Latest Natural Disasters Headlines

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

33 Million Homes at Risk, but New Models Aim to Better Predict Storm Surge, Losses from Hurricanes

Jun 19 2023 // About 33 million U.S. homes with a combined reconstruction cost value of $11.6 trillion are at risk of hurricane-force winds. But two new computer models promise to help property owners and insurers better predict where...

Fires and Natural Disasters Cause Most Construction, Engineering Claims

Jun 19 2023 // Fires and natural disasters are the top contributors to construction and engineering losses, according to an analysis by Allianz Global Corporate & Speciality (AGCS) of 22,000 insurance claims worth €12.8 billion...

KCC Estimates June Texas Hailstorm Losses at $1B

Jun 16 2023 // The impact from a June hailstorm over Texas with baseball to softball-sized hail is expected to cause over $1 billion in insured losses, according to catastrophe modeling firm Karen Clark and Company. The storm occurred...

3 Dead, Dozens Injured in Texas Panhandle Tornado

Jun 16 2023 // At least three people died and dozens more injured when a tornado struck the Texas Panhandle town of Perryton on June 15.The National Weather Services in Amarillo said the tornado hit at 5:10 p.m. CT. Perryton, a town of...

Study Blames Climate Change for Summer Wildfire Rise in California

Jun 15 2023 // A study out this week shows that nearly all of the observed increase in summer wildfires in California over the past half-century is attributable to man-made climate change.An international team of scientists looked at...

PacifiCorp Could Owe Billions After Jury Verdict in Devastating Oregon Wildfires

Jun 15 2023 // A jury in Oregon this week found the electric utility PacifiCorp responsible for causing devastating fires during Labor Day weekend in 2020, ordering the company to pay tens of millions of dollars to 17 homeowners who sued...

$2M Insurance Policy in Effect for Hawaii Coral Reefs in Time for Hurricane Season

Jun 14 2023 // An environmental group has a $2 million insurance policy on Hawaii’s coral reefs, which is in effect in time for a busier hurricane season that could damage the vital natural resources that are increasingly under...

Canadian Wildfires Shutter Sawmills, Drive Up Lumber Prices

Jun 13 2023 // Canada’s worst-ever spring wildfire season has forced its forestry industry to shutter sawmills, driving up lumber prices and setting production back for months just as housing construction has slowed due to higher...

Report: Wildfire Fears at ‘All-Time High’ and Driving Insurer Decisions in Property Market

Jun 12 2023 // Despite a relatively average 2022 wildfire season, fears of wildfires remain at an “all-time high,” and those fears appear to be one driver of decision-making on property insurance.A new report from Gallagher...

Colorado’s Most Destructive Wildfire Caused by Embers From Old Fire, Sparks From Power Line

Jun 12 2023 // Embers from a smoldering scrap wood fire outside a home days earlier and a sparking power line caused a Colorado wildfire fanned by high winds that destroyed nearly 1,100 homes and left two people dead, authorities...

Philippines Raises Alert Over Volcano, Villagers Urged to Leave Danger Zone

Jun 9 2023 // Philippine officials on Thursday raised the alert level for one of the country’s most active volcanoes after superheated streams of gas, debris and rocks cascaded down its upper slope in a condition they fear could...

Michigan Wildfire Fully Contained

Jun 8 2023 // GRAYLING TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) – A Michigan wildfire that’s burned more than 3 square miles (7.7 square kilometers) amid hot, dry conditions is now fully contained, the state Department of Natural Resources said...

Wildfires Force Miners to Halt Operations in Eastern Canada

Jun 7 2023 // Several mining companies have temporarily halted operations and exploration activities in eastern Canada as unprecedented wildfires rage.Iron Ore Co. of Canada, which is majority owned by Rio Tinto Group, is in the process...

Canada on Track to See Worst-Ever Wildfire Season

Jun 5 2023 // Canada is on track to see its worst-ever wildfire season in recorded history if the rate of land burned continues at the same pace.The country is experiencing an unprecedented amount of fire activity for this early in the...

Michigan Wildfire Sparked by Campfire on Private Land

Jun 5 2023 // GRAYLING TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) – A Michigan wildfire that’s burned more than 3 square miles (7.7 square km) amid hot, dry conditions was sparked by a campfire, the state Department of Natural Resources said...

The 2023 Hurricane Season: Are Insurers Prepared for the Growing Risks?

Jun 2 2023 // This post is part of a series sponsored by CoreLogic.As the 2023 Hurricane Season approaches, it is crucial for coastal and inland communities alike to understand and prepare for the potential risks associated with...

Judge Dismisses Criminal Charges Against PG&E Energy in Fatal California Wildfire

Jun 2 2023 // A California judge dismissed all charges against Pacific Gas & Electric in connection to a 2020 fatal wildfire sparked by its equipment that destroyed hundreds of homes and killed four people, including an...

New Models Aim to Better Predict Storm Surge, Insured Losses From Hurricanes

Jun 2 2023 // Two new hurricane forecast models promise to help property owners and insurers better predict the losses from storms that may be increasing in intensity as ocean waters continue to warm.The National Hurricane Center...

Climate Change, Wildfire Risk and State Farm’s California Decision

Jun 1 2023 // Several reasons were given within State Farm’s announcement last week the carrier was no longer writing new personal or business property/casualty policies in California – including a challenging reinsurance...

About 33 Million U.S. Homes at Risk of Hurricane-Force Winds: CoreLogic

Jun 1 2023 // According to an analysis by CoreLogic, about 33 million U.S. homes with a combined reconstruction cost value of $11.6 trillion are at risk of hurricane-force winds.CoreLogic released its 2023 Hurricane Risk Report to mark...