The United States has experienced the highest number of billion-dollar weather disasters ever recorded this year. From wildfires in Hawaii to severe storms in Florida, these disasters have wreaked havoc throughout the country, according to a report released by the federal government on Monday.

So far in 2023, the nation has been hit by a total of 23 separate disasters, surpassing the previous record of 22 disasters set in 2020. These events have each caused a billion dollars or more in damage, resulting in a total of over $57.6 billion in damages and at least 253 fatalities, as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Among the devastating disasters, West Maui, Hawaii experienced the deadliest wildfire in over a century, resulting in a death toll of at least 115 and an estimated $6 billion in damages. Shortly after, Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Florida’s Big Bend coast, marking the region’s strongest hurricane in 125 years.

This rising trend in billion-dollar weather disasters has been observed since 1980. From 1980 to 2022, an average of 8 such disasters occurred annually. However, in the past five years, the average has increased to 18 per year, according to NOAA.

The consecutive disasters have raised concerns about the sufficiency of funds in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for adequate response, especially as hurricane season reaches its peak.

Last month, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell stated that the federal disaster fund was left with only $3.4 billion, forcing the agency to prioritize immediate needs in the wake of the Maui wildfires, Hurricane Idalia, and other possible disasters in the near future.

Without additional funding, Criswell projected that the disaster fund would run out by the middle of this month. To address this, the Biden administration has requested $16 billion from Congress to replenish the fund.

President Joe Biden attributes the increasing number of severe weather events to climate change. During remarks at the White House after Hurricane Idalia made landfall, Biden stated, “I don’t think anybody can deny the impact of the climate crisis anymore.”

Biden highlighted various alarming effects, including historic floods, intensified droughts, extreme heat, and significant wildfires causing unprecedented damage. He emphasized the need for swift action from Congress to address the funding shortages in FEMA.

During his visit to FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C. last month, the president urged FEMA personnel, saying, “We need this money done. We need this disaster relief request met, and we need to do it in September — we can’t wait.”