Latest Natural Disasters Headlines

All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.

San Francisco Hosts 100th Earthquake Conference, Predicts What If Scenarios

Apr 18 2008 // More than 2,500 delegates from around the world gathered in commemoration of San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake at the 100th Anniversary Earthquake Conference — the largest earthquake conference ever held —...

Typhoon Neoguri Nears China

Apr 18 2008 // Weather forecasters in China warned that Typhoon Neoguri could hit southern Hainan Island as early as this afternoon, Friday April 18. China’s meteorological observatory said Thursday that strong winds and rain will...

Earthquake Rocks Illinois; Causes Minor Damage in Several States

Apr 18 2008 // An earthquake that measured 5.2 on the Richter Scale rocked buildings in Chicago and damaged roads in Ohio and Kentucky. The quake hit Friday morning at 4:37 a.m. The epicenter was in the town of West Salem, Ill., which is...

Mississippi Insurance Commissioner: Check Policy for Earthquake Coverage

Apr 18 2008 // The earthquake that struck the Midwest today should serve as a reminder to many Mississippians that they too are at risk for earthquake damage. Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney urges all Mississippians to...

Utah To Examine Earthquake Vulnerabilities

Apr 17 2008 // A Utah advisory panel is planning on developing a priority list for assessing state buildings that might be vulnerable in an earthquake. The Utah Seismic Safety Commission plans on finding out what seismic assessments have...

Lloyd’s Braces for U.S. Hurricanes

Apr 17 2008 // Lloyd’s insurers with exposures on the US East Coast have been told to brace themselves for an above average storm season, with as many as eight hurricanes tearing through the Atlantic. In an article on its web site...

Texas Windstorm Pool Seeks to Increase Reinsurance Level for 2008

Apr 17 2008 // Citing increased exposure along the Texas coast, the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association has requested Commissioner of Insurance Mike Geeslin to authorize the purchase of $1.5 billion in reinsurance for the windstorm...

Lloyd’s Analyzes Europe’s Windstorms

Apr 16 2008 // “Winter storms in Europe are like London buses,” says an article on the Lloyd’s web site (www.lloyds.com) – “You don’t see any for a while and then along come two or three, one behind...

California Earthquake Authority To Use New Science in Determining Rates

Apr 16 2008 // The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) announced today it will begin using a newly released, uniform scientific method in determining insurance rates and the most accurate prices for consumers. Partially funded by the...

Tornadoes Damage Southern Iowa

Apr 15 2008 // At least two tornadoes have ripped across southern and eastern Iowa, with damage reported to a few homes and businesses. No injuries have been reported. Bill Nichols, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, says a...

Weather Service Confirms Southwest Michigan Hit by Small Tornado

Apr 11 2008 // A small tornado was to blame for damaging a barn housing some horses and knocking down trees in southwestern Michigan, according to the National Weather Service. No injuries were reported but more than 6,500 Consumers...

State of Emergency Issued for 12 Mississippi Counties after Tornadoes

Apr 11 2008 // Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour declared a state of emergency for 12 Mississippi counties Monday after a severe weather system and tornadoes hit parts of Central Mississippi, including the Jackson Metro area on April...

Hurricane Forecasters Issue April Update for 2008 Season

Apr 10 2008 // A “well above-average” Atlantic hurricane season with eight hurricanes and 15 named storms entering the basin is predicted for 2008, according to forecasters at Colorado State University’s Department of...

North Little Rock Twister Claims Tornado Siren; Damages in Millions

Apr 8 2008 // The National Weather Service released a survey of a recent tornado that went from North Little Rock, Ark., into Sherwood and damaged numerous structures at a cost of millions of dollars. Among the casualties was a tornado...

Individual Year Hurricane Forecasts Found Weaker Than Multi-Year

Apr 3 2008 //

Hurricane Law Group Alleges Florida Withheld Consumers’ Mediation Options

Apr 3 2008 // The Florida-based Hurricane Law Group announced today that it has filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit in Leon County against CFO Alex Sink, Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, the...

Small Earthquake Causes Tremors in Southeast Missouri

Apr 2 2008 // A small earthquake near the southeast Missouri town of Poplar Bluff Monday morning wasn’t strong enough to cause any damage. National Weather Service meteorologist Alex Dodd says the 2.8 magnitude quake at 5:45 a.m....

Mobile Homes – Not Trailers – Arrive for Tennessee Tornado Victims

Apr 2 2008 // Tennessee is taking delivery of mobile homes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to temporarily house Macon County tornado victims. While FEMA trailers have been scrutinized recently over reports of exposing...

Actuaries Identify Hurricanes as Top Insurance Risk for 2008

Apr 2 2008 // Hurricanes pose the greatest act of nature risk to the U.S. insurance industry for 2008, according to EMB, an actuarial consulting firm. With the hurricane season on the horizon, insurers must prepare for this heightened...

Georgia Hospital Destroyed by Tornado Opens Full Service Facility

Apr 1 2008 // A small town Georgia hospital destroyed by a tornado a little more than a year ago is ready to open its doors again. Sumter Regional Hospital in Americus, Ga., will offer the full gamut of hospital services – from...