Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Tropical Storm Ida Pounds Gulf States with High Winds, Heavy Rains
Nov 10 2009 // A weakening Tropical Storm Ida lashed the U.S. Gulf Coast with drenching rain and high surf Tuesday as it moved ashore after shutting down almost 30 percent of Gulf of Mexico energy production. Ida, once a Category 2...
Hurricane Ida Kills 124 in El Salvador; Heading for Gulf Oil Fields and U.S.
Nov 9 2009 // Hurricane Ida headed toward oil and gas facilities in the central Gulf of Mexico on Monday on a path to the U.S. Gulf Coast after killing 124 people in El Salvador following floods and mudslides. U.S. oil companies were...
Hurricane Ida Shuts Gulf Refineries; Downgraded to Tropical Storm
Nov 9 2009 // Energy companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico shut in oil and natural gas production and a major gas hub was closed on Monday as Hurricane Ida spun toward the region. The Independence natural gas hub — the largest...
Late Season Hurricane Hits Nicaragua
Nov 6 2009 // According to catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide and the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Hurricane Ida made landfall in eastern Nicaragua on Thursday morning, causing damage to homes and knocking out power to...
At Least 14 Reported Dead as Typhoon Mirinae Lashes Philippines
Nov 2 2009 // Typhoon Mirinae has battered the Philippine capital and surrounding provinces, still reeling from recent flooding, killing at least 14 people [IJ Note — later reports have increased the death toll to 24] and...
San Diego Power Company Pays Wildfire Restitution
Nov 2 2009 // San Diego Gas & Electric and Cox Communications have agreed to pay $17 million to settle claims by state investigators that poor maintenance led to three huge wildfires in 2007. The settlement, announced Friday, comes...
Texas Windstorm Insurance Proposed Rate Hike Rejected
Nov 1 2009 // The Texas Department of Insurance has rejected a request from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association for a 10 percent rate increase for both residential and commercial risks. But regulators left open the possibility...
California Still at Earthquake Risk
Nov 1 2009 // California is still vulnerable to devastating loss should another earthquake occur like the Loma Prieta earthquake, which occurred 20 years ago, according to ProtectingAmerican.org. “The fact is, that...
Arsonist Faces Murder Charge for Heart Attacks Linked to 2003 California Wildfire
Nov 1 2009 // Case Shows New Determination to Charge Alleged Arsonists with Murder for Firefighter and Civilian Deaths Retired accountant James McDermith’s mad dash to retrieve a camper and pack it with belongings as a wildfire...
AIR Tracking Typhoon Mirinae; Could Hit Northern Philippines Today
Oct 30 2009 // According to catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide, a major tropical cyclone is threatening the northern Philippines for the fourth time in the past month. AIR rported that Typhoon Mirinae is expected to make...
Scientists Find Cause of Oregon Earthquakes
Oct 28 2009 // Scientists say a group of previously unknown faults was behind an odd swarm of earthquakes last year off the Oregon Coast. But just what set them off remains unknown. Oregon State University marine geologist Robert Dziak...
South Carolina Court Hears Wildfire Case This Week
Oct 27 2009 // A man fined in the most destructive wildfire in South Carolina history is facing a court date to answer to charges. Court documents show the trial for Marc Torchi is set for Wednesday in Central Jury Court in Conway, a...
California Still at Earthquake Risk
Oct 23 2009 // California is still vulnerable to devastating loss should another earthquake occur like the Loma Prieta earthquake, which occured 20 years ago, according to ProtectingAmerican.org. “The fact is, that...
Murder Arrest in 2003 California Wildfire
Oct 22 2009 // Almost six years after a wildfire destroyed nearly 1,000 homes in Southern California, prosecutors say they have enough evidence to charge a prison inmate with arson and murder in connection with the 2003 blaze. San...
Researchers: Hurricane-related Power Outages Can Be Predicted
Oct 22 2009 // Using data from Hurricane Katrina and four other destructive storms, researchers from Johns Hopkins and Texas A&M universities say they have found a way to accurately predict power outages in advance of a hurricane....
Typhoon Lupit on Course to Hit Philippines; Rick Continues to Weaken
Oct 21 2009 // Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide warns that the Philippines are bracing for the arrival of Typhoon Lupit. The storm is located about 800 kms (500 miles) east of northern Luzon island and is moving west at...
Homeless Man Detained in California wildfire Probe
Oct 21 2009 // A homeless man was arrested and charged with arson for starting a tiny blaze in August near the spot where a gigantic wildfire erupted several days later, killing two firefighters, homicide detectives said...
Texas Windstorm Insurance Proposed Rate Hike Rejected
Oct 21 2009 // The Texas Department of Insurance has rejected a request from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association for a 10 percent rate increase for both residential and commercial risks. However, regulators left open the...
Tropical Storm Rick Weakens as it Approaches Baja California
Oct 20 2009 // The National Hurricane Center in Miami reports that Tropical Storm Rick is weakening slightly as it continues to move in an easterly direction towards the Baja California Peninsula. However, the Mexican government has...
Third Typhoon Threatens Philippines
Oct 19 2009 // The Philippines, already devastated by deadly floods from two recent tropical cyclones, is bracing for yet a third storm, as typhoon Lupit approaches the island chain. The most recent bulletin from catastrophe modeler Risk...
