Devastating earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand, plus a number of extreme weather events, combined to cause over $590

billion in economic losses in 2011 almost two thirds more than the previous record year. Climate 139 events Hydrological (ood, landslide) 303 MAJOR LOSS EVENTS Geological (earthquake, tsunami, volcano) 74 Storms 303 OF 2011 U.S., Caribbean,
55 fatalities, total losses of $15B, insured losses of $7B Canada: Wildres: May U.S.: Storms May Floods: Apr.-May Drought: Oct.-present Wildres: Apr., Sept.

Extreme cost
Aug. 22-Sept. 2: Hurricane Irene
France, Germany Switzerland: Winter Storm Joachim Nov. Italy, France, Spain: Floods Nov.

IN MINUTES

News and events visually OVERALL LOSSES 2011

Hydrological Storms

$72B

$65B

$380B
Geological

$232B

Thailand, Aug.-Nov.:

Climate

Floods 813 dead, losses $40B, insured $10B Turkey: Earthquake Oct.

$11B

Japan, Mar. 11:

Earthquake, tsunami Up to 20,000 dead, losses $210B, insured $35-40B

Guatemala, El Salvador: Landslides, oods Oct.

Somalia: Drought Oct. 2010-Oct. Pakistan: Floods Aug.-Sept.

Philippines: Tropical Storm Washi Dec. Australia: Cyclone Yasi Feb. Australia: Flash oods Jan. New Zealand: Earthquake June

U.S. Apr. 22-28: Storms,

tornadoes 350 dead, losses $15B, insured $7.3B

Brazil: Landslides, ash oods Jan.

New Zealand, Feb. 22:

Earthquake 181 fatalities, losses $16B, insured $13B

COST OF NATURAL DISASTERS 1980-2011 ($Billion 2011 values)

300 1995: Kobe earthquake 200 Overall losses 100 Insured losses

2008: Sichuan earthquake

MOST COSTLY INSURED DISASTER LOSSES 2011*, $ billion

Storms U.S. (Apr.) 1.4 Storms U.S. (Apr.) 1.5 Storms U.S. (Apr.) 2 Floods Australia (Jan.) 2.3 Hurricane Irene U.S. & others (Aug.) Storms, tornadoes U.S. & others (May) Storms, tornadoes U.S. (Apr.) Floods Tailand (Jul.) Earthquake N.Z. (Feb.) Earthquake, tsnami Japan (Mar.) 2010

2005: Hurricane Katrina, Kashmir earthquake

Total economic losses to society due to disasters, in billion

4.9 6.7 7.3 8-11 12 2010

Total insured losses for the global insurance industry, in billion

2010 $48

$226

$350

2011

$108 2011

35
*Property and business interruption, excluding liability and life insurance losses
SUSAN BATSFORD, GRAPHICS EDITOR, TWITTER @SBATS1; INFOGRAPHIC BY TARA CORRAN/QMI AGENCY

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

Sources: Graphic News