Latest Natural Disasters Headlines

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

Massive Storm Brings Tornadoes to South Central, Blizzard Threat to Plains

Dec 14 2022 // SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – A massive storm blowing across the country spawned tornadoes in parts of Oklahoma and Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area, as much of the central United States from the Rocky Mountains to...

California, Florida and Texas have the most properties at risk of wildfire

Dec 13 2022 // This post is part of a series sponsored by CoreLogic.Wildfires continue to be a massive threat to millions of properties across the United States. With the population growing and major metro areas continuing to develop...

Scientists Say Eruption of Hawaii Volcano Continues to Ease

Dec 13 2022 // The eruption of the Mauna Loa volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island continues to ease, scientists said, reinforcing an earlier pronouncement that the mountain’s first flare-up in nearly 40 years might soon...

USDA: Florida Orange Crop Down 36% After Two Hurricanes

Dec 12 2022 // Production of oranges in Florida this season is forecast to be down 36% from earlier estimates, in part a reflection of twin hurricanes that battered growing regions, according to U.S. Agriculture Department figures...

Fishing Towns Bouncing Back After Hurricane Ian

Dec 12 2022 // Chokoloskee and Everglades City, two fishing villages-turned-travel-destinations that sit next to each other on the cusp of Everglades National Park and the Gulf of Mexico, have seen more than their share of hurricane...

One Year Later: Kentucky Agency, Community Recovering from Powerful Tornado

Dec 9 2022 // A year ago Saturday, one of the most powerful tornadoes to hit the United States ripped through western Kentucky with 190-mph winds, destroying multiple homes, businesses, a candle factory, churches, a county courthouse...

Eruption of Indonesia’s Highest Volcano Buries Homes, Destroys Bridge

Dec 6 2022 // SUMBERWULUH, Indonesia (AP) – Improved weather conditions Monday allowed rescuers to resume evacuation efforts and a search for possible victims after the highest volcano on Indonesia’s most densely populated...

Data on Natural Disaster Risks Crucial for Australia’s Climate Resilience

Dec 5 2022 // Public data on natural disaster risks for homeowners and businesses will be crucial for making Australia’s economy more resilient to climate change, according to the head of sustainable finance at National Australia...

2022 Hurricane Season Ends But Was the Third-Costliest on Record, Thanks to Ian

Dec 2 2022 // An Atlantic hurricane season that had 14 named storms officially ended on Wednesday, leaving residents in the Florida Keys to celebrate even as others around Florida and Puerto Rico continue to grapple with the damage...

Hurricane Ian Drives Global Insured Losses of $115B From Natural Disasters: Swiss Re

Dec 1 2022 // Hurricane Ian and other natural catastrophes, such as European winter storms, floods in Australia and hailstorms in France and the U.S., have cost global insurers an estimated $115 billion so far this year, according to a...

Hawaii Volcano Eruption Has Some on Alert, Draws Onlookers

Dec 1 2022 // The first eruption in 38 years of the world’s largest active volcano is attracting onlookers to a national park for “spectacular” views of the event, and it’s also dredging up bad memories among...

Tornadoes Kill 2 in Alabama, Damage Homes and Businesses in Mississippi

Nov 30 2022 // Tornadoes and high winds destroyed a fire station, damaged homes and ripped the roof off an apartment complex in Alabama, as the storm front moved into eastern states Wednesday morning.Local news reports and the Associated...

Report from California Insurers Calls for More Freedom to Use Wildfire Catastrophe Models

Nov 29 2022 // Associations representing insurers operating in California on Tuesday released an analysis from Milliman showing wildfire catastrophe models would improve homeowners’ access to insurance in the face of...

Hurricane Ian Runoff May Be Worsening Red Tide on Florida’s SW Coast

Nov 29 2022 // Scientists are saying a red tide bloom that’s lingered along the coast for a few weeks is now being fed by nutrients running off the landscape in the wake of Hurricane Ian.Red tide (Karenia brevis) is a naturally...

Wildfire Mitigation Plan Would Cut 2.4 Million New Jersey Pinelands Trees

Nov 28 2022 // BASS RIVER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) — Up to 2.4 million trees would be cut down as part of a project to prevent major wildfires in a federally protected New Jersey forest heralded as a unique environmental treasure.New Jersey...

Indonesia Earthquake Kills 268 Amid Collapsed Homes, Landslides

Nov 23 2022 // A quake in Indonesia killed at least 268 people as the search continues for victims amid landslides and collapsed buildings.The 5.6-magnitude earthquake that struck West Java on Monday damaged more than 20,000 homes,...

West Texas Earthquake Causes Damage Hundreds of Miles Away

Nov 21 2022 // MENTONE, Texas (AP) – A strong earthquake that struck a remote area of the West Texas desert caused damage in San Antonio, hundreds of miles from the epicenter, officials said.University Health said last Thursday that...

Florida Bar Charges ‘Mobile Claim Center’ Deceived Hurricane Victims

Nov 21 2022 // The Florida Bar is seeking sanctions against a partner with a prominent New Orleans area law firm, alleging that she used deceptive tactics to solicit clients after Hurricane Ian.The bar on Thursday filed a petition with...

Lloyd’s of London Estimates Claims From Hurricane Ian of US$2.3B-US$3B

Nov 21 2022 // Lloyd’s announced that the market’s claims from Hurricane Ian are estimated to be in the range of US$2.3 billion – US$3 billion, net of reinsurance, based on Q3 data provided by Lloyd’s...

FEMA Projects $3.5-$5.3B NFIP Losses for Hurricane Ian

Nov 21 2022 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency has projected an initial estimate of Hurricane Ian losses for the National Flood Insurance Program, putting them in the range of $3.5 billion to $5.3 billion, including loss...