America’s Worst and Costliest Natural Disasters Happened Under These Presidents

Unfortunately, one of the things we cannot control in the United States is the weather. For better or worse, the weather is something we must completely submit to, whether it’s constant days of rain, a massive snowstorm, or hail the size of baseballs. As much as we all like to think there’s some giant weather machine hidden inside the Pentagon, that isn’t reality. 

Along with our inability to control the weather, this country has had to deal with some terrible natural disasters that have killed thousands, if not tens of thousands, and cost the country billions. With every disaster, a US president has a chance to react in a way that reassures all Americans, and some presidents have absolutely done a better job than others. 

10. Great Mississippi Flood

• Location: Mississippi River Valley
• Disaster type: Flood
• Death toll: 250 – 500 (estimated)
• Damage cost: $400 million (1927 dollars)

Presidential Response

While death toll estimates vary considerably, the 1927 “Great Mississippi Flood” was undoubtedly the worst river flood in American history. Over 27,000 square miles of the country were buried in as much as 30 feet of water, and the flood lasted for multiple months. The damages would cost more than $17 billion in 2025 dollars. 

Like many Presidents of the era, President Calvin Coolidge took little action and decided to pass on responsibility to then-Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover. Coolidge famously refused to visit the region and show support to residents. He emphasized his belief that the federal government should be “small” and that natural disasters were the responsibility of locals. However, the public reaction to Coolidge’s lack of empathy led to the 1928 Flood Control Act, which Coolidge signed. 

9. Sea Islands Hurricane

• Location: South Carolina, Georgia
• Disaster type: Hurricane
• Death toll: 1,000 – 2,000 (estimated)
• Damage cost: $10 million (1893 dollars)

Presidential Response

Striking the Sea Island area around Savannah, Georgia, on August 27, 1893, the Sea Islands hurricane is considered the 7th deadliest storm in US history. Killing as many as 2,000 people, the storm greatly affected the African American communities in the area and, in some cases, destroyed generations’ worth of families. The disaster emphasized racial undertones in the US at the time, and little aid was sent to the affected areas as a result. 

President Grover Cleveland reacted by stating that the federal government wouldn’t be sending help for a local disaster. Instead, he maintained his belief that any assistance was the responsibility of the Red Cross and the affected states. The storm only worsened already deep racial wounds in the area. 

8. Hurricane Katrina

• Location: Gulf Coast with a primary focus on New Orleans, Louisiana
• Disaster type: Hurricane
• Death toll: 1,392
• Damage cost: $125 billion (2005 dollars)

Presidential Response

One of the most destructive storms to play out in the early days of social media, Hurricane Katrina’s widespread destruction led to 24/7 news coverage. Everything in the Gulf Coast area, including tourism, shipping, oil, and other industries, was widely affected, causing tens of billions in damage and lost revenue. 

Unfortunately, President George W. Bush was criticized for not allowing his administration to act quickly enough to help those in need. Residents were stranded on the roofs of their homes in heavily flooded areas, and FEMA could not bring in enough resources to help as quickly as the area needed. Bush would see his approval rankings bottom out after his storm response was widely criticized. 

7. Peshtigo Fire 

• Location: Peshtigo, Wisconsin
• Disaster type: Wildfire
• Death toll: 1,500 – 2,500 (estimated)
• Damage cost: $5 million (1871 dollars)

Presidential response

A large forest fire that began on October 8, 1871, in northern Wisconsin burned over 1.2 million acres. The town of Peshtigo was the most affected area, and as many as 2,500 people died in the aftermath. Famously, the fire occurred on the same day as the Great Chicago Fire. 

President Ulysses S. Grant mused enough support to send in US Army supplies but did little else, as much of the federal government’s response focused on Chicago. Survivors of the fire heavily relied on whatever local aid could provide and friends and neighbors who could help. There is little debate that Grant’s lack of response showed disinterest in rural areas that were not wealthy or had many votes. 

6. Cheniere Caminada Hurricane

• Location: Cheniere Caminada, Louisiana
• Disaster type: Hurricane
• Death toll: 2,000
• Damage cost: $5 million (1893 dollars)

President Response

Believed to be the third most deadly hurricane ever to have hit the United States, more than 2,000 Americans died from storm surge as the Cheniere Caminada hurricane finally made landfall. During the 10th hurricane of the 1893 season, property was destroyed en masse, along with 60% of the orange crop that was local to the area. 

