3 floods
$21.7 billion
12 deaths
2019
2020
2 floods
$2.5 billion
7 deaths
2021
2 floods
$6.3 billion
12 deaths
2013
2022
2 floods
$3.6 billion
25 deaths
2017
2 floods
$5.4 billion
56 deaths
2015
2014
4 floods
$18.6 billion
49 deaths
2016
2018
2011
2012
2 floods
$5.3 billion
43 deaths
2010
2009
1 flood
$13.1 billion
24 deaths
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
1 flood
$1.5 billion
3 deaths
2000
1999
1 flood
$1.6 billion
31 deaths
1998
2019
Major flooding impacted many Southern Plains states significantly affecting agriculture, roads, bridges, levees, dams and other assets across many cities and towns. Very high water levels disrupted barge traffic along the Mississippi River, which negatively impacted a variety of dependent industries. Indiana and Ohio were also affected by persistent heavy rainfall that flooded farmland.
Mississippi River,
Midwest and
Southern flooding
Dates: Mar 15 - July 31, 2019
Cost: $6.7 billion
Deaths: 4
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
2019
Arkansas River flooding
Historic flooding impacts the Arkansas River Basin with damage to homes, agriculture, roads, bridges and levees. Thousands of homes, cars and businesses were flooded due a combination of high rivers, levee failure and persistently heavy rainfall from May 20 through June.
DroneBase via AP
Dates: May 20 - June 14, 2019
Cost: $3.3 billion
Deaths: 5
2019
Missouri River
and North Central flooding
Historic Midwest flooding inundated millions of acres of agriculture, numerous cities and towns, and caused widespread damage to roads, bridges, levees, and dams. This flood was triggered by a powerful storm with heavy precipitation that intensified snow melt and flooding. Of note, the Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska was also severely flooded. This historic flooding was one of the costliest U.S. inland flooding events on record.
AP Photo/Nati Harnik
Dates: Mar 14 - 31, 2019
Cost: $11.7 billion
Deaths: 3
25 years of
BILLION-DOLLAR
FLOODS
Between 1998 and 2021 there were 24 flooding disaster events affected the United States, each costing over $1 billion
(2021 CPI-adjusted). Here are summaries of each:
2017
Missouri and Arkansas flooding and Central severe weather
A period of heavy rainfall up to 15 inches over a multi-state region in the Midwest caused historic levels of flooding along many rivers. There was widespread damage to homes, businesses, infrastructure and agriculture. Severe storms also caused additional impacts during the flooding event across a number of central and southern states.
AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
Dates: Apr 25 - May 7, 2017
Cost: $1.9 billion
Deaths: 20
2017
California flooding
Heavy, persistent rainfall across northern and central California created substantial property and infrastructure damage from flooding, landslides and erosion. Notable impacts include severe damage to the Oroville Dam spillway, which caused a multi-day evacuation of 188,000 residents downstream. Excessive rainfall also caused flood damage in the city of San Jose, as Coyote Creek overflowed its banks and inundated neighborhoods forcing 14,000 residents to evacuate.
William Croyle/California Department of Water Resources
Dates: Feb 8 - 22, 2017
Cost: $1.7 billion
Deaths: 5
2016
Louisiana flooding
A historic flood devastated a large area of southern Louisiana resulting from 20 to 30 inches of rainfall over several days. Watson, Louisiana received an astounding 31.39 inches of rain from the storm. More than 30,000 people were rescued from the floodwaters that damaged or destroyed over 50,000 homes, 100,000 vehicles and 20,000 businesses. This is the most damaging U.S. flood event since Superstorm Sandy impacted the Northeast in 2012.
AP Photo/Max Becherer
Dates: Aug 12 - 15, 2016
Cost: $11.7 billion
Deaths: 13
2016
West Virginia flooding and Ohio Valley tornadoes
Torrential rainfall caused destructive flooding through many West Virginia towns, damaging thousands of homes and businesses and causing considerable loss of life. Over 1,500 roads and bridges were damaged or destroyed making the impact on infrastructure comparable to the historic 2013 Colorado flood. The storm system also produced numerous tornadoes causing damage across several Ohio Valley states.
