes or a few hours. A heat wave, on the other hand, can last for weeks or months. Heat waves have occurred throughout America's history. A 1995 heat wave in Chicago killed more than 700 and left 50,000 without electricity. In the 1980s, two prolonged and intense heat waves gripped America, causing billions of dollars in agricultural losses and thousands of deaths. From June to September of 1980, temperatures in much of the Midwest stayed at 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above. A 1988 heat wave was accompanied by a year-long drought that brought wildfires to Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore.
In May 1889, 20 million tons of water traveled 14 miles from a broken dam to Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The town’s residents were used to flooding from the nearby rivers, and a torrential rainstorm had them prepared to be stranded in their homes for the evening, but they could not save themselves from the force of the water from the dam. The water came in 40-foot-high waves to the town, bringing with it homes, animals and people. In Johnstown, the destruction continued. The strong wall of water carried away more homes and people. More than 2,000 people died and 1,600 homes were lost. The debris stretched for 30 acres.
