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With the vast size of America, there are different climates for very corner of the country that lend way to devastating natural disasters, from blazing wildfires and torrential mudslides to tornadoes cutting down everything in their path and hurricanes drenching coastal states, leaving a path of destruction in its wake; however, some events hit harder than others.
According to a list compiled by 24/7 Wall St., the "worst natural disaster" record in Washington is the Wellington Avalanche of March 1910, which had 96 fatalities after two trains were swept into a canyon by an avalanche, per History.com. The Mount St. Helens eruption in 1980 was also considered a terrible natural disaster that rocked Washington, with the impact of the explosion being felt even beyond the Evergreen State.
Here's how 24/7 Wall St. determined its list:
"24/7 Wall St. reviewed government sources on the weather events in each state's history that caused the highest number of fatalities to determine the worst natural disaster in each state. [...] The United States ranks first globally in the number of extreme weather events and its weather continues to become more volatile. According to the National Center for Environmental Information, in 2023 there were 28 weather events that each caused over $1 billion in damage."
Check out the full list at 247wallst.com to read up on the worst natural disaster recorded in other states.