Maine, New Hampshire in Top 10 Best Places to Avoid Natural Disasters

Severe weather has been an ongoing issue throughout recorded history. In the United States, significant weather events like hurricanes and earthquakes have become moments in history thanks to the destruction left behind in their wake.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, a natural disaster is defined as "all types of severe weather, which have the potential to pose a significant threat to human health and safety, property, critical infrastructure, and homeland security. They include winter storms, floods, tornados, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, or any combination thereof."

For Maine, New Hampshire, and the rest of New England, the natural disaster risk remains low. According to World Population Review, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont rank in the top 10 nationwide as best places to avoid natural disasters.

All three New England states rank high on the list thanks to their low risk of high-intensity hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes. The ranking list Vermont at #4, Maine at #8, and New Hampshire at #9.

But if you live in any of these states, you know there's plenty of natural disaster risk. According to Primal Survivor, Maine's risk for flooding has increased over the last decade. A rising sea level coupled with more intense rain storms has led to the potential for more floods and flash floods in the Pine Tree State. One of Maine's worst natural disasters was the great flood of 1987.

Just like Maine, flooding remains New Hampshire's biggest natural disaster risk, according to Primal Survivor. Because of all the lakes, streams, and the oceanfront coastline, both Maine and New Hampshire will always carry a risk for flooding. The other major risk for both states remains winter storms/ice storms. Winters in New England have recently been leaning warmer, causing the potential for hazardous ice storms to increase.

California and Texas remain the two most at-risk states in the nation when it comes to natural disasters.