As beautiful as it is, nature can kill you.
Wildfires are one of the worst natural disasters by state in America. In 2017 alone, 9,000 wildfires terrorized California, destroying 10,800 structures and claiming 46 lives.
One California woman barely escaped one of them. While out for a drive during the 2017 wildfire season, her car became engulfed in flames.
Only moments away from death, Jolly, called her husband to say her final goodbyes.
“Nick, I’m gonna die… there’s just flames everywhere….,” she cried over the phone. Her husband pleaded with her saying, “Don’t die, run, If you’re going to die, die fighting, you have to run.”
Deciding she should fight for her life, Jolly got out of her car. Walking blindly through the ash she miraculously found her way to a fire truck.
The firetruck was just getting ready to leave. Had she waited another moment to leave her car, her story could have had a much more tragic ending.
Staying safe from natural disasters starts by knowing when and where to expect them. Don’t let yourself, or your business, get caught by surprise. Read on to learn about the most disaster-prone states.
Natural Disasters by State: The Statistics
What exactly qualifies as a natural disaster? These events can range from hurricanes, floods, major tornadoes, forest fires, major thunderstorms, winter storms, droughts, and more.
According to a variety of sources, there are ten states in America that are most likely to experience one of these disasters. While every state has its weather drama to deal with, certain ones do have it worse than others.
Here’s our list of the top ten disaster-prone states. We’ll list the number of natural disasters by state that have happened since 1953.
- Texas: 254 disasters
- California: 250 disasters
- Oklahoma: 167 disasters
- Washington: 132 disasters
- Florida: 122 disasters
- New York: 93 disasters
- Colorado: 80 disasters
- Alabama: 79 disasters
- New Mexico: 79 disasters
- Louisiana: 75 disasters
Texas, California, and Oklahoma are the top three states prone to disaster. In this article, we’ll be exploring what disasters are most likely to strike these 3 states. Let’s start by looking at the most common natural disasters that occur in Texas.
Texas Has Hurricanes
Texas has more than earned its spot as the #1 natural disaster-prone state. Here’s a shortlist of the different types of natural disasters you can expect in Texas:
- Forest Fires
- Floods
- Tornadoes
- Hurricanes
- Earthquakes
The most recent natural disaster to terrorize texas was Hurricane Harvey. On August 15, 2017, Hurricane Harvey landed in Texas as a category 4 storm.
Millions of residents waited anxiously as 130 mph winds, and heavy rains damaged homes and businesses. Many people found themselves having to submit a flood insurance claim after the storm had passed. While some homes were still livable, many people ended up having to find new living situations.
California Has Wildfires
Coming in as the second most natural disaster-prone state, California is vulnerable to a wide range of disasters. Here’s a shortlist of the different types of disasters you can expect in California:
- Heatwaves
- Floods
- Wildfires
- Mudslides
- Severe storms
- Hurricanes
- Earthquakes
Earthquakes are probably the natural disaster California is most infamous for. Located on the San Andreas Faultline, earthquakes occur more easily in California than in areas without a tectonic divide.
Yet, while earthquakes may happen easily, the most recent natural disaster they had was a wildfire. In 2017, California had one of its worst wildfire seasons. The state had to spend billions of dollars repairing the damages. Tragically, on top of the damages, 46 California residents lost their lives as well.
Oklahoma Has Tornadoes
As the third most disaster-prone state, Oklahoma is home to the infamous “tornado alley”. While Texas and California had a very wide range of potential disasters, Oklahomas list is shorter. Here’s a shortlist of possible natural disasters are likely to occur in Oklahoma:
- Tornadoes
- Earthquakes
- Fires from tornadoes
Of course, wildfires, floods, and major storms are still all possible. Yet, the more likely disasters to occur will be either a tornado or an earthquake.
Tornado Alley
The location of Oklahoma is mainly to blame for its tendency to have tornadoes. Located in the Midwest, Oklahoma is in the perfect location for “supercell thunderstorms” that create tornadoes.
Cold air from the Arctic flows down over the Great Plains and heads south. At the same time warm, humid air is coming up from the Gulf of Mexico. When the cold and warm air fronts collide, supercell thunderstorms can form.
Once a supercell thunderstorm forms, tornadoes can be easily made from the swirling winds. These can range from small tornadoes that barely make a difference to large tornadoes that cause massive amounts of damage.
Damage a Tornado Can Cause
The deadliest tornado to ever occur in Oklahoma was in 1947 in the city of Woodward. The massive tornado was 1.8 miles wide and moved at a pace of 50 mph.
The monstrous tornado took out 60 farms, injured 42 people, and claimed 8 lives in Woodward alone. After leaving Woodward, the violent tornado left behind deadly aftermath.
There were fires everywhere, destruction, and mass confusion. An additional 107 people lost their lives in the aftermath and at least 1000 had injuries.
Prepare Your Business for All Disasters
Now you know more about different natural disasters by state. Knowing what weather to expect means you’re able to be prepared. After all, owning a business is all about being ready for anything that might come your way.
For more articles about being prepared for whatever life throws at your business, make sure to check out the rest of our site.
