Trying to put a dollar figure on a disaster

There are lots of numbers being talked about today as government officials and reporters attempt to convey the levels of damage from Hurricane Irma to people who can’t see it with their own eyes. Here is just a sampling: 250,000 evacuees have crossed into Alabama and more than 6.5 million homes and businesses in Florida are without power. And then there’s the dollars and cents. Damage estimates from Irma today range from $25 billion to $60 billion for insured losses. Here’s how those damage figures are tallied.

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