U.S. natural disasters’ financial toll increasing: OFDR at the ready

August 24, 2022
Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief provides immediate assistance to doctors to expedite their ability to provide critical patient care, as well as optometry students suffering property damage, during times of disasters. Learn how to apply for a grant or donate.
OFDR Disaster Relief

Billion-dollar climate disasters occur more frequently across the U.S. than in years past, meteorologists say, as 2022 surpasses a four-decade average for such catastrophic events at the year’s midpoint.

Through early July, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported at least nine weather or climate-related disasters with losses exceeding $1 billion in the U.S., trending ahead of an annual average of 7.7 events reported since 1980. Even then, the NOAA data came out before a litany of catastrophic weather events in recent weeks, ranging from destructive flash flooding, extensive drought and wildfire conditions, and an Atlantic hurricane season looming.

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