THE FEARFUL NUMBERS – 27 BILLION-DOLLAR DISASTERS AND THE WAR AGAINST NATURE

Washington D.C., July 31, 2025 – 2024 has gone down in history as a dark year for natural disasters in the United States, with 27 separate weather and climate events each causing at least $1 billion in damage.

The numbers reflect not only the scale of the devastation, but also a disturbing reality: America is facing a new era of climate disasters.
According to data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), from 1980 to October 2024, there have been 44 floods in the United States that caused more than a billion dollars in damage each. The average annual cost is $4.5 billion, and at least 738 people have died in these events, not to mention thousands more in smaller floods.

2025 has quickly become the “summer of flash floods,” with historic floods hitting states from Texas to New York. In Boston on July 10, flooding from heavy rains forced the closure of an interstate highway and flooded streets and garages. Similar scenes have played out across the country, from North Carolina with the aftershocks of Tropical Storm Chantal to Texas with deadly tragedies.

“We’re seeing a fundamental shift in weather patterns,” said Dr. Sarah Mitchell of the National Center for Climatic Research. “What used to be considered a ‘once in a 100-year’ event is now happening every year.”

The Ruidoso area and surrounding areas have faced at least 12 separate flash flood emergencies since the 2024 wildfires. Drought has also contributed to the dangerous conditions. When soil dries out over a long period of time, it can become compacted or even crusted, reducing its ability to absorb water.

The Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) has pledged to respond quickly and effectively to unexpected floods across the United States in 2024. They are ready to mobilize resources from multiple branches, with an average response time of 24 hours, from deploying truckloads of aid to partnering with local rescue teams.

The figure of 27 billion-dollar disasters in a year is not just a dry statistic. Behind each number are thousands of families who have lost their homes, livelihoods have been disrupted, and communities facing years of rebuilding. This is a stark warning about the impacts of climate change and the need for more effective adaptation solutions.

As the summer of 2025 looms and storms continue to threaten, the question is not whether there will be more disasters, but how prepared America is to deal with this new reality.