2016 was not only the warmest year in the history of instrumental meteorological observations, but the past year and became the record holder for the number of natural disasters since 2012. Losses from natural disasters last year amounted to about $ 175 billion, while insurance payments amounted to more than 50 billion. In comparison, in 2015, financial losses from natural disasters and disasters amounted to 103 billion.
China's June and July floods alone cost $ 20 billion, while Hurricane Matthew, which swept across the Caribbean and the U. S. east coast in August, caused more than $ 10 billion in damage. The death toll from natural disasters in 2016 fell from 25,400 to 8,700.
North America has been the epicenter of natural disasters. The last time such a high number of natural disasters was recorded was in 1980. Only fires during the summer in the United States were more than 160. Insurance companies also noted the "exceptional" number of floods that occurred in Europe in May and June. Floods accounted for 34% of the total losses. In recent decades, this figure has not exceeded 21%.
Climatologists also draw attention to the fact that uncontrolled climate changes can affect natural disasters, especially in some parts of the world. Research related to 2016 weather disasters reveals the potential impact of global warming. Of course, individual events in themselves cannot be directly attributed to climate change. But now, there are many signs that certain events - such as persistent weather systems or storms bringing down heavy rain, hail, hurricane winds - are linked to climate change.