The tornados that recently tore through Sharkey County, Mississippi, left a trail of horrific damage. More than 20 people were killed–an unusually high toll for a single event. Natural disasters cause substantial property and economic damage to the U.S. every year, but because of better building quality, they have far fewer fatalities than similar events in developing countries.
According to a 2021 Federal Reserve survey, 16% of Americans experienced some disruption in the previous year from natural disasters, with property damage being the most commonly reported occurrence.
