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Hurricane season cost $50bn
17/01/2006 14:29 - (SA)
Paris - Last year's hurricane season broke at least half a dozen records, including those for the most violent storm, and inflicted around $50bn in insured damage, British scientists said on Tuesday.
"The 2005 hurricane season was the most active and destructive on record," according to a summary published by the Benfield Hazard Research Centre at University College London.
The report is issued by Tropical Storm Risk, a consortium combining scientific expertise with resources from the insurance industry.
It highlights these records:
Most damage in a hurricane season: $50bn. Previous record was around $29bn (in 2005 dollar values), set in 1992 and 2004. These figures only apply to insured losses.
Most damaging single storm: Katrina, around $38bn. Previous record was $29bn, set by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Again, these figures only apply to insured losses.
Most tropical storms in a single season: 27. Previous record was 21, set in 1933.
Most hurricanes in a season: 14. Previous record was 12, set in 1969.
Most category five hurricanes: three (Katrina, Rita and Wilma). Previous seasonal record was two, set in 1960 and 1961.
Most major (category three or greater) hurricanes to strike the United States in one season: four. Previous record was three, set in 1893, 1909, 1933 and 1954.
Latest end to a hurricane season: January 6. Previous record was January 5, set in the 1954-5 season.
Most powerful hurricane: Wilma had a central pressure of 882 millibars. Previous record was 888 mb set by Hurricane Gilbert, in 1988.
Greatest storm surge from an Atlantic hurricane: 8.61-9.23 metres from Katrina, in Gulfport, Mississippi. Previous record was 7.57 metres, set by Hurricane Camille in 1969.
On the net:
tsr.mssl.ucl.ac.uk
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