Complex Realities, Complex Costs

10 Major Disasters and Their Impact

Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001 In the worst attack on U.S. soil, 19 terrorists seize four planes and crash them into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, and a field in western Pennsylvania.

Deaths: 2,977 victims, including 346 on the planes, 2,606 in New York City, and 125 at the Pentagon.

Cost: $55 billion in physical damage, $123 billion economic impact.

Aftermath: Led to the global war on terror and changes to infrastructure protection; made security cost and considerations a new and daily challenge.

Source: New York Times

SARS Outbreak in Southern ChinaNov. 2002 – July 2003

An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome hits China and spreads to 16 other countries, with more than 8,200 cases reported. The deadly viral disease has a fatality rate of nearly 10%.

Deaths: 775 deaths, including 349 in China and 299 in Hong Kong.

Cost: Estimated $40 billion impact on the world economy [National Institutes of Health]

Aftermath: China and other impacted countries were forced to become more open in its reporting of major medical cases.

Sources: National Institutes of Health

Northeast Blackout August 14, 2003

A cascading power outage caused by a software malfunction impacts 45 million people in the United States and 10 million Canada. It is the second-largest blackout in U.S. history.

Deaths: Contributed to 11 deaths.

Cost: Estimates range from $4.5 billion to $8 billion, much of it in the form of lost wages.

Aftermath: Led to broad discussions about the need to protect critical infrastructure.

Sources: Anderson Economic Group, Electricity Consumers Resource Council.

Indian Ocean Earthquake and TsunamiDec. 26, 2004

On Boxing Day in 2004, one of the largest undersea earthquakes on record triggers a massive tsunami that devastates portions of Indonesia, Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Deaths: 174,236 lives lost, including 166,708 in Aceh province, Indonesia.

Cost: $6.5 billion in losses from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar.

Aftermath: Rebuilding continues, and there are unknown long-term impacts on the environment and infrastructure.

Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters

Hurricane Katrina Aug. 29, 2005

A Category 3 hurricane makes a direct hit on the Gulf Coast, overwhelming levees in New Orleans and causing widespread flooding and destruction across three states.

Deaths: 1,833 killed.

Cost: $125 billion, including $108 billion in property damage.

Aftermath: Many residents were permanently displaced from the region. The disaster led to criticism of the federal, state and local response, and a review of the New Orleans levee system.

Source: National Hurricane Center

Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami March 11, 2011 A devastating earthquake and

tsunami heavily damage the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, resulting in a meltdown of three reactors.

It is the second-worst nuclear power plant disaster in history.

Deaths: 19,846 deaths

Cost: $210 billion. Estimated to be the costliest natural disaster in history.

Aftermath: Area near the nuclear plant remains uninhabited. Long-term health effects to those exposed to radiation remain unknown.

Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters

Joplin, Missouri TornadoMay 22 2011 Powerful EF5 tornado cuts through

a quiet midwestern town with winds of more than 200 miles per hour.

Deaths: 176 killed

Cost: $14 billion. Estimated to be the costliest single tornado in U.S. history.

Aftermath: It remains one of the most devastating tornadoes in history, but has been followed by others with similar force, including one that killed 24 people in Moore, OK in 2013.

Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters

Deepwater Horizon Explosion and Oil Spill On April 20, 2010, the oil rig Deepwater Horizon sank in the Gulf of Mexico following a large explosion. Eleven workers died and the accident led to the largest marine oil spill in history. The well was not declared sealed for nearly five months. About 210 million gallons of oil reportedly leaked into the Gulf.

Deaths: 11 deaths

Cost: $2.5 billion impact to the fishing industry, $23 billion impact on tourism. BP, the operator of the oil rig, has lost tens of billions of dollars, including more than $40 billion in settlements and payments to those affected.

Aftermath: The environmental impact of the disaster is still being examined.

Sources: NOAA, Forbes

‘Superstorm’ SandyOct. 22-31, 2012

Sandy, a Category 1 Hurricane, hits the northeast United States. It slams the New Jersey coast and impacts more than two dozen states.

The Jersey shore and Staten Island are particularly hard hit with severe property damage and extended power outages.

Deaths: 148 direct deaths

Cost: $65 billion

Aftermath: Thousands of people left displaced by the storm in New Jersey and New York with even more homes and infrastructure to be repaired.

Source: NOAA

Typhoon Haiyan, PhilippinesNov. 8, 2013

One of the most powerful tropical cyclones on record devastates the Philippines with sustained winds of more than 200 miles per hour. Nearly 2 million people are left homeless. The storm leads to a massive international humanitarian response.

Deaths: More than 6,200 deaths with hundreds still missing.

Cost: $1.5 billion

Aftermath: Bodies are still being recovered and officials are still assessing widespread environmental and infrastructure damage.

Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters