The economic toll of natural disasters cost the world a record amount in 2011, it was reported this week. The total cost was around $380 billion, according to the United Nations. The costliest disasters were earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand. However, floods in Thailand (the most costly floods in Thailand’s history) and elsewhere, fires, drought, and storms also cost the world a ton of money.
The record amount was about 2/3 more than in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina slammed the U.S.
I’ll just stick this here:
Thailand flooding photo credit: 
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