natural catastrophes News

Philippines Rushes to Contain Oil Spill From Sunken Tanker

Philippine authorities are rushing to contain an oil spill from a tanker that sank early Thursday, killing one crew member, after Typhoon Gaemi battered the nation. A Philippine-flagged tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil capsized 3.6 nautical …

Typhoon Gaemi Aims for China, Leaves Vessels Capsized

Authorities in Taiwan raced to find crew missing from a ship that capsized in bad weather after Typhoon Gaemi ripped through the region before losing strength as it heads toward China. Nine Myanmar nationals were missing from a cargo vessel …

Deadly Typhoon Gaemi Floods Philippines, Shuts Taiwan

Typhoon Gaemi claimed the lives of at least four people and forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands in the Philippines, where parts of Manila are flooded even as the storm moves towards Taiwan. Packing sustained winds of up to …

US Severe Storms Continue to Drive Global Natural Disaster Losses: Gallagher Re

US severe convective storms (SCS) continued to drive global natural catastrophe losses during the first half of 2024. Of the estimated $61 billion in global H1 insured losses from natural disasters, US SCS accounted for a minimum $37 billion – …

Insured Losses for Floods in Southern Germany Estimated at €1.6B: PERILS

The recent floods in southern Germany will cost insurers an estimated €1.568 billion (US$1.7 billion), according to PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization that provides industry-wide catastrophe insurance data. The floods, which hit southern Germany during the period of May 31 …

Catastrophe Bondholders Sidestep Large Losses From Weather-Related Calamities

Last month, amid reports that Hurricane Beryl would become the earliest Category 5 hurricane in history, a group of money managers were busy trying to figure out whether their highly calibrated bets centered on natural catastrophes were about to take …

Natural Disasters Cost China $13 Billion in January-June

Natural disasters such as flooding, drought and extreme temperatures cost China 93.16 billion yuan ($12.83 billion) in the first half of this year, with almost 33 million people affected, the government said on Friday. Heavy snow, 22 strong earthquakes including …

A Troubling Phrase: ‘Just a Category 1 Hurricane’

Here’s a troubling phrase hurricane forecasters hate but often hear: “It’s just a Category 1. Nothing to worry about.” Or even worse: “Tropical storm? Just some wind and rain.” But look at Hurricane Beryl, which hit Texas this week as …

South Africa Storms in Western Cape Cause Damage to 35,000 Homes

Storms that pounded South Africa’s Western Cape province have led to flood damage affecting more than 35,000 households in the city of Cape Town, Executive Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said. “We’ve got more than 35,000 families in the city who have …

Greece Fights Deadly Fire on Aegean Island as Temperatures Soar

Greece is fighting a deadly fire on the island of Lesvos, as temperatures in some parts of the country exceed 40C (104F). A person died in a burned-out car on Lesvos, where authorities are investigating whether the vehicle was scorched …