Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
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...
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...
First Half Natural Disasters Cost Insurers $20B, Down 26% from 18-Year Average: Aon
Jul 25 2019 // Global insured losses from natural disasters during the first half were estimated at US$20 billion, which is 26% lower than the H1 average of US$27 billion seen during the years 2000-2018, according to Aon’s...
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...
Ensurance Expands Terrorism, Sabotage Coverage to US; Hires 2 New Underwriters
Jul 24 2019 // Ensurance, the specialist MGA and Lloyd’s of London Coverholder, has launched a new terrorism and sabotage insurance offering for the U.S. market. The product will support the U.S. property market and is backed by an...
Clearing Large Swaths of Land Part of Plan to Slow Western Wildfires
Jul 23 2019 // The Trump administration is proposing an ambitious plan to slow Western wildfires by bulldozing, mowing or revegetating large swaths of land along 11,000 miles of terrain in the West. The plan announced this summer would...
California Earthquake Authority Board Expands Policyholder Eligibility for Retrofit Grants
Jul 22 2019 // The governing board of the California Earthquake Authority has voted to increase the number of policyholders eligible for a $3,000 retrofit grant. The CEA board voted to make the grant available to roughly 30,000 CEA...
Louisiana Ag Officials: Hurricane Barry Farm Damage Fairly Local
Jul 22 2019 // Louisiana farmers say they’ve never seen storm damage worse than Hurricane Barry left behind, but the LSU AgCenter says that statewide crop damage was minimal. AgCenter and federal Farm Service Agency workers are...
Town Leveled by California Wildfire Reopens Its Public Pool
Jul 22 2019 // The public swimming pool in Paradise, California, is reopening for the first time since a catastrophic wildfire destroyed much of the town. CBS13 in Sacramento reports state firefighters used their hoses last week to...
Utility Customers Sue Over California Wildfire Law
Jul 22 2019 // Two Pacific Gas & Electric customers want the federal judge overseeing the company’s bankruptcy to strike down a new California law that Gov. Gavin Newsom has championed as a way of shoring up the state’s...
California Safety Board Oks Regulation to Protect Workers from Wildfire Smoke
Jul 19 2019 // The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has adopted an emergency regulation designed to protect workers from hazards associated with wildfire smoke. The regulation is expected to go into effect in...
Report: California Wildfires Will Get Worse, Blame Climate Change
Jul 18 2019 // Hot, dry weather in California has resulted in a dramatic increase in wildfires. It will get worse – and you can blame climate change, according to a new report out. The report, Observed impacts of anthropogenic climate...
Suspected Tornado in Mississippi From Hurricane Barry Damages Homes
Jul 18 2019 // A suspected tornado struck a rural area of north Mississippi on Tuesday, damaging homes and knocking down trees and power lines as the wet remnants of Hurricane Barry rumbled through several states, officials said. A storm...
Florida Gets Ready for Peak Hurricane Season After 3 Years of Major Storms
Jul 17 2019 // Floridians are on alert as the state heads into peak hurricane season after three straight years of being impacted by major storms. Meanwhile, the Florida Panhandle continues its recovery from Hurricane Michael that...
