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Wildfires blazing in forests, hurricanes washing away homes along the coasts, tornados knocking down businesses — America has a long history of documented natural disasters that have razed buildings, leveled towns and left a heartbreaking path of destruction in its wake.
24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of the worst natural disaster in every state based on data from government sources that evaluated the weather event that caused the highest number of fatalities in each state. According to the site, natural disasters are increasing each year, stating:
"American weather continues to become more volatile. In 2018, there were 14 weather events that each caused over $1 billion in damage. And in many parts of the country, these weather events could become even more destructive because global warming... ."
The worst natural disaster in North Carolina history was Hurricane Floyd in September 1999, a storm that impacted several states and caused 35 deaths in North Carolina alone, according to Documenting the American South, an initiative sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Another event that 24/7 Wall St. considered among the worst in state history was Hurricane Hazel in 1954.
Check out the full report at 24/7 Wall St. to read up on the worst natural disasters around the country.