Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Vast Sahara Dust Cloud Hinders Formation of Tropical Storms in Atlantic
Aug 3 2019 // Dry air from the Sahara that’s carrying enough dust it can be seen from space is preventing thunderstorms over the Atlantic from strengthening into powerful tropical systems. The system sits hundreds of miles...
Small Businesses Learn Hard Lessons When They Don’t Prepare for Disaster
Aug 2 2019 // When Hurricane Irma hit Puerto Rico in September 2017, Carlos Melendez couldn’t contact the staffers or customers of his San Juan-based technology firm, Wovenware. Melendez learned a lesson that would help his...
California Governor Defends State’s Wildfire Efforts
Aug 2 2019 // Gov. Gavin Newsom defended California’s wildfire prevention efforts this week while criticizing the federal government for not doing enough to help protect the state as it enters the height of fire season after two...
Sun Valley Climate Conference’s Broad Agenda: Wildfires, Military, Insurance, Resilience
Aug 1 2019 // Washington had a record 1,850 responses to wildfires on Department of Natural Resources lands last year. Over the last five years, wildfires have continued to hit the state hard. One state official, who believes climate...
Court Upholds Facebook Immunity in Case Brought by Terrorist Attack Victims
Aug 1 2019 // Facebook Inc. on Wednesday defeated an appeal by American victims of Hamas attacks in Israel, who sought to hold the company liable for providing the group a social media platform to further its terroristic goals. The 2nd...
Florida Regulator Calls Open Hurricane Michael Claims ‘Discouraging’; Plans Data Call
Aug 1 2019 // With more than 20,000 claims related to Hurricane Michael still open nine months after the storm hit the Florida Panhandle, Florida’s top insurance regulator is calling on the insurance industry to take “all...
North Carolina Residents Hit by 2 Hurricanes Still Waiting on Long-Term Aid
Jul 31 2019 // The heating and air conditioning in Carrie Johnson’s home – damaged by Hurricane Matthew in 2016 – still wasn’t fixed when Hurricane Florence flooded her house last September. Now, her home of over 50 years...
Rice U. Says Its Hurricane Plan for Houston Better Than $20B Coastal Barrier
Jul 30 2019 // For about a decade, two of Texas’ top universities have pushed dueling plans to protect the Houston-Galveston region from hurricanes. A concept championed by Texas A&M University at Galveston appears to be...
Challenges Facing the Florida Insurance Market: A Reinsurer’s Perspective
Jul 30 2019 // Hurricanes Irma and Michael served as a reminder that Florida, more than any other state, is at risk of one of the most intense natural perils, namely hurricanes. The existence of a stable insurance market providing its...
Texas Windstorm Insurer: Rate Inadequacy Up Year Over Year
Jul 29 2019 // In advance of its Aug. 6 board meeting in Galveston, the insurer of last resort for wind and hail in counties along the Texas coast said it has determined its residential coverage rates are inadequate by 41.7 percent and...
Tornado, Flood Repairs to Missouri Facilities Could Cost Almost $13M
Jul 29 2019 // Repairs to Missouri government facilities damaged by recent tornadoes and flooding could cost almost $13 million, a majority of which would go toward fixing a historic prison that state officials are still trying to decide...
Oregon Lagging on Disaster Preparedness, Scientists Warn
Jul 29 2019 // Oregon state lawmakers abandoned a multimillion-dollar project to develop early warning systems for earthquakes and wildfires, and scientists warn that the funding shake-up could endanger public safety and put Oregon...
Tropical Storm Erich Forms, Expected to Become Hurricane as It Heads Toward Hawaii
Jul 29 2019 // Tropical Storm Erich has formed in the Pacific far off the western coast of Mexico and is predicted to become a hurricane by Monday night as it moves over open waters on a path that could take it near the Hawaiian Islands...
Utilities Want in on California Wildfire Insurance Fund, But Others Will Decide
Jul 26 2019 // All three of California’s investor-owned utilities have now signed off on the creation of a $21 billion wildfire fund that any one of them could tap the next time a power line sparks a catastrophic blaze. PG&E...
Massachusetts Governor to Seek Disaster Declaration for Cape Cod Tornado
Jul 26 2019 // Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker says he’ll seek a federal disaster declaration to support cleanup and recovery efforts on Cape Cod after a tornado and high winds caused extensive damage and knocked out power to...
Crews Aided by Light Rain in Battle Against Arizona Wildfire
Jul 25 2019 // Light rain falling Wednesday helped crews battle a wildfire near Flagstaff, Arizona, that has raged for days in a mountain pass recreation area overlooking the city, officials said. Up to 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of rain...
Insurers Owed $20 Billion Offer Own Rescue Plan for PG&E in Bankruptcy Court
Jul 25 2019 // Insurance companies that say Pacific Gas & Electric owes them more than $20 billion from wildfire claims wants to take over the California utility and pull it out of bankruptcy. The group of insurers filed court...
High Winds, Tornado Rip Off Cape Cod Hotel Roof, Lead to Power Outages
Jul 25 2019 // High winds and one radar-confirmed tornado ripped off a hotel roof, downed trees that blocked roads, and knocked out power to thousands on Cape Cod on Tuesday during the peak of tourist season. A tornado struck Yarmouth...
Wildfire Prompted Evacuations from Idaho Nuclear Energy Lab
Jul 24 2019 // Some employees were evacuated from the Idaho National Laboratory in southeastern Idaho while crews fight a wildfire burning near the nuclear energy research site. INL officials say non-essential employees were evacuated...
Modeler Estimates Insured Losses from California Quakes Less Than $40M
Jul 24 2019 // A catastrophe modeler estimates the total loss from the 7.1 Magnitude and M6.4 earthquakes that struck near Ridgecrest, Calif., earlier this month will be about $200 million, not including infrastructure or damage to...
