Natural disasters are becoming more frequent, more intense, and more expensive than ever before. In 2025, the United States faced numerous major events, including raging wildfires, flash floods, storms, and powerful earthquakes.
Here, we break down the most recent natural disaster statistics for 2025, including data on deaths, economic impacts, frequency, and long-term patterns. Whether you live along the Gulf Coast, in Tornado Alley, or in earthquake-prone regions like California, the risk of natural catastrophe is rising. Understanding these numbers can help you protect your home, your finances, and your family.
If you live in a high-risk seismic zone like Southern California, book a consultation with Retrofit1 today. With expert retrofitting services, we’ll reinforce your home’s foundation to keep it standing strong when disaster strikes.
How many people die in natural disasters each year?
Each year, natural disasters claim an average of 60,000 lives worldwide. These events continue to rank among the most deadly global challenges, especially in areas without adequate infrastructure or early warning systems.
What is the cost of damages caused by floods, wildfires, and severe storms?
In just the past five years, floods, wildfires, severe storms, and droughts have caused more than $580 billion in damage across the United States. These economic losses extend beyond physical destruction: disasters disrupt local economies, displace families, and necessitate long-term recovery efforts.
What percentage of major weather disasters in the U.S. are due to severe storms?
Severe storms, including tornadoes, thunderstorms, and hailstorms, account for nearly 48% of all billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in the U.S. Their quick onset and destructive force make them one of the most financially devastating types of natural events.
How many acres of land do wildfires destroy each year in the United States?
On average, nearly 60,000 wildfires burn through 7.6 million acres across the U.S. annually. That’s more land than the entire state of Massachusetts lost each year due to increasingly hot, dry conditions.
What is the annual economic impact of earthquakes in the United States?
Earthquakes cost the U.S. an estimated $14.7 billion each year in physical damage and economic loss. This includes infrastructure damage, emergency response costs, and long-term rebuilding efforts.
How much economic damage have wildfires caused in recent years?
Wildfires have caused $68.4 billion in damage across the U.S. over the past five years. Rising temperatures, longer dry seasons, and expanding development in fire-prone areas have all contributed to this growing cost.
How many natural disasters occur around the world every year?
In 2018, 282 natural disasters were recorded globally, averaging more than five major disasters per week. These included floods, tropical storms, wildfires, droughts, and earthquakes, each affecting thousands of lives and communities.
How many people have died from earthquakes globally in the past decade?
Over the past decade, earthquakes have caused more than 267,000 deaths worldwide. That’s an average of over 26,000 lives lost each year.
How many billion-dollar natural disasters has the U.S. experienced since 1980?
Since 1980, the U.S. has recorded 338 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, including floods, hurricanes, wildfires, droughts, and winter storms. Alarmingly, more than half of these events have occurred in just the past 15 years, demonstrating the growing trend in natural disaster frequency and cost.
What percentage of U.S. counties experienced natural disasters over the past decade?
Between 2013 and 2023, 88.5% of U.S. counties declared at least one natural disaster, proving that severe weather is reaching almost every corner of the country.
How many earthquakes occur in Southern California each year?
Southern California is hit with around 10,000 earthquakes each year. Most are too small to feel, but a few hundred are strong enough to be noticed, and cause real damage.
How much damage did natural disasters cause in the U.S. in 2019?
In 2019, the U.S. suffered $460 billion in damage from 44 major climate and weather events, including floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and winter storms. This total reflects physical destruction and economic losses from disrupted businesses and displaced families.
How many billion-dollar disasters do insurers handle each year?
In recent years, insurers have handled claims for about 20 billion-dollar disasters each year. That’s six times more than in the 1980s. As disasters grow more frequent and costly, insurance companies are facing record-breaking payouts, and homeowners are feeling the impact.
How many earthquakes over 4.0 magnitude occur annually in Southern California?
Each year, about 15 to 20 earthquakes in Southern California exceed magnitude 4.0. These quakes are strong enough to be felt and can cause structural damage, especially in older or unreinforced buildings.
How many billion-dollar climate disasters occurred in the U.S. in 2022?
In 2022, the U.S. experienced 18 climate disasters, each with damages topping $1 billion. This includes hurricanes, droughts, floods, and severe storms.
Protect Your Property — Book a Retrofit1 Consultation Today
Natural disasters aren’t slowing down, and earthquake statistics show just how costly and widespread the damage can be. If you own property in an earthquake-prone area, taking action now can make all the difference in your safety when disaster strikes.
Book a consultation with Retrofit1 today to protect your building with professional earthquake retrofitting.
Sources
Hannah Ritchie. “Natural Disasters.” Our World In Data. 2022. https://ourworldindata.org/natural-disasters
National Centers for Environmental Information. “Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters.” 2025. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/billions/summary-stats
Penny Gusner. “Natural Disaster Facts And Statistics 2025.” January 3, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/homeowners-insurance/natural-disaster-statistics/
USGS. “New USGS-FEMA study highlights economic earthquake risk in the United States.” April 18, 2023. https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/new-usgs-fema-study-highlights-economic-earthquake-risk-united-states
USGS. “Basic earthquake counts for the World and United States.” https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/lists-maps-and-statistics
USGS. “Cool Earthquake Facts.”
