Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
West Texas Wildfire Destroys 7 Homes
Feb 2 2016 // An official says a wildfire destroyed seven homes in a rural area near the West Texas town of Eula. Meanwhile, a wildfire burned almost 3 square miles of ranch land north of Amarillo. The fires, which both started on Jan....
Oklahoma Governor OKs $1.4M in State Funds for Earthquake Research
Jan 31 2016 // Gov. Mary Fallin approved the use of nearly $1.4 million in state emergency funds for state agencies working to reduce the increasing number of earthquakes that have been linked to the disposal of oil and gas wastewater in...
Florida Tornado Tosses Vehicle Driving on Turnpike
Jan 29 2016 // A tornado picked up a southbound vehicle on Florida’s Turnpike near Fort Lauderdale Wednesday morning and dropped it in the northbound lane as a line of severe storms hit the area, officials said. They said the...
Record Western Wildfires a Contrast in Otherwise Quiet Year for U.S. Natural Disasters
Jan 28 2016 // It was a relatively quiet year for natural disasters – except for those living in the Western U.S. Property data provider CoreLogic today released its annual Natural Hazard Risk Summary and Analysis. The report shows...
Texas Governor Seeks Federal Disaster Help after Tornadoes
Jan 28 2016 // Gov. Greg Abbott has requested a federal disaster declaration for some Texas counties after deadly late-December blizzards and tornadoes. Abbott on Jan. 26 announced the request for individual assistance for people in...
Insurance Department Tally on California Wildfires $1B
Jan 26 2016 // Damage from two destructive Northern California wildfires that killed six and sent thousands fleeing their homes topped $1 billion in insured losses, according to a preliminary estimate by the state’s insurance...
EU Security Chiefs Warn that Terrorist Attacks Highly Likely in Europe
Jan 26 2016 // Islamic State and other militants are very likely to attempt big new attacks in Europe following those in Paris, the EU’s police agency said on Monday, echoing previous warnings by senior security officials. The...
Mississippi Cleans up From Snowstorm, Tornado Damage
Jan 25 2016 // Call it the tale of two storms: Just as about 2 inches of snow was about to fall in northern Mississippi, two tornadoes tore through parts of south Mississippi. The National Weather Service in Jackson confirmed Friday that...
Oklahoma to Host 5th Annual Tornado Summit
Jan 25 2016 // The 2016 National Tornado Summit, the 5th annual event, will be held Feb. 29-March 2 in Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Insurance Department announced. The National Tornado Summit is an educational forum that provides...
Earthquakes and Resulting Lawsuits Persist in Oklahoma
Jan 25 2016 // A group of Edmond residents filed a lawsuit on Jan. 11 against 12 energy companies, claiming that their saltwater disposal wells were partly to blame for earthquakes in central Oklahoma. The lawsuit seeks a permanent...
Hiscox Adds Property Damage Protection to Terrorism Insurance Product
Jan 22 2016 // Hiscox has enhanced its stand-alone terrorism portfolio by adding new products covering property damage from malicious attacks utilizing nuclear, chemical, biological and radiological (NCBR) devices. Hiscox NCBR policies...
Florida Tornadoes Leave 2 Dead, Several Injured
Jan 19 2016 // Florida officials say two adults have been killed and four children have been injured after two tornadoes swept through central Florida. Manatee County EMS officials tell WFLA-TV that several people were injured as severe...
Earthquake Rattled Hawaii’s Big Island
Jan 19 2016 // An early morning earthquake rattled Hawaii’s Big Island, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The USGS reported the magnitude 3.9 struck at 1:52 a.m. on Monday and was centered about 35 miles southwest of Hilo, near the...
Hundreds of Oklahomans Turn Out for Earthquake Hearing
Jan 19 2016 // Oklahoma residents concerned with a dramatic increase in the number of earthquakes called for more regulations on the oil and gas industry on Jan. 15 and urged state leaders to take action to stop the quakes. About 200...
Weather Service: Tornado Hit Southern California in Last Week’s El Niño Storms
Jan 15 2016 // The National Weather Service says a small tornado touched down in Ventura County, Calif. during last week’s powerful El Niño-driven storms. Meteorologists conducting a storms survey determined the tornado swept...
New Tsunami Hazard Found in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands
Jan 15 2016 // Geologists in Alaska have found evidence that a 125-mile section of the eastern Aleutian Islands that was once considered unlikely to generate earthquakes may be a future source of temblors – as well as potentially...
Oklahoma Residents Sue 12 Energy Companies Following Earthquakes
Jan 14 2016 // A group of Edmond residents has filed a lawsuit against 12 energy companies, claiming that their saltwater disposal wells were partly to blame for earthquakes in central Oklahoma in recent weeks. The lawsuit seeks a...
Texas Seeking Professionals for Windstorm Model Peer Review
Jan 12 2016 // The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) is seeking professionals to conduct a peer review of a model developed to determine causes of insured losses on the coast. The model was developed by an expert panel appointed to...
Southwest Florida Cleans-Up Damage from Weekend Tornado
Jan 12 2016 // Authorities say a weekend tornado that touched down in southwest Florida with winds up to 135 mph damaged several homes, left thousands without power for a time, but caused no serious injuries or deaths. Police say the...
Palomar Launches Equity Protector Residential Earthquake Product in California
Jan 11 2016 // Palomar Specialty Insurance Company has launched Equity Protector, a residential earthquake insurance policy in California. Equity Protector provides for the protection of $50,000 or $75,000 in Coverage A – Dwelling...
