Hurricane Irma on track to be costliest Atlantic storm ever
Washington — Hurricane Irma could be the costliest storm ever to form in the Atlantic Ocean as it is on track to blast through some of the most expensive properties in Florida, a disaster analyst said Thursday. Economic damage and losses for all locations hit by Irma could total $120bn, if current projections for the storm’s path hold true, according to a disaster modeling firm tracking its progress. Chuck Watson of Enki Research said with the storm bearing down on the Miami, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale — the richest areas of Florida — Irma could cause about $100bn in damage in the US alone. "It’s a very scary number," said Watson, whose estimates were varying by the hour. "If you add everything in, it could be the most expensive Atlantic storm in history." In the US, the damage would far surpass the $78bn estimate for the devastation from Hurricane Harvey in Texas, and fall just behind Katrina’s $118bn cost. The massive storm also could be a catastrophe for insurers, costin...
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