Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Weather Service: Fewest Tornadoes on Record in Oklahoma in 2014
Jan 12 2015 // Just 16 tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma in 2014, which the National Weather Service says is the fewest on record. Oklahoma state climatologist Gary McManus says a combination of factors led to the relative lack of...
Natural Disasters in 2014
Jan 12 2015 // All in all, 2014 was not as bad as it could have been for natural disasters in the United States. Last year closed with fewer tornadoes, a mild hurricane season, lower acreage lost to wildfires, and an overall decline in...
Revised TRIA Law Could Harm Small Insurers, Warns S&P
Jan 11 2015 // Standard & Poor’s offered a note of caution about the reauthorization of the federal terrorism reinsurance program, warning that changes made by Congress to boost co-insurance and deductibles could hurt small...
Officials Confirm Weekend Tornado in Alabama
Jan 9 2015 // The National Weather Service is checking the damage from a weekend of rough weather in Alabama. Officials confirmed Monday that a weak tornado touched down in west Alabama in Hamilton on Saturday evening. A twister with 85...
Senate Passes TRIA; Bill Goes to President Obama’s Desk
Jan 8 2015 // Today the U.S. Senate followed the House and voted overwhelmingly to reauthorize the federal terrorism reinsurance program that had been allowed to lapse. The vote was 93-4 in favor. On Wednesday, the House of...
More Earthquakes in Oklahoma in 2014 than in Past 30 Years
Jan 8 2015 // Officials say Oklahoma had more earthquakes last year than in the past 30 years. The U.S. Geological Survey says 567 earthquakes with magnitudes of 3.0 or greater were registered in Oklahoma, making it the most seismically...
10 Quakes Recorded in North Texas over 2-Day Period
Jan 8 2015 // A cluster of small earthquakes has rattled a Dallas-area city over a two-day period. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the temblors in the Irving area, including two in the morning on Jan. 7. No major damage or injuries...
Renewals See Lower Pricing, Broader Coverage, Reports Guy Carpenter
Jan 7 2015 // Guy Carpenter & Company reports reinsurance pricing fell at the January 1, 2015 renewals in many segments, affecting almost all lines of business and geographies, continuing recent renewal trends. According to Guy...
FEMA Found to Have Overpaid Florida Residents by $177M
Jan 7 2015 // The federal agency that provides grants to states following a major catastrophe is under fire for providing Florida residents an estimated $177 million in funds that should have been covered by private insurers. A recent...
Australian Firefighters Containing Sprawling Wildfire
Jan 7 2015 // Firefighters in southern Australia were winning the battle on Tuesday to contain a sprawling wildfire raging on a 240-kilometer (150-mile) perimeter that has razed 38 homes and left two people in hospitals, officials...
Munich Re’s 2014 Nat Cat Review Highlights Low Loss Levels
Jan 7 2015 // Munich Re’s review of losses caused by natural catastrophes in 2014 confirms that it was indeed another benign year for the re/insurance industry. “The absence of very severe catastrophes and a quiet hurricane...
3.7 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Central Oklahoma
Jan 6 2015 // A 3.7 magnitude earthquake has rattled the Guthrie area in central Oklahoma. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake was recorded at 3:37 p.m. Sunday about two miles south-southwest of the Logan County city. The USGS...
Meteorologists Look to Improve Alabama’s Weather Warnings
Jan 5 2015 // When it comes to weather in Alabama, no matter what time of year, there’s just one thing to do: “Prepare for it to be bad.” That’s according to Kevin Laws, the science and operations officer at the...
Rock Slides, but no Injuries From 4.9M Idaho Earthquake
Jan 5 2015 // A 4.9 magnitude earthquake in a remote Idaho county triggered rock slides that blocked some road lanes Saturday but did not cause any major damage or injuries. Hours later around midnight, quakes of magnitude 4.0 and 3.6...
Australian Wildfire Threat Eases as Cool Front Moves In
Jan 5 2015 // Cooler conditions on Sunday were helping hundreds of firefighters working to contain a massive wildfire that had forced thousands of people to flee their homes in southern Australia. A dozen homes have been destroyed by...
Workers’ Comp Insurers Unfazed by TRIA Failure For Now But Expect Quick Fix
Jan 4 2015 // The expectation that the new Congress that convenes this week will act quickly to reauthorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) is keeping workers’ compensation insurers in particular from altering their...
Weather Service: Fewest Tornadoes on Record in Oklahoma in 2014
Jan 4 2015 // Just 16 tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma in 2014, which the National Weather Service says is the fewest on record. Oklahoma state climatologist Gary McManus says a combination of factors led to the relative lack of...
Earthquake Strikes off Coast of Northern California
Jan 2 2015 // The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting a 5.3 magnitude earthquake off the coast of northern California. The USGS says the quake was centered in the Pacific Ocean, about 70 miles west of Ferndale, California, and struck...
Mississippi Hoping for FEMA Aid for Tornado Victims
Jan 1 2015 // Earlier this week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Small Business Administration joined Mississippi and local officials on a tour of the Columbia area, as well as Jones and Lamar counties that were hit by...
Washington Wildfire Claims Prepared for Lawsuit
Dec 30 2014 // More than 150 property owners are preparing to sue the state of Washington over wildfire damage claims that have been denied by the state Department of Natural Resources. Brewster attorney Alex Thomason told the Capital...
