Recent Texas flooding brings memory to the forefront.

It’s been a while on Flood and COVID , and mill closure and we are still here.

Flash floods are among the deadliest natural hazards worldwide, responsible for a significant number of deaths and substantial economic losses. Their sudden onset leaves very little time for warnings, making them particularly dangerous. Climate change, rapid urbanization, and land-use changes are contributing to an increase in their frequency and intensity.
Here’s a breakdown of flash flood statistics:
Global Statistics (relevant to developing world)
* Fatalities: Flash floods cause over 5,000 deaths annually worldwide and account for 85% of all flood-related fatalities.
* Economic Losses: They result in economic losses exceeding $50 billion annually.
* Mortality Rate: Flash floods have the highest mortality rate among different classes of flooding (e.g., riverine, coastal).
* Developing World Impact: In tropical countries, as high as 90% of deaths from flash floods are due to drowning from rapidly rising waters. Developing countries often have limited infrastructure and early warning systems, making their populations more vulnerable.
* Examples:
   * In 2022, flash floods in Pakistan killed over 1,700 people and displaced millions.
   * When Hurricane Mitch struck Central America in 1998, it caused over 11,000 casualties and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes due to flash floods, floods, landslides, and mudslides.
   * From 1990 to 2022, floods recorded in 168 countries affected over 3.2 billion people, caused 218,353 deaths, and resulted in over $1.3 trillion in economic losses.
     * China was the most affected country in terms of population (1.9 billion) and economic damage ($442 billion), and the second largest in deaths (30,890).
     * India had the second largest population affected (629 million) and the largest number of deaths (46,506).
United States
* Fatalities: Flooding has caused an average of more than 125 deaths per year in the United States over the past few decades, with flash floods being the nation’s top storm-related killer.
* Recent Events:
   * In July 2025, devastating flash floods across the Hill Country in central Texas left a staggering trail of destruction and claimed at least 120 lives (as of July 9, 2025), with many more unaccounted for.
   * Hurricane Helene (September 2024) caused about 250 deaths, many due to massive inland flooding.
   * Eastern Kentucky floods in 2022 led to 45 deaths.
   * Hurricane Harvey (2017) caused over 300,000 structures to be damaged and an estimated $125 billion in damage, with nearly all deaths attributed to freshwater flooding.
* Overall Disasters (1980-2024): The U.S. has experienced 403 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, claiming nearly 17,000 lives and resulting in more than $2.9 trillion in direct costs. The frequency and cost of these disasters have increased dramatically.
   * The average number of billion-dollar disasters per year has grown from about three in the 1980s to 19 in the last 10 years.
   * 2023 and 2024 shattered previous records with 28 and 27 billion-dollar disasters, respectively.
* Circumstance of Fatalities: 63% of flood-related fatalities are associated with vehicles.
Canada
* Costliest Natural Disaster: Flooding is the costliest natural disaster for Canadians.
* Frequency: Floods occur five times as often as wildfires in Canada. Between 1900 and 2005, there were 241 flood disasters. Statistics show the number of floods has almost tripled from the 1960s to the 1970s and continues to rise.
* Recent Events:
   * In July 2024, torrential rain and flash floods in Toronto and southern Ontario caused over $940 million in insured damage.
   * The 2024 year is already the costliest in terms of catastrophic weather-related insurance payouts, surpassing the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, with one life lost during the four largest weather catastrophes (wildfires, hail, floods) in the summer of 2024.
   * The 2013 Alberta floods are considered the costliest natural disaster in Canada’s history.
* Historical Fatalities:
   * Hurricane Hazel in October 1954 caused flooding in Toronto, resulting in more than 80 deaths and severe damage.
   * The 2021 British Columbia floods, a once-in-500-year event, swallowed highways, washed away bridges, cut off railroads, and led to at least four deaths.
   * In 1950, the Winnipeg flood affected one-sixth of the city, evacuating over 100,000 people and costing about $126 million (adjusted for 2020), damaging 10,500 homes.
These statistics highlight the escalating threat of flash floods globally and regionally, emphasizing the urgent need for improved early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, and adaptation strategies in the face of a changing climate.

Skies are friends and foe.

May the recent flash flood in Texas be seen as a going forward opportunity rather than catastrophic loss doing no one some good.