Floods News

Update: Hurricane Sandy Could Affect 50 Million People on East Coast

Authorities shut transit systems and ordered some evacuations as tens of millions of people on the East Coast braced on Sunday for Hurricane Sandy, a gigantic storm forecast to deliver battering winds, dangerous flooding and even heavy snowfall. Sandy, expected …

South Dakota Officials Urge Residents to Reassess Flood Damage

State emergency officials say that South Dakotans who registered with FEMA in 2011 for damage caused by Missouri River flooding may be eligible for additional assistance if further damage has been discovered. Residents of Hughes, Stanley, Charles Mix, Yankton and …

Aon Benfield’s Monthly Cat Recap Focuses on $7.5 Billion Asian Flood Losses

Asian flood losses during the third quarter of 2012 aggregated more than $7.5 billion in economic losses, of which China was the worst hit by two separate flood events that affected several provinces. “The most costly occurred during a six-day …

Clark County Asks Nevada For Disaster Aid After Floods

Clark County commissioners are asking the state of Nevada for disaster relief funds in the aftermath of flash floods that killed two people and caused an estimated $2.6 million in damages to government property. The request that county leaders approved …

Lloyd’s Analyzes Repercussions of Thai Flood Losses a Year Later

Lloyd’s has published an analysis of the floods that hit Thailand in October 2011, which notes that “after weeks of slowly spreading their way through many of Thailand’s provinces, flood waters eventually reached the capital city, Bangkok. There they remained …

Tornado Hits Fair in Spain; Flood Deaths Reach 10

A tornado swept through a fairground in a Spanish town, knocking down a Ferris wheel and injuring 35 people, while the death toll from flooding in the same southern region of the country rose to 10, authorities said Saturday. Friday’s …

Alaska Railroad: Flood Damage, Lost Revenue May Top $1M

Washouts of railroad track after heavy rains and revenue lost because of idled trains are likely to cost the Alaska Railroad more than $1 million, a spokeswoman said Monday. “We’re still tallying the costs,” said Stephenie Wheeler, corporate communications officer. …

Cat Models – More Accurate, More Sophisticated and More Useful

Catastrophe models have become such an indispensable tool for re/insurers, particularly those who write P&C catastrophe coverage, that it’s hard to believe the service is only 25 years old. It was launched in 1987 under the direction of Karen Clark, who …

Aon Benfield August Cat Report Focuses on Isaac; Insurance Cover Disparity

Aon Benfield’s latest edition of its Global Catastrophe Recap report, which reviews the natural disaster perils that occurred worldwide during August, notes that Hurricane Isaac was “the first land falling hurricane along the United States’ Gulf Coast region since 2008.” …

Swiss Re Report Analyzes Rise in Flood Losses – $15 Billion and Counting

A new report from Swiss Re underscores the fact the “insured flood losses have increased from $1–2 billion in 1970 to $15 billion in 2011, which it describes as an “alarming rate” while posing “unique challenges for the industry” as …