Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
20 Years Later: Insurance Changes Triggered by Hurricane Andrew
Aug 21 2012 // Hurricane Andrew struck Florida on August 24, 1992, and the tumult it created for the property insurance market in the state has not ceased in the 20 years since, according to the insurance industry. An Insurance...
Tropical Storm Helene Weakens as it Passes over Mexico’s East Coast
Aug 20 2012 // Tropical Storm Helene made landfall off the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday and weakened into a tropical depression as it plowed up Mexico’s east coast, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. The depression was about 65...
UPDATE: Hurricane Gordon Passes Azores; Expected to Weaken
Aug 20 2012 // In a bulletin issued at 5:00 a.m. AST, The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Hurricane Gordon has passed “through the Eastern Azores Islands,” and is “expected to become a post-tropical cyclone...
Otter Declares Disaster Due to Idaho Wildfires
Aug 17 2012 // The size and scope of wildfires burning in southwestern and central Idaho has prompted Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter to issue a disaster declaration. Otter made the announcement Wednesday to support firefighting...
Recovering from a Wildfire Catastrophe
Aug 17 2012 // Gary Sweeny still gets choked up when thinking of all of his family and friends who helped him recover from the Bastrop, Texas, wildfire that destroyed his home of 35 years. The retired school teacher and his wife who...
Wildfires: Sage Grouse Habitat Loss Could Impact Nevada Insureds
Aug 16 2012 // If you’re a business in Nevada, it may not be immediately clear why you should be concered with the state’s nearly dozen wildfires that are consuming almost 600,000 acres and destroying sage grouse habitat. But...
Price Tag For Fighting Utah Wildfires Up To $50M
Aug 16 2012 // State officials say it’s cost $50 million to fight wildfires in Utah this season, and that number is expected to keep climbing. Department of Natural Resources chief Michael Styler told lawmakers Tuesday that more...
Nearly 1,000 Earthquakes In Arizona From 2006-2009
Aug 16 2012 // Most people would think earthquakes are rare in Arizona. But a new study published by Arizona State University researchers found nearly 1,000 earthquakes rattling the state over a three-year period. A graduate student in...
Simulating Volcano Eruptions, One Blast at a Time
Aug 16 2012 // A voice carried across the treeless plateau: “Fire in the hole! The range is now active.” Two dozen people fell silent before a muffled blast sent a geyser-like shower of crushed gravel, limestone and asphalt...
New Storm Hits North Philippines; at Least 2 Dead
Aug 16 2012 // A second tropical storm in as many weeks battered the northern Philippines on Wednesday, killing at least two people, as forecasters warned that the still-reeling capital could see more flooding. Meanwhile, President...
Bastrop, Texas, Residents Putting the Past Behind After Wildfire
Aug 15 2012 // Gary Bonnette had traveled with his wife Cynthia and son Aaron to San Antonio to visit family members when he got a phone call saying his home was threatened by a huge wildfire. Neighbors say smoke was pouring over the...
Wildfire Destroys 60 Homes in Washington
Aug 15 2012 // A wildfire between the northwest Washington towns of Cle Elum and Ellensburg at the eastern edge of the Cascade Mountains has prompted the evacuation of another 400 homes and Gov. Christine Gregoire to declare a state of...
Ore. Groups To Organize Tsunami Debris Volunteers
Aug 15 2012 // Four nonprofit groups say they will team up to organize and coordinate Oregon volunteers working on tsunami debris. The World of Coos Bay reports the groups plan to create a data base of people who can monitor the Oregon...
AIR Worldwide Now Offering Builder’s Risk Capability
Aug 14 2012 // AIR Worldwide (AIR) has expanded its offerings for commercial insurers with a capability for determining losses from natural catastrophes to buildings under construction. CLASIC/2Version 14.0 introduces the ability to...
Louisiana Citizens Seeking to Settle Hurricane Lawsuits
Aug 13 2012 // Louisiana’s property insurer of last resort is trying to negotiate settlements on two remaining class action lawsuits tied to the company’s handling of claims after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The board for...
Wildfires Threaten to Burn Precious Natural Parks in Spain
Aug 13 2012 // Fierce wildfires forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and were threatening some of Spain’s most precious natural parks, including one that is a UNESCO world heritage site, officials said Sunday. Fires on...
Oklahoma, Federal Officials Assess Wildfire Damage
Aug 10 2012 // Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin and state and federal emergency management officials have surveyed parts of the state scorched by recent wildfires. The group viewed damage in Cleveland County on Aug. 9 where they stopped at the...
Increased Chance of Above-Normal Atlantic Hurricane Season Despite El Niño
Aug 10 2012 // This year’s Atlantic hurricane season got off to a busy start, with six named storms to date, and may have a busy second half, according to the updated hurricane season outlook issued today by government weather...
AIR Update on Typhoon Haikui, as Storm Hits China
Aug 9 2012 // According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide Typhoon Haikui, the 11th typhoon of 2012 Pacific season, made landfall in Hepu Township in Xiangshan County of China’s Zhejiang Province at 3:20 am local time...
Weakened Hurricane Ernesto Causes Minimal Damage
Aug 9 2012 // Hurricane Ernesto weakened to a tropical storm as it passed over Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Ernesto made landfall overnight as a Category 1 hurricane near the...