President Grover Cleveland was once again hindered in his response by the idea that local natural disasters were not yet a federal issue. The Red Cross was the primary support system for affected residents, and Cleveland took little federal action to support the Red Cross. 

5. Johnstown Flood

• Location: Johnstown, Pennsylvania
• Disaster type: Flood
• Death toll: 2,209
• Damage cost: $17 million (1889 dollars)

Presidential Response

In 1889, near Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the collapse of the South Fork Dam enabled more than 20 million tons of water to flood the area in and around Johnstown. Over 2,200 people were killed, and as a result, it made it so that the town rarely existed. Unfortunately, this incident is remembered as a man-made tragedy due to poor construction on the dam itself. 

President Benjamin Harrison was criticized for his response. He was yet another president who believed natural disaster aid should be limited to the state level. Harrison hoped that the Red Cross could handle most of the necessary assistance any survivors would need. As a result, he left those who were already suffering to suffer, as it took a long time to rally private aid to help rebuild. 

4. Okeechobee Hurricane

• Location: Florida and Puerto Rico
• Disaster type: Hurricane
• Death toll: 2,823
• Damage cost: $100 million (1928 dollars)

Presidential Response

Known as the San Felipe Segundo hurricane, the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane is considered one of the most deadly storms in American history. A category five hurricane, an estimated 2,500 Americans were killed, mainly in Florida, when the storm finally made landfall. Winds were said to exceed more than 160 miles per hour and arrived without warning, destroying homes and crops and creating floods all over Florida. 

In response to the disaster, Calvin Coolidge did not consider the federal government a priority for assistance. Instead, he believed the Red Cross and the state of Florida should take the lead, which was his administration’s stance. The result is that recovering from the storm took Florida longer than necessary and left many Americans desperate for help, which took months to arrive. 

3. Hurricane Maria

• Location: Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands
• Disaster type: Hurricane
• Death toll: 2,982 (estimated)
• Damage cost: $91.6 billion (2017 dollars)

Presidential Response

The most modern natural disaster on this list, the island of Puerto Rico, was devastated in 2017 when Hurricane Maria, a category four storm, hit. The storm almost immediately took power from the whole island. Still, it also destroyed homes and roads and made it incredibly difficult for first responders to access much of the island. 

In response to the damage Puerto Rico suffered, President Donald Trump was heavily criticized for being slow to act. His act of throwing paper towels to those in need of help became more of a meme than it did any actual good. As a result, Congress was forced to act and provide additional aid to the island to restore critical infrastructure like hospitals without support from the president. 

2. San Francisco Earthquake

• Location: San Francisco, California
• Disaster type: Earthquake
• Death toll: 3,000 plus (estimated)
• Damage cost: $400 million (1906 dollars)

Presidential Response

One of the most devastating earthquakes in American history, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, is a textbook example of how a president should act. The earthquake itself was recorded as a 7.9-magnitude quake, and when it struck, it all but leveled what historians believe is close to 80% of San Francisco through either buildings collapsing or fires. 

In the quake’s aftermath, more than 250,000 San Franciscans were homeless. President Theodore Roosevelt wasted no time decisively acting and sent the US Army to aid local first responders. The $2.5 million in emergency funds he was able to secure from Congress, along with private donations he rallied, would help rebuild San Francisco into the bustling metropolis it is today. 

1. Galveston Hurricane

• Location: Galveston, Texas
• Disaster type: Hurricane
• Death toll: 6,000 – 12,000 (estimated)
• Damage cost: $34 million (1900 dollars)

Presidential Response

Widely regarded as one of the worst natural disasters ever to hit the United States, the hurricane decimated the city of Galveston with a 15-foot storm surge and up to 145 mph winds. As a result, over 25% of the town’s residents in 1900 were wiped out. 

Homes and businesses alike were destroyed, and in the aftermath, President William McKinley was criticized for being slow to act. Instead of taking the reins through the federal government, cleanup and recovery were left to local leaders who were still reeling from the disaster. McKinley was widely criticized for not focusing on domestic issues and keeping his focus on foreign priorities.

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