Top Three Natural Disasters of 2008

The mid-section of the United States had some wild weather this year!

In 2008, flooding was the first natural disaster that wreaked havoc across the mid-section of the United States. Whether it was flooding from hurricanes in the south or heavy thunderstorm rains in the Midwest, the center of the country certainly had an abundant amount of rainfall. More than once, boats, not cars, were the vehicle of choice until the flood waters subsided.

Waters inundated homes, businesses, and vehicles all over the Midwest. Rivers rose out of their banks to record and near record levels, the likes many people had never seen before and never want to see again. After the waters subside, it is good to have a plan for returning to a flooded home.

Hurricane Gustav wreaked havoc on the gulf coast and as far north as Illinois. Hurricane Gustav looked like it was heading right for New Orleans on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. When asked to evacuate their homes, few decided to ride out the storm. New Orleans was spared a direct hit, but the storm brought an enormous amount of rainfall, leading to localized flooding.

Warnings went out instead for Texas as the storm approached and families fled their homes. Winds, heavy rains, and tornadoes battered the Texas coast and throughout the state. This storm was so large in area, it covered the entire gulf of Mexico. Therefore, one of the top natural disasters in 2008 was Hurricane Gustav, so be prepared for hurricanes.

Yet another natural disaster that recently caused widespread power outages across the mid-section of the United States in 2008, was ice storms. These storms dumped as much as two inches of freezing rain on trees and power lines. Tree limbs and power lines snapped under the extreme weight of the added ice and left large parts of the country without power. These downed power lines are extremely dangerous to everyone!

Combine that with extreme cold weather, and you have a recipe for disaster. As people struggled to keep warm with portable heaters, the stores couldn't keep portable generators in stock. One way to be sure you're not taken by surprise by ice storms, is to prepare for power outages.