This has been a light year for hurricanes, considering the last several years have produced some of the most dangerous and destructive storms in the history of the United States. In the last 10 years, the United States has been hit by nine of the top 10 most expensive hurricanes in history.
Every year, from June to November, the Atlantic Ocean breeds some of the most destructive natural disasters in the world. When these monstrous storms make landfall along the Atlantic and Gulf coast of the U.S., they leave behind debris, destruction and even death in their wake.
The 2014 hurricane season is far from over, and we can only hope that another powerful storm does not make an appearance this year. Click through the following slides to see which hurricanes were the most expensive in U.S. history.
5. Wilma
Year: 2005
States Affected: Florida
Category (at peak intensity): Category 5
Cost in Damage: $21 billion
Death Toll: 23
4. Andrew
Year: 1992
States Affected: Florida, Louisiana
Category (at peak intensity): Category 5
Cost in Damage: $26.5 billion
Death Toll: 65
3. Ike
Year: 2008
States Affected: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas
Category (at peak intensity): Category 4
Cost in Damage: $29.5 billion
Death Toll: 195
2. Sandy
Year: 2012
States Affected: Connecticut, Washington. D.C., Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia
Category (at peak intensity): Category 3
Cost in Damage: $65 billion
Death Toll: 286
Image copyright ecadphoto / shutterstock.com
1. Katrina
Year: 2005
States Affected: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee
Category (at peak intensity): Category 5
Cost in Damage: $108 billion
Death Toll: 1,833
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