LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The numbers show it is getting more dangerous out there as natural disasters are on the rise in the Natural State.
A study by the insurance site QuoteWizard found that natural disasters in Arkansas had climbed 186% in the past 20 years. The study used data from the National Centers for Environmental Information to establish the cost of disasters for various states.
The study’s authors looked at disasters creating over $1 billion in damage in periods between 1984 to 2003 compared to 2004 to 2023. They found that nationally, $1 billion events such as drought, floods, freezes and severe storms had climbed 157% between the two periods.
In the state-by-state ranking, the statistics showed Arkansas was 18th overall for increased natural disasters. The Natural State had 60 disaster events since 2004, causing from $10 to $20 billion in damage over that period.
The study showed that 15 states had a 200% or more increase in natural disasters in the past 20 years.
Texas led the nation in the total number of disaster events, with 155 over the last 20 years, causing $200 to $340 billion in damage. Wisconsin had the largest percent increase in disasters, moving from nine in the initial 20-year period to 42 in the last 20 years.
The study used NCEI data through Aug. 8, so it would not reflect the impact of the Maui wildfires or tropical storm Hilary on the west coast.