AP Photo/Steve Helber
Dates: June 22 - 24, 2016
Cost: $1.1 billion
Deaths: 23
2016
Houston flooding
A period of extreme rainfall up to 17 inches created widespread urban flooding in Houston and surrounding suburbs. Thousands of homes and businesses were damaged and more than 1,800 high water rescues were conducted. This represents the most widespread flooding event to affect Houston since Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.
AP Photo/David J. Phillip
Dates: Apr 17 - 18, 2016
Cost: $3.1 billion
Deaths: 8
2016
Texas and Louisiana flooding
Multiple days of heavy rainfall averaging 15 to 20 inches led to widespread flooding along the Sabine River basin on the Texas and Louisiana border. This prompted numerous evacuations, high-water rescues and destruction, as more than 1,000 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed.
AP Photo/Scott Threlkeld
Dates: Mar 8 - 12, 2016
Cost: $2.7 billion
Deaths: 5
2015
South Carolina and East Coast flooding
Historic levels of flooding impacted South Carolina causing widespread damage to many homes, businesses, public buildings and infrastructure. This interrupted commerce and closed major transportation corridors (such as I-95) for weeks as rivers slowly receded. Locally extreme rainfall totals exceeding 20-inches were common resulting from the convergence of a powerful low pressure system/frontal boundary and copious moisture from Hurricane Joaquin in the Atlantic.
AP Photo/Chuck Burton
Dates: Oct 1 - 5, 2015
Cost: $2.4 billion
Deaths: 25
2015
Oklahoma and Texas flooding and severe weather
A slow-moving system caused tremendous rainfall and subsequent flooding. The Blanco river in Texas swelled from 5 feet to a crest of more than 40 feet over several hours causing considerable property damage and loss of life. The city of Houston also experienced flooding which resulted in hundreds of high-water rescues. There was also damage in other states from associated severe storms.
AP Photo/Pat Sullivan
Dates: May 23 - 26, 2015
Cost: $3.0 billion
Deaths: 31
2014
Michigan and Northeast flooding
Heavy rainfall in excess of 5 inches caused significant flooding in cities across Michigan damaging thousands of cars, business, homes and other infrastructure. Flooding also occurred across Maryland and New York's Long Island, as the slow-moving storm system delivered 24-hour rainfall exceeding 6 and 12 inches, respectively, creating more flood damage.
AP Photo/Carlos Osorio
Dates: Aug 11 - 13, 2014
Cost: $1.2 billion
Deaths: 2
2013
Illinois flooding and severe weather
A slow-moving storm system created rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches across northern and central Illinois including the Chicago metro. This resulted in damage to many homes and businesses. There was also severe weather damage from wind and hail across Indiana and Missouri.
AP Photo/M. Spencer Green
Dates: Apr 16 - 19, 2013
Cost: $1.3 billion
Deaths: 4
2013
Colorado flooding
A stalled frontal boundary over Colorado led to record rainfall, as some areas received more than 15 inches over several days. This resulted in historic flooding across numerous cities and towns. Destruction of residences, businesses and transportation infrastructure was widespread.
AP Photo/John Wark
Dates: Sept 10 - 16, 2013
Cost: $1.8 billion
Deaths: 9
2011
Missouri River flooding
Melting of an above-average snow pack across the Northern Rocky Mountains combined with above-average precipitation caused the Missouri and Souris Rivers to swell beyond their banks across the Upper Midwest. An estimated 11,000 people were forced to evacuate Minot, North Dakota due to the record high water level of the Souris River, where 4,000 homes were flooded. Numerous levees were breached along the Missouri River, flooding thousands of acres of farmland.
AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
Dates: May 1 - June 30, 2011
Cost: $2.5 billion
Deaths: 5
2011
Mississippi River flooding
Persistent rainfall (nearly 300 percent normal precipitation amounts in the Ohio Valley) combined with melting snowpack caused historical flooding along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Examples of economic damage include (adjusted for inflation): $590.0 million to agriculture in Arkansas; $377.6 million in damage to Memphis, Tennessee; $944.0 million to agriculture in Mississippi; $374.1 million to agriculture and property in Missouri's Birds Point-New Madrid Spillway; $94.4 million for the first 30 days of flood fighting efforts in Louisiana.
AP Photo/Orlin Wagner
Dates: Apr 1 - May 31, 2011
Cost: $3.8 billion
Deaths: 7
2010
Northeast flooding
Heavy rainfall over portions of the Northeast in late March caused extensive flooding across several states. The event caused the worst flooding in Rhode Island's history.
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Dates: Mar 1 - 31, 2010
Cost: $2.4 billion
Deaths: 11
2010
East and South flooding and severe weather
Flooding, hail, tornadoes, and severe thunderstorms occurred across many Southern states. Flooding in the Nashville, TN area alone contributed more than $1.0 billion in damages. Western and Middle Tennessee were hardest hit with local rainfall amounts of 18-20 inches to the south and west of Greater Nashville.
AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
Dates: Apr 30 - May 2, 2010
Cost: $2.9 billion
Deaths: 32
2008
Midwest flooding
Heavy rain and flooding caused significant agricultural loss and property damage, with widespread rainfall totals ranging from 4 to over 16 inches.
AP PHOTO/Steve Apps
Dates: Apr 1 - June 30, 2008
Cost: $13.1 billion
Deaths: 24
2006
Northeast flooding
Severe flooding over portions of the northeast due to several weeks of heavy rainfall.
AP Photo/Mel Evans
Dates: June 25 - 28, 2006
Cost: $2.1 billion
Deaths: 20
2000
South Florida flooding
Heavy rainfall up to 15 inches affected south Florida surrounding Miami that resulted in severe flooding that damaged thousands of homes and businesses. There was also several hundred million in damage done to agriculture.
TNS photo/J. ALBERT DIAZ
Dates: Oct 3 - 4, 2000
Cost: $1.5 billion
Deaths: 3
1998
Texas flooding
Severe flooding in southeast Texas from 2 heavy rain events, with 10-20 inch rainfall totals
AP Photo/David J. Phillip
Dates: Oct 16 - 24, 1998
Cost: $1.6 billion
Deaths: 31
2021
California flooding and severe weather
Heavy rains caused flooding and mudslides in some of the same areas burned by wildfires in late-2020.
AP Photo/NOAH BERGER
Dates: Jan 24 - 29, 2021
Cost: $1.2 billion
Deaths: 2
2021
Louisiana flooding
Torrential rainfall from thunderstorms across Louisiana and coastal Texas caused widespread flooding and resulted in hundreds of water rescues.
Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office
Dates: May 17 - 18, 2021
Cost: $1.4 billion
Deaths: 5
Videvo video
Norco, Louisiana
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Bellevue, Nebraska
Eureka, Missouri
Oroville, California
Hammond, Louisiana
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Houston
Hammond, Louisiana
Columbia, South Carolina
Houston
Hazel Park, Michigan
Chicago
Lyons, Colorado
Minot, North Dakota
Winthrop, Missouri
West Warwick, Rhode Island
Nashville, Tennessee
Lake Delton, Wisconsin
Trenton, New Jersey
Hallandale, Florida
Cuero, Texas
Salinas, California
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information; Associated Press; TNS
1 flood
$2.1 billion
20 deaths
2 floods
$3.1 billion
13 deaths
1 flood
$1.2 billion
2 deaths
2 floods
$6.3 billion
12 deaths
1 flood
$2.1 billion
20 deaths
2 floods
$3.1 billion
13 deaths