Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
As Many as 8 Hurricanes Forecast for ‘Near Normal’ 2019 Hurricane Season
May 24 2019 // As many as 8 hurricanes may form in the Atlantic in 2019, a “near normal” season following two years of storms that have left a trail of death and destruction in the Caribbean and U.S. coast. Nine to 15 named...
Bankruptcy Judge Approves PG&E $105 Million Assistance Fund for Wildfire Victims
May 23 2019 // PG&E Corp. may set up a $105 million housing fund for victims of 2017 and 2018 wildfires in California, which set records for devastation and were blamed on the utility’s equipment, the judge overseeing the...
What Might Happen If Congress Fails to Renew Terrorism Reinsurance Program
May 22 2019 // The long-term viability of the U.S. property terrorism insurance market is back in the spotlight as Congress looks at renewing the federal reinsurance backstop, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act...
Wood-Panel Producer Norbord Halts Mill Production Following Alberta Wildfires
May 22 2019 // Norbord Inc said on Tuesday it suspended production at its oriented strand board (OSB) mill in High Level, Alberta, to comply with evacuation orders following nearby wildfires. More than 4,000 people from High Level and...
Severe Weather in Houston
May 21 2019 // This post is part of a series sponsored by CoreLogic. During the first full week of May, Houston was devastated by catastrophic flooding and hail. Defining the southern edge of a large weather front on May 9 across the...
Nevada Reaches Tentative Settlement Homeowners and Insurers in Wildfire Suit
May 21 2019 // The state of Nevada has reached a tentative settlement with dozens of homeowners and insurance companies that filed an $80 million negligence lawsuit after a fire destroyed 24 homes when strong winds reignited a smoldering...
Tornadoes Rake Texas, Oklahoma, Plains
May 20 2019 // A spate of tornadoes raked across the Southern Plains, leaving damage and causing few injuries, and parts of the region were bracing for more severe thunderstorms and possible flooding. Twisters destroyed at least two...
Hurricane Florence 9th Most Destructive Storm, Caused $24B in Damage
May 20 2019 // Hurricane Florence killed 22 people across three Southeastern states, was the ninth most destructive storm in terms of property damage in U.S. history and spawned 44 tornadoes, according to a report from the National...
North Carolina Town Damaged by Tornado
May 17 2019 // Officials say that a tornado roared through Wake County, North Carolina for up to eight miles, uprooting trees and damaging houses and roads throughout the town of Zebulon. No injuries have been reported. Two rounds of...
A.M. Best Warns of Ratings Downgrades If Terror Reinsurance Act Not Renewed
May 16 2019 // Property/casualty insurers that have relied heavily on the federal terrorism reinsurance program face the risk of rating downgrades if the program isn’t renewed by the end of 2020, ratings firm A.M. Best has...
Milliman: Hurricane Katrina Litigation Could Hike Mississippi Homeowners Rates
May 16 2019 // Mississippi homeowners could see premiums rise up to 25 percent thanks to Hurricane Katrina-related subrogation litigation being brought by the Mississippi attorney general, according to a recent report by Milliman. The...
Investigators Blame PG&E Lines for Deadliest Wildfire in California History
May 15 2019 // State fire investigators have determined that transmission lines owned by Pacific Gas & Electric Co caused the deadliest and most destructive wildfire on record in California, a blaze that killed 85 people last year,...
Hurricane-Force Winds Damage Buildings on Alabama Coast
May 15 2019 // The National Weather Service says hurricane-force winds left a trail of damage on the Alabama coast. An assessment from forecasters says winds blowing from 70 mph to 80 mph (113 kph to 129 kph) ripped metal roofing off...
Tornado Causes Minor Damage Near Tennessee-Alabama State Line
May 14 2019 // Officials say a tornado caused minor damage when it touched down near the Tennessee-Alabama state line. The National Weather Service in Huntsville, Alabama, says a tornado with wind speeds of 85 mph (135 kph) touched down...
X Prize Developing Wildfire-Fighting Contest
May 14 2019 // The X Prize Foundation is developing a contest for technology that can detect and extinguish wildfires before they grow too large. X Prize Foundation chairman Peter Diamandis made the announcement at the Near Future Summit...
Some of April’s Costly Storms: U.S. Tornadoes, Canada Floods, Mozambique Cyclone
May 14 2019 // Some of April’s natural catastrophes included an elevated number of tornadoes in the United States, the strongest cyclone to hit Mozambique on record and costly seasonal flooding Eastern Canada that inundated nearly...
California May Go Dark This Summer; Most Aren’t Ready
May 13 2019 // A plan by California’s biggest utility to cut power on high-wind days during the onrushing wildfire season could plunge millions of residents into darkness. And the vast majority isn’t ready for it. The plan by...
Florida Passes ‘Catch All’ Insurance Bill Impacting Surplus Lines, Catastrophe Fund
May 13 2019 // A Florida bill that the insurance industry says will help modernize the state’s surplus lines system, as well as impact property insurer contracts under the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund and reduce “bad...
How Homes Are Being Built, Raised to Withstand Extreme Weather
May 13 2019 // Breezy Point is beautiful in the summertime, a quaint neighborhood sitting on a slim peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic just south of New York City. In a storm, though, that dreamy setting can become a...
House-Passed Hurricane, Farm Disaster Aid Bill Includes Flood Insurance Extension
May 13 2019 // The House on Friday passed a $19 billion disaster aid bill that would deliver long-sought relief to farmers, victims of hurricanes and floods, and rebuild southern military bases, as Democrats try to dislodge the...
