According to the forecast on AccuWeather, the total damage from the hurricanes Harvey and Irma could cost the US economy up to 290 billion dollars.
Hurricane Harvey, which hit Houston in the last month, accompanied by record rainfall and floods, according to experts at AccuWeather, is one of the most expensive weather disasters in the United States. And, it seems, she is not going to give up his leadership position.
«We believe that the cost of the damage already caused by the hurricane Irma is around $ 100 billion. Thus, Irma will be one of the most expensive hurricanes of all times and peoples. Damages equivalent to 0.5% of GDP to 19 trillion dollars,» said AccuWeather head Joel Myers. «We estimate that the hurricane Harvey must be the most expensive weather disaster in U.S. history. The cost of damages amounts to $ 190 billion, or 1% of GDP.»
«Together, according to AccuWeather, the two weather disasters caused damage equivalent to 1.5% of GDP, which corresponds to the natural growth of the economy in the period from mid-August to the end of the fourth quarter.»
Myers said AccuWeather taken into consideration the financial costs include the damage to the business, rising unemployment, damage to infrastructure, crop losses, material damage and higher fuel prices.
«Some of the losses will be covered by insurance and some not, so the loss will be felt in various forms by millions of people,» Myers said. «Millions of citizens have already been evacuated, so their life is already affected, and they incurred expenses of one sort or another».
We will remind, earlier it was assumed that the end of hurricane Harvey, the harm caused to them will be about $ 160 billion. In the end, amount to almost 1/4 of the expectations.
