Since 2000, hurricanes were the natural disasters with the highest estimated economic losses in the Caribbean. Hurricane Ian, which affected several islands in the Caribbean (especially Cuba) and the southeast of the United States (specially Florida and the Carolinas) in September of 2022, caused overall losses for approximately 100 billion U.S. dollars. Hurricane Maria in 2017 ranked second, with an economic impact estimated at 68.6 billion U.S. dollars, in this case including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Dominica, Guadeloupe, the Dominican Republic, Martinique, and Haiti.
The aftermath of Hurricane Dorian
The Bahamas was the country most severely affected by Hurricane Dorian, which hit in late August 2019, lasting until September 9. This storm, a category 5 hurricane, claimed a total of 65 lives and was labelled the worst cyclone and natural disaster to ever occur in the Bahamas. That year, this island nation received the highest extreme climate risk score in the whole Latin American and Caribbean region.
The death toll of natural disasters in the Caribbean
The magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Haiti on August 2021 has been the deadliest natural disaster in Latin America and the Caribbean from 2018 to 2022, estimated to have killed 2,248 people. Regarding tropical cyclones, hurricane Eta in 2020 has been the deadliest in the region during the same period with approximately 183 victims.
Costliest natural disasters based on estimated overall losses in the Caribbean between 2000 and 2022
(in billion U.S. dollars)
The affected areas were:
Hurricane Maria (Sept 2017): Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands (U.S.), Dominica, Guadeloupe, Dominican Republic, Martinique, and Haiti.
Hurricane Sandy (October 2012): United States, Cuba, Haiti, Bahamas, Canada, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
Hurricane Irma (Sept 2017): United States, Virgin Islands (U.S.), British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, Saint Barthelemy, Anguilla, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Hurricane Michael (Aug 2018): United States and Cuba.
Hurricane Dorian (Aug-Sep 2019): Caribbean and United States.
Hurricane Isaias (Jul-Aug 2020): North America and the Caribbean.
Hurricane Ian (Sept 2022): Cuba and United States.
Data for 2018, 2019, and 2022 was taken from previous releases of the NatCatService - Naturkatastrophen Factsheet.
Data prior to 2018 was retrieved from the NatCatService database.
Figures have been rounded.
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Munich Re. (January 31, 2023). Costliest natural disasters based on estimated overall losses in the Caribbean between 2000 and 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved August 25, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1071365/caribbean-losses-due-to-natural-disasters/
Munich Re. "Costliest natural disasters based on estimated overall losses in the Caribbean between 2000 and 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)." Chart. January 31, 2023. Statista. Accessed August 25, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1071365/caribbean-losses-due-to-natural-disasters/
Munich Re. (2023). Costliest natural disasters based on estimated overall losses in the Caribbean between 2000 and 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: August 25, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1071365/caribbean-losses-due-to-natural-disasters/
Munich Re. "Costliest Natural Disasters Based on Estimated Overall Losses in The Caribbean between 2000 and 2022 (in Billion U.S. Dollars)." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Jan 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1071365/caribbean-losses-due-to-natural-disasters/
Munich Re, Costliest natural disasters based on estimated overall losses in the Caribbean between 2000 and 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1071365/caribbean-losses-due-to-natural-disasters/ (last visited August 25, 2024)
Costliest natural disasters based on estimated overall losses in the Caribbean between 2000 and 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph], Munich Re, January 31, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1071365/caribbean-losses-due-to-natural-disasters/