Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Much Anticipated Windstorm Insurance Debate Begins in Texas
Apr 9 2009 // Texas legislators finally have jumped into debate over how to improve the troubled windstorm insurance system that serves as a last resort for hurricane protection along much of the Gulf Coast. The House Insurance...
U.S. Forecaster Lowers Atlantic Hurricane Prediction
Apr 7 2009 // Citing cooler seas and the prospect of a weak El Nino, Colorado State University’s hurricane team lowered its 2009 Atlantic forecast Tuesday to 12 tropical storms, of which six could become hurricanes. The research...
Texas Wildfire Destroys Homes; Firefighters Hurt by Smoke Inhalation
Apr 6 2009 // The Texas Forest Services says 24 firefighters have been treated for smoke inhalation from fighting Texas wildflires, near the Panhandle town of Wheeler, where four homes have been lost and an estimated 20 homes damaged in...
Alaska’s Volcano Erruptions Could Last For Months
Apr 3 2009 // Alaska’s Redoubt Volcano eruptions, which to date have included 18 explosions and the non-stop emission of gases and ash, could last for several months, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Scientists at the...
Magnitude 4.3 Earthquake Shakes Northern California, Reveals New Fault
Apr 2 2009 // A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck near Santa Clara Valley Calif., this week near Mt. Hamilton, revealing a fault scientists did not know existed, according to the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, Calif. According to...
Arizona’s Wildfire Season Poses Many Risks for Homeowners
Apr 1 2009 // As the drought in the Southwest worsens, the wildfire season in Arizona grows longer, burning more acreage and threatening private property in forested areas. “The Arizona State Forestry Division estimates more than...
Tornado May Be Cause of Destroyed Pennsylvania Trailer Homes
Mar 31 2009 // Officials in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania officials say a tornado could have cause the destruction to five trailer homes in Clay Township. Dave Wiker, the county’s emergency services shift supervisor, says three...
Alaska’s Volcano Erupts More Than 10 Times
Mar 31 2009 // Mount Redoubt Volcano, 106 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, erupted explosively more than 10 times this week, sending ash skyrocketing as high as 65,000 feet into the air. The eruption of Redoubt poses a threat to...
2 Small Eruptions Occur at Alaska Volcano
Mar 27 2009 // Alaska’s Mount Redoubt Volcano erupted at least twice Wednesday, March 25, as officials from a pipeline company assessed conditions at a nearby oil storage facility to determine whether to remove its contents. The...
Texas Independent Agents Urge Adequate Windstorm Funding
Mar 27 2009 // Since funding for the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) has become a top priority for the Texas Legislature, statewide lawmakers have debated several solutions that will impact policyholders in Texas, according...
Sen. Nelson Seeks U.S.Help on Florida Hurricane Losses
Mar 25 2009 // U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson has asked the U.S. Treasury to provide assurances to private market lenders that any loans they make in Florida would be repaid at fair market interest in the event of a catastrophe. Nelson, however,...
Sink-ing Feeling: Florida Still Searching for Fix for Hurricane Exposure
Mar 23 2009 // Florida lawmakers need to make some smart decisions on reducing the risk to Florida property owners from hurricanes, the state’s chief financial officer said. In a letter to legislative leaders, CFO Alex Sink said...
Sports Terrorism, ‘Names,’ Tongues and Mergers
Mar 23 2009 // Are professional sports the next terrorist targets? The terrorist attack on Sri Lanka’s cricket team in Lahore (Pakistan) “highlights the vulnerability of sporting events to terrorist disruption,” warned...
Canon Insurance Releases New Earthquake Facility
Mar 20 2009 // Canon Insurance Service has added a new in-house earthquake insurance program to its specialty coverages. The expanded coverage can be written anywhere in California, with Canon retaining full authority to quote and issue...
Midwest’s New Madrid Earthquake Zone: Is It Dying Out?
Mar 19 2009 // A Midwest fault zone that unleashed a series of violent earthquakes in the early 19th century shows no signs of building up the stresses needed for the quakes many seismologists expect to someday rock the region again, two...
Florida Receives $900K Stimulus Funds for Wildfire Prevention
Mar 17 2009 // Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson announced that his department has been awarded $900,000 under the federal stimulus plan to conduct wildfire prevention efforts. The funding, which...
As Hurricane Season Nears, Florida Still Facing Large Exposure
Mar 16 2009 // Florida lawmakers need to make some smart decisions on reducing the risk for Florida property owners from hurricane damage, the state’s chief financial officer said Thursday. In a letter to key legislative leaders,...
Obama’s FEMA Director Brings Hurricane Experience from Florida
Mar 16 2009 // Florida emergency manager Craig Fugate would bring a lot with him if he takes over the Federal Emergency Management Agency: plenty of hurricane experience, a blunt style, and a belief that preparation begins on the local...
Ohio Windstorm Losses in Feb. Reach Nearly $89M; Ike Losses Rise
Mar 16 2009 // Ohio’s Feb. 11-12 windstorm caused at least $88.9 million in damages, based on preliminary insured loss estimates from the Ohio Insurance Institute (OII), an insurance industry trade group. Widespread losses were...
Florida CFO Sink: 4 Steps to Reduce State’s Hurricane Exposure
Mar 12 2009 // Citing the high level of catastrophic risk exposure Florida faces, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink today suggested guidelines for the Legislature to follow in working to reduce the state’s hurricane risk. CFO Sink...
