2011 the most expensive year for natural disasters in history

[malaise]

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1845
<snip>
An exceptional accumulation of very severe natural catastrophes, including earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand, tornadoes and flooding in the U.S., and flooding in Australia and New Zealand, make 2011 the highest-ever loss year on record, even after the first half-year, said re-insurance giant Munich Re in a press release this week. The $265 billion in economic losses accumulated this year exceeds the previous record year, 2005, which had $220 billion in damage (mostly due to $125 billion in damage from Hurricane Katrina.) Unlike 2005, this year's losses have been headlined by two huge earthquakes--the March 11 quake in Japan ($210 billion) and the February 22 quake in New Zealand ($20 billion.) But with the Northern Hemisphere's hurricane season just beginning, this year's record losses may see a significant boost from hurricanes.

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Yes indeed the hurricane season has just begun.

[Springer9]

1. Wow! Japan's earthquake almost twice as costly as Katrina!

We really need to do something about those 'quakes. Any ideas?