Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Record-Breaking Wildfires Scorched 1.4M Acres in Oregon, Authorities Say
Aug 14 2024 // Wildfires in Oregon have burned more acres of land in 2024 than in any year since reliable records began, authorities said, with the mid-August peak of fire season still on the horizon. Blazes have scorched more than 1.4...
M4.4 Earthquake Near Pasadena Felt out to California’s High Desert
Aug 13 2024 // The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck an area southeast of of Highland Park, California on Monday. The quake was 7.4 miles deep and struck at 12:20 p.m. PST, according to the...
Athens Braces for Wildfire Flare-Ups as High Winds Return
Aug 13 2024 // Greek firefighters are working to bring the remnants of a huge wildfire near Athens under control, after wind speeds picked up again on Tuesday afternoon. The biggest blaze of the summer started northeast of the capital...
Report: 10 of Top U.S. Metros at Moderate to Very High Risk of Wildfire Are in California
Aug 13 2024 // Ten of the top 15 metropolitan areas for wildfire risk concentration are in California, while more than 2.6 million homes across 14 states with a total reconstruction cost of $1.3 trillion are at moderate to very high risk...
Colorado Wildfire That Destroyed 27 Homes Was Human-Caused, Officials Say
Aug 12 2024 // The Colorado wildfire that tore through 15 square miles (39 square kilometers) and destroyed 48 buildings, over half of which were homes, was human-caused, investigators said. The Alexander Mountain Fire burning near...
Australian Pensions Industry Boosts Investments in Natural Catastrophe Reinsurance
Aug 12 2024 // The risks from the growing number of natural disasters offer Australia’s largest pension funds a chance to boost returns. Colonial First State, one of the nation’s biggest pension and wealth managers, is...
Gallagher Re: Insured Losses From Hurricane Debby to Be ‘Very Manageable’
Aug 12 2024 // Insurers and reinsurers’ losses from Hurricane Debby are expected to be in the low single-digit billions of dollars, a figure that would be “very manageable” for the industry, according to a report from...
New York, Mid-Atlantic States On Tornado Watch as Debby Remnants Move North
Aug 9 2024 // A tornado threat is expected today from the Mid-Atlantic states northward into eastern New York, according to the National Weather Service. The risk for a few tornadoes will likely focus initially over the Mid-Atlantic...
Hurricane/Tropical Storm Debby Should be Manageable for Insurers, Early Data Show
Aug 9 2024 // Reports from Gallagher Re and the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation suggest that Tropical Storm Debby will not be a heavy lift for property insurers and reinsurers. “Early assessments suggest wind-related...
More People Moving In Than Out of Counties With High Catastrophe Risk
Aug 9 2024 // Despite the dangers and expense associated with living in high-risk areas, large numbers of people are still moving to parts of America most impacted by wildfires, flooding and extreme heat. According to a new report from...
Taylor Swift Shows in Vienna Canceled After Terrorism Threat
Aug 8 2024 // Taylor Swift shows planned for this week in Vienna have been canceled after Austrian police arrested two people on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack. Concerts for the American pop megastar were canceled after the...
Fast-Moving Southern California Wildfire Torched Hillside Homes, Forcing Evacuations
Aug 7 2024 // A fast-moving wildfire that swept into a Southern California hillside community this week destroyed five homes and damaged three others, authorities said. The flames erupted Monday afternoon and chased residents from the...
Virginia Declares State of Emergency in Anticipation of Tropical Storm Debby
Aug 7 2024 // Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency for Virginia based on National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center forecasts that indicate the state could see significant rainfall and flooding from Tropical...
Small Tornado Briefly Swept Into Buffalo, Damaging Buildings, Scattering Tree Limbs
Aug 7 2024 // A small tornado took Buffalo by surprise Monday, damaging buildings, flipping cars and sending debris swirling over downtown. A spiraling column was caught on multiple videos shortly before 1 p.m. One video showed the cell...
Hurricane Debby Data Due to Florida OIR Thursday and Friday
Aug 7 2024 // The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation said it is reminding property insurers in the state to file Hurricane Debby claims data Thursday and Friday this week. Insurers should use the Simplified 2024 Catastrophe...
‘We’re Going to Survive and It’s Going to Come Back’: A Year After Maui Wildfire, Survivors Press on
Aug 7 2024 // They have combed the ashes for mementos, worried about where they would sleep, questioned their faith and tried to find a way to grieve amid the great, unsettling devastation. Residents have faced a year of challenges,...
UK Faces High Wildfire Risk After Spell of Warmer Weather
Aug 6 2024 // Europe’s wildfire risks are extending as far north as the UK after a recent spell of hot weather. Parts of southeastern England, including areas around London, face high wildfire risks later this week, according to...
Hurricane Debby Brings Six Deaths, Widespread Flood Losses in Florida, Georgia, SC
Aug 6 2024 // Hurricane Debby left at least six people dead Monday along with widespread flooding in the same parts of Florida and Georgia that were swamped by Hurricane Idalia less than a year ago. Debby made landfall near...
Texas Carbon Monoxide Poisonings Spike After Hurricane Beryl
Aug 5 2024 // Texas lawmakers nearly three years ago promised changes to prevent the devastation from a deadly winter storm from happening again. But the damage caused by Hurricane Beryl last month shows that much remains the same,...
Containment Increased on Massive Wildfire, 640 Structures Destroyed
Aug 5 2024 // Firefighters have increased containment on the 627-square-mile Park Fire near Chico, California, which is now 34% contained. The fire, now the fourth largest wildfire in history, is 401,740 acres. It was 24% contained on...
