Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Severe Thunderstorms, Tornado Slam Chicago; Injuries, Power Outage, Property Damage Reported
Jun 21 2021 // Severe thunderstorms tore through the Chicago area on Sunday night after the National Weather Service said a “confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado” had touched down in a western suburb of the city,...
Preparing Policyholders for Catastrophic Events
Jun 21 2021 // In 2020 alone, Aon estimated that insured property losses from natural disasters in the U.S. climbed to around $74 billion in losses, much higher than the 10-year average. The only year that beats 2020 in terms of losses...
$41M Recovered for Louisiana Consumers After Hurricane Claims Complaints
Jun 21 2021 // Complaints over insurance claims arising out of the three hurricanes that struck Louisiana last year had resulted in a recovery of $41 million for consumers by end of April, Louisiana insurance regulators say. The...
Close Calls in Colorado Spark Push for Wildfire Mitigation
Jun 21 2021 // As the Missionary Ridge Fire raged in 2002, the Valley Fire, a second fire, broke out and destroyed six homes within hours near the Falls Creek Ranch subdivision north of Durango, Colorado. When residents returned after...
Hurricanes: Not If, But When, How Many, How Intense
Jun 21 2021 // Like death and taxes, the annual hurricane season can be counted on as a sure thing. The number and intensity of named storms may vary each year, as well as where they occur and whether or not they make landfall. But...
Tropical Storm Claudette Pounds Gulf Coast with Rain, Floods
Jun 20 2021 // Jun 19 2021 — Thunderstorms and high winds on the east side of Tropical Storm Claudette battered the Florida panhandle and much of Alabama on Saturday, as the weather system moved toward the North Carolina coast. The...
Grim California Wildfire Outlook Has Insurers Forking Over Big Bucks for Modeling
Jun 18 2021 // Severe drought and searing temperatures are not the only proof that Californians should be worried about wildfires this year. A glaring piece of evidence that there’s ample cause for concern is this: those who will...
South Dakota Records Second Earthquake This Month
Jun 18 2021 // Another earthquake has been recorded in South Dakota, the fifth since December. According to the United States Geological Survey, a 2.6 magnitude quake was recorded about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday with the epicenter about 60...
Stormy Weekend: Tropical Storm Warning Issued for Gulf Coast, Louisiana to Florida
Jun 17 2021 // The National Hurricane Center’s updated its tropical storm warning for the Gulf Coast is in effect for east of Morgan City, Louisiana to the Okaloosa/Walton County line in Florida. The center has warned of heavy...
Drought Contributes to Rise in North Dakota Wildfires
Jun 17 2021 // The number of wildfires this year in North Dakota has increased significantly, according to state officials, who cite extremely dry conditions. Data collected by the North Dakota Forest Service and the state Department of...
California OKs Farmers and Zesty.ai Wildfire Risk Assessments, Will Bring 30K New Homeowners Policies
Jun 16 2021 // California regulators have approved a plan by Farmers Insurance to assess wildfire risk by using a tool that combines artificial intelligence with high-resolution aerial photography. The carrier said the Z-Fire risk...
Arizona Legislature Holding Special Wildfire Funding Session
Jun 16 2021 // The Arizona Legislature will convene in special session this week to consider adding $100 million in funding for fighting wildfires and to boost the amount of money available to clear hazardous brush and deal with the...
Study Says Earthquakes Are Increasing in U.S. Oil Regions
Jun 15 2021 // The number of noticeable earthquakes has been increasing year after year since 2017 in the key oil producing regions of the U.S., according to an analysis by an independent energy research firm. The analysis of seismic...
Russia Fights Wildfires in Siberia and the Far East
Jun 15 2021 // Russian emergency workers fought wildfires burning Sunday on more than 550 square kilometers (212 square miles) of territory mostly in Siberia and the Far East. The state agency responsible for fighting forest fires,...
Tropical Depression Off North Carolina Could Become Tropical Storm
Jun 14 2021 // Tropical Depression Two has formed off the coast of North Carolina and is heading away from the United States, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Monday. The depression is expected to become a tropical storm...
Connecticut Utilities Appeal Penalties Over Tropical Storm Response
Jun 14 2021 // Connecticut’s two largest electricity distributors have appealed millions of dollars in profit reductions imposed by the state for what regulators called the companies’ failures in preparing for and responding...
Insurance Council of Australia Declares Flood Catastrophe for Regions of Victoria
Jun 14 2021 // The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has declared a catastrophe for regions of Victoria affected by significant storms and flooding of the last few days. The ICA’s catastrophe declaration serves to escalate and...
Pacific Tsunami Museum in Hawaii Reopening Following Renovations
Jun 14 2021 // The Pacific Tsunami Museum plans to reopen from a coronavirus pandemic-triggered shutdown by the end of the summer after finishing substantial renovations. The downtown Hilo museum is working on relocating and renovating...
May’s Global Disasters Include Hailstorms, Floods, Cyclones, Quakes, Volcanic Eruption
Jun 11 2021 // U.S. insurers face a multi-billion-dollar payout from May’s convective storms, which spawned extensive hail, tornado, wind and flood damage across a series of separate events during the month, according to broker Aon...
Road Work Started Wildfire in Arizona Mining Town, Sheriff Says
Jun 11 2021 // A May 27 wildfire that destroyed or damaged 24 homes and threatened many other structures in the remote mining town of Bagdad was caused by construction equipment being used for road work, the Yavapai County...
