TerraDaily (Paris)
January 17, 2006

RECORD-SMASHING HURRICANE SEASON COST 50BN DOLLARS

Paris (AFP) -- Last year's hurricane season broke at least half a dozen records, including those for the
most violent storm, and inflicted around 50 billion dollars in insured damage, British scientists said
on Tuesday.

"The 2005 hurricane season was the most active and destructive on record," according to a summary
published by the Benfield Hazard Research Centre at University College London.

The report is issued by Tropical Storm Risk, a consortium combining scientific expertise with resources
from the insurance industry.

It highlights these records:

-- Most damage in a hurricane season: 50 billion dollars. Previous record was around 29 billion dollars
(in 2005 dollar values), set in 1992 and 2004. These figures only apply to insured losses.

-- Most damaging single storm ever: Katrina, around 38 billion dollars. Previous record was 29 billion
dollars (in 2005 dollar values), set by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Again, these figures only apply to
insured losses.

-- Most tropical storms in a single season: 27. Previous record was 21, set in 1933.

-- Most hurricanes in a season: 14. Previous record was 12, set in 1969.

-- Most category 5 hurricanes: three (Katrina, Rita and Wilma). Previous seasonal record was two, set in
1960 and 1961.

-- Most major (category three or greater) hurricanes to strike the United States in one season: four.
Previous record was three, set in 1893, 1909, 1933 and 1954.

-- Latest end to a hurricane season: January 6. Previous record was January 5, set in the 1954-5 season.

-- Most powerful hurricane ever: Wilma had a central pressure of 882 millibars. Previous record was 888
mb set by Hurricane Gilbert, in 1988.

-- Greatest storm surge from an Atlantic hurricane: 28-30 feet (8.61-9.23 metres) from Katrina, in
Gulfport, Mississippi. Previous record was 24.6 feet (7.57 metres), set by Hurricane Camille in 1969.

The report can be consulted here: http://tsr.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/docs/TSRATL2005Verification.pdf

Source: Agence France-Presse