Storms Are The Most Devastating Force Of Nature In The U.S.

Houston has been paralyzed by Tropical Storm Harvey, the biggest storm in the history of the state of Texas. A whole year's rainfall is expected this week and roads have been turned into rivers, stretching rescue services to breaking point. Five people are reported to have died amid devastating flooding while around 2,000 have been rescued in and around Houston. By Sunday night, 54 counties in Texas had been declared disaster areas while 3,000 national and state guard members were mobilized to assist in rescue efforts.

According to Brock Long, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, "the disaster is going to be a landmark event", and it's already drawing grim comparisons with the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Katrina. The following infographic was compiled using data from the National Centers For Environmental Information and it shows how tropical cyclones have proven the worst U.S. natural disasters over the past 30 years. Between 1987 and 2017, they caused just over 3,000 deaths and over half a trillion dollars of damage. Severe storms have also had a devastating impact, causing nearly $200 billion of damage as well as 1,400 deaths.