Latest Natural Disasters Headlines

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

Oklahoma Congressman’s Proposal Would Extend Lead Time for Tornado Warnings

Mar 10 2014 // An Oklahoma congressman has proposed legislation that would make the protection of people and property a priority for federal weather forecasters and extend the lead time for tornado warnings. Oklahoma Insurance...

Aon Benfield’s Impact Forecasting Releases Updated European Windstorm Model

Mar 5 2014 // Impact Forecasting, the catastrophe model development center of excellence at Aon Benfield, has launched its new European windstorm model. The model, which has been in development for the last three years, “offers an...

University Of Nevada Earthquake Lab Now World’s 2nd Biggest

Mar 4 2014 // There’s a whole lot of shakin’ going on at the University of Nevada, Reno. UNR’s seismic-simulation facility became the largest in the United States and second largest in the world this week with an...

Alabama Churches Destroyed by Tornado in 2011 Reopen Their Doors

Mar 4 2014 // Two Alberta churches that were destroyed by the tornado that decimated that section of the city on April 27, 2011, have reopened their doors after being displaced for nearly three years. “The fact that this is home...

Oklahoma Congressman’s Proposal Would Extend Lead Time for Tornado Warnings

Mar 3 2014 // An Oklahoma congressman has proposed legislation that would make the protection of people and property a priority for federal weather forecasters and extend the lead time for tornado warnings. Oklahoma Insurance...

Texas Seeks Comments on Rule Extending Time to File Windstorm Claims

Feb 28 2014 // The Texas Department of Insurance is seeking informal comments on a draft rule outlining how a policyholder with the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association may request additional time for filing a claim with TWIA. Insurance...

What Might Terrorists Do Next?

Feb 24 2014 // The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks created an atmosphere of anxiety and uncertainty. No one knew how many more large-scale attacks were in the pipeline. Might more Mohammad Attas already be in the country making the...

Arkansas Earthquakes Spawn Lawsuit

Feb 24 2014 // Fourteen families in central Arkansas have filed a lawsuit in connection with a series of earthquakes in Faulkner County that prompted the state in 2011 to ban the use of four natural-gas drilling disposal wells in a large...

Oklahoma, Texas Had Costliest Natural Disasters in 2013: Hartwig

Feb 24 2014 // The Oklahoma tornadoes of May 2013 not only caused significant loss of life but also contributed to its designation last year as the costliest state for natural disaster related insurance payouts, according to the...

Arkansas Earthquakes Spawn Lawsuit Against Drilling Companies

Feb 17 2014 // Fourteen families in central Arkansas have filed a lawsuit in connection with a series of earthquakes in Faulkner County that prompted the state in 2011 to ban the use of four natural-gas drilling disposal wells in a large...

Moore, Joplin Mayors: Majority of Tornado-Stricken Homes Being Rebuilt

Feb 12 2014 // Mayors from two communities hit by deadly EF5 tornadoes in recent years say more than three-quarters of residents who were displaced have rebuilt their homes or intend to do so. It’s been almost three years since the...

Oklahoma, Texas Had Costliest Natural Disasters in 2013: Hartwig

Feb 11 2014 // The Oklahoma tornadoes of May 2013 not only caused significant loss of life but also contributed to its designation last year as the costliest state for natural disaster related insurance payouts, according to the...

Early California Wildfires Risk To Homes And Vineyards

Feb 11 2014 // California’s worst drought in decades is feeding what may become a devastating wildfire season, one that is starting about five months early. Extremely dry conditions have sparked 487 wildfires so far in 2014,...

Louisiana Hospital Adds Screens as Protection Against Hurricane Winds

Feb 10 2014 // West Jefferson Medical Center in Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish is working on what hospital officials describe as a hurricane-hardening project to secure its windows. New Orleans CityBusiness reports the work is part...

Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish Found Negligent in Hurricane Katrina Flood Case

Feb 10 2014 // A jury has found Jefferson Parish government negligent in the way it drafted and enacted a plan that evacuated drainage pump operators on the eve of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall in Louisiana but ruled the parish was...

The report indicated 80 Terrorism and Political Risk

Feb 10 2014 // The world is a risky place for business travelers but it might be a little safer when it comes to terrorism and political violence risk at least in some countries. According to the recently released Aon Risk Solutions 2014...

National Tornado Summit Focused on Catastrophe Preparedness, Response

Feb 5 2014 // The third annual National Tornado Summit being held Feb. 10 and 11 in Oklahoma City will bring together insurance industry professionals, emergency managers, policymakers and weather experts. Oklahoma Insurance...

Oklahoma Insurance Department Hosting Tornado Survivor Claims, Tax Forum

Feb 5 2014 // Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak is hosting a consumer assistance event to help tornado survivors with their insurance claims and inform them of important tax information, including possible deductions, the...

Mothers of Tornado Victims Sue Oklahoma Governor over School Safety Records

Feb 5 2014 // The mothers of two Moore schoolchildren who were killed in last year’s tornado have filed a lawsuit accusing Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin of violating the state’s open records law. The lawsuit was filed in...

PERILS Estimates Windstorm Dirk Insured Losses at $371 Million

Feb 3 2014 // PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization providing industry-wide catastrophe insurance data, announced that its initial insured property loss estimate for windstorm Dirk, which affected the UK and France from...