IT'S A DISASTER! ...and what are YOU gonna do ... - News Room, DC

GENERAL FACTS & FIGURES ON DISASTERSThere are many unknowns but as our violent planet’s surface continues toshift and move it will continue to alter sea levels, food and water suppliesand climate conditions around the world.According to the Worldwatch Institute, 10 million people died as a resultof natural catastrophes in the 20th century.The costs of weather-related disasters in just the United States aloneaverage $1 billion per week!Year after year it appears the most frequent natural disasters are windstormsand floods, which combined usually account for 80%-90% of theworldwide economic losses.Every year hundreds of millions of people worldwide are evacuated ordriven from their homes due to natural disasters.According to Munich Re Group, (a reinsurance company that monitorsworldwide disasters) the following summarizes major losses:Worldwide # of Major # of deaths byYear Economic Losses Disasters Major Disasters2006 $45 billion (in US $) 850 18,0002005 $219 billion (in US $) 670 101,0002004 $150 billion (in US $) 650 245,473*2003 $65 billion (in US $) 700 89,0002002 $60 billion (in US $) 700 11,0002001 $40 billion (in US $) 720 25,0002000 $38 billion (in US $) 850 10,300* Adjusted to reflect estimated tsunami victims as of October 2006.Please note the above figures do not include economic losses and deathscaused by smaller natural disasters that occur daily around the world. Alsonote, the 2004 tsunami killed more people in that one major event than theprevious 4 years combined. This dramatic statistic proves how devastatingdisasters can be in highly populated areas.Now let’s look at some facts and figures on specific types of disasters toget a better understanding of how they impact the world.www.itsadisaster.net or call 1-888-999-43253