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Forbes: Over 10 Florida counties rank most at risk for natural disasters

Florida has 13 counties in the top 25 most disaster-prone counties, and two counties in the state rank in the top ten.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida currently outnumbers any other state with the most disaster-prone counties, according to a report from Forbes

The publication released its rankings of the top 25 counties most prone to natural disasters according to data collected from the number of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster declarations between January 2013 and January 2023.

While no Florida county takes the number one spot for the most disaster declarations – Los Angles County in California has that in the bag – the sheer number of Florida counties declaring disasters outpaces all other states.

According to Forbes, Florida has 13 counties in the top 25 most disaster-prone counties, and two counties in Florida rank in the top ten.

These are the Florida counties included: Duval, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Brevard, Pasco, Volusia, Seminole, Osceola and Marion. 

Fire and hurricanes are the types of most common disasters for the top ten counties most impacted by disaster, Forbes reported. 

"Natural disasters are occurring more frequently and with more intensity. Over the past five years, the U.S. has experienced an average of 17.8 natural disasters each year," the outlet said in the report. 

Forty percent of U.S. hurricanes hit Florida, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

CNN reported that the reason behind Florida being targeted is because Atlantic hurricanes form over warm water in the tropics and typically move west-northwest with the prevailing winds, which often puts the southeastern U.S. coasts in their path. 

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