Latest Catastrophe Headlines

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

Texas Panhandle Ranchers Look to Rebuild After Wildfires

Mar 6 2024 // CANADIAN — Farmers and ranchers in the Panhandle lost livestock, buildings and infrastructure in the wildfires still raging through the region. Now they’re looking to rebuild.More than 100 people packed a room at...

From Idalia to Otis: The Hurricanes That Shaped 2023 and What’s Next

Mar 6 2024 // We recently brought together thought leaders from across Moody’s to talk with the media at our 2023 Hurricane Season Recap and 2024 Outlook briefing, to provide a range of perspectives from meteorology to market...

Many Texas Panhandle Homes Burned in Wildfires Weren’t Insured

Mar 5 2024 // FRITCH — Many Panhandle residents whose dwellings and possessions burned in the region’s ongoing wildfires may never financially recover for one simple reason: Their homes weren’t insured.“A lot of the...

Maui County Officials Select Final Disposal Site For Debris From Lahaina Wildfire

Mar 4 2024 // Hawaii officials plan to send debris and ash from the August wildfire that destroyed Lahaina town to Maui’s central landfill.Maui County officials said Wednesday that they picked the permanent disposal site in...

Infernos Rage From Texas to Australia as Wildfire Season Kicks Off Early

Mar 4 2024 // After a year of deadly wildfires around the globe, the world is burning again from Texas to Australia — and in some regions, the blazes are igniting early.Canada’s Alberta province said last month that wildfire...

Xcel Energy Utility Equipment Started Texas Wildfire, Homeowner Claims in Lawsuit

Mar 4 2024 // March 1 (Reuters) – A Texas homeowner whose house was destroyed by a massive wildfire raging northeast of Amarillo sued electric utility Xcel Energy XEL.O on Friday, alleging that a splintered power pole owned by the...

Firefighters Race to Subdue Texas Wildfire Before Dangerous Weekend Conditions

Mar 1 2024 // FRITCH — A blanket of snow and rain that descended over the Texas Panhandle on Thursday helped firefighters to quell the spread of the largest wildfire in the state’s history, which has engulfed more than 1 million...

Insurers Offer Tips for Residents to Navigate Texas Wildfires

Feb 29 2024 // The Smokehouse Creek Fire has grown to more than 1 million acres in the Texas Panhandle, making it the second-largest wildfire in state history.The fire is 3% contained as of Thursday morning according to officials with...

Texas Wildfire Conditions Seen Worsening After Brief Respite

Feb 29 2024 // Dry, windy weather that’s been fanning the worst Texas wildfire in almost two decades will return later this week after a brief respite of rain and snow.Fires raging across the Texas Panhandle have scorched homes and...

Ohio on Tornado Watch After Storms Sweep Midwest: Weather Watch

Feb 28 2024 // Eleven tornadoes were reported across the Midwest, with five coming in Illinois, four in Ohio and two in Michigan, the US Storm Prediction Center said as of 7 a.m. New York time. In addition, there were 36 instances of...

Wildfires Forces Texas Panhandle Residents to Shelter in Place

Feb 28 2024 // Officials have ordered nearly 5,000 residents in the Panhandle cities of Canadian, Fritch and Glazier to shelter in place Tuesday as four separate wildfires engulfed the region, burning more than 280,000 acres.Residents in...

Magnitude 4.9 Earthquake Shook Idaho

Feb 28 2024 // An earthquake of 4.9 magnitude struck north of Boise, Idaho, reportedly causing no major damage or injuries, authorities confirmed.The quake happened at 10:25 a.m. on Monday and was centered about 6.2 miles north of Smiths...

Southern California Edison to Pay $80M to US Over 2017 Wildfire

Feb 27 2024 // Southern California Edison agreed to pay the United States $80 million to cover costs and damages incurred by the U.S. Forest Service from the 2017 Thomas wildfire in California’s Los Padres National Forecast, the...

Fidelis Insurance Holdings Sponsors New ‘Herbie Re’ Catastrophe Bond

Feb 23 2024 // Fidelis Insurance Holdings Ltd., the Bermuda insurance holding company, announced it has closed a new catastrophe bond via its “Herbie Re” program.This is the fifth series of notes issued by Herbie Re and will...

AccuWeather Warns of Potential ‘Super-Charged’ 2024 Hurricane Season

Feb 23 2024 // AccuWeather experts warn that the return La Niña and historically warm water across the Atlantic Ocean could contribute to a “super-charged” hurricane season in 2024.AccuWeather long-range forecasters say that...

Workers’ Comp Rating Bureau Working on 2024 NAIC Terrorism Risk Insurance Data Call

Feb 23 2024 // The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau plans to submit to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) insurer-specific California workers’ comp terrorism exposure data, including...

NHC Unveils New Hurricane Forecast Maps for 2024, Showing More Inland Warnings

Feb 21 2024 // The familiar “cone of uncertainty” map, used for years by meteorologists to show a hurricane’s predicted path, is about to get an upgrade – at least temporarily, the National Hurricane Center announced...

Hub Launches High Net Worth Excess Wildfire Program in California

Feb 19 2024 // HUB International launched a new program to address the need for enhanced wildfire coverage of high value homes that will be offered exclusively by HUB Private Client to address the insurance and risk management needs of...

February Tornadoes in Wisconsin Caused $2.4M in Damage

Feb 16 2024 // EVANSVILLE, Wis. (AP) — The first ever tornadoes ever recorded in Wisconsin in the usually frigid month of February caused more than $2.4 million in damage, officials said Wednesday.The tornadoes that ripped through Rock...

Powerful Winds Cause Destruction, Spark Wildfires in Australia’s State of Victoria

Feb 15 2024 // Powerful winds have killed a man and brought widespread destruction across Australia’s second-most populous state, leaving 530,000 homes and businesses without power and fanning fires that razed homes and injured...