Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Crist Drops Fla. Hurricane Ad Campaign after Bids Questioned
May 14 2007 // A Florida public service campaign to heighten hurricane awareness has been scrapped by Gov. Charlie Crist just three weeks before the 2007 tropical storm season after two firms that lost out on the lucrative contract cried...
AIR, China Earthquake Administration Team up to Find Faults
May 14 2007 // Boston-based AIR Worldwide Corporation announced a collaboration agreeement with the China Earthquake Administration’s (CEA) Institute of Geology to research active faults and conduct “paleoseismic...
Coastal Texas Officials Question State’s Ability to Help in Hurricane
May 11 2007 // Texas emergency officials are struggling to assure their local counterparts that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan won’t damage the state’s ability to respond to a major hurricane striking the Gulf Coast. Local...
Fla. Recertifies Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology
May 11 2007 // The Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology (FCHLPM) has recertified EQECAT Inc.’s hurricane model for use in Florida according to EQECAT. The EQECAT North Atlantic Hurricane model, a...
Spring Wildfires, Floods Wreak Havoc from Coast to Coast
May 11 2007 // Nature’s fury made life miserable from one end of the United States to the other, with people forced out of their homes by wildfires near both coasts and the Canadian border and by major flooding in the Midwest. And...
Fla. Emergency Officials Practice for Hurricane Season
May 10 2007 // Florida emergency preparedness and response officials started a four-day practice exercise Monday to go through possible scenarios they may face this hurricane season. Officials were working at the emergency operations...
Fla. CFO Offers Advice for Floridians Affected by Wildfires
May 10 2007 // With wildfires threatening homes in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay and Walton counties, Florida Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Alex Sink advised Floridians who are being forced to evacuate to keep receipts...
Miss. Deals with Simulated Cat 3 Hurricane during Preparation
May 9 2007 // A simulated Category 3 hurricane hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast on Tuesday, and emergency operations officials said the drill could highlight the strengths – and weakness – in the state’s hurricane...
Fla. University and AIR Work toward Understanding of Hurricane Vulnerabilities
May 8 2007 // AIR Worldwide Corporation is collaborating with the International Hurricane Research Center and the College of Engineering and Computing at Florida International University and will fund the installation of the “AIR...
Key subcommittee chairman favors six to eight-year terrorism insurance extension
May 7 2007 // Insurance industry pushes for longer period with some in favor of 20 years or more In his opening statement as chair of a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee considering extension of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act...
Tenn. Earthquake Commission to Begin Meeting Next Month
May 3 2007 // Tennessee’s first commission devoted to dealing with a major earthquake is scheduled to begin reviewing disaster preparations next month. The West Tennessee Seismic Safety Commission was established after concerns...
Fla. Renews Tax Break on Hurricane Prep Items
May 2 2007 // Flashlights, gasoline cans, weather radios and plastic tarps are among the storm preparedness items that will be available tax-free as hurricane season begins. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has signed a bill into law making...
R.I. Staging Massive Hurricane Response to Fake Hurricane Yvette
May 1 2007 // Rhode Island is prepping for the worst hurricane to ever crash into New England — on paper at least. About 250 federal emergency management officials plan to stage a response to the fictional “Hurricane...
Report: U.S. Turned Away Foreign Aid Offered After Hurricane Katrina
May 1 2007 // In the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, the U.S. government failed to take advantage of millions of dollars in foreign aid from its allies, The Washington Post reported. The U.S. has collected about $126...
Additional Federal Funds Approved For Southeast Georgia Wildfires
Apr 30 2007 // Gov. Sonny Perdue said additional federal funds were authorized to assist in fighting the “Kneeknocker Fire” that has flared up again in Georgia’s Brantley County, just outside the city limits of...
Earthquake Hits Southeast England
Apr 30 2007 // A moderate earthquake rattled parts of southeast England Saturday morning, toppling chimneys from houses and rousing residents from their beds. Several thousand people were left without power after the quake in the county...
La. Hurricane Safe Rooms Fitted with Pump Automation Systems
Apr 26 2007 // Engineers in Jefferson Parish, La., said recent tests show flood pumps can be turned on automatically by workers holed up in nearby safe rooms during major hurricanes. When a major hurricane threatens the parish, pump...
Fireman’s Fund Expands Wildfire Protection Services in Calif.
Apr 19 2007 // Novato, Calif.-based Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. has expanded its territory and offerings with FireProtec, a vegetation cutting crew staffed by off-duty firefighters. Through the alliance, Fireman’s Fund said...
U.S. Approves Funds for Florida Tornado Victims
Apr 18 2007 // Federal officials have approved more than $17.7 million in payouts in connection with tornadoes that hit Florida last winter. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it also approved an additional $20.6 million in...
Tornado Losses in N.J., Conn., Ohio Could Top Those of Great Plains States
Apr 18 2007 // Most people associate tornado activity with the “Tornado Alley” of the Great Plains states. While this is true in terms of the sheer numbers of tornadoes and losses, surprisingly, catastrophe modeling shows...
