Latest Natural Disasters Headlines

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

New Mexico Residents Brace for Extreme Wildfire Conditions

May 9 2022 // With the worst of the thick wildfire smoke having blown out of town, residents of this small northern New Mexico city tried to recapture a sense of normalcy Saturday as their rural neighbors hunkered down amid predictions...

Tornadoes Hit Texas, Oklahoma; More Storms in Forecast

May 6 2022 // A springtime storm system spawned several tornadoes that whipped through areas of Texas and Oklahoma, causing damage to a school, a marijuana farm and other structures.There were no reports of serious injuries following...

Woman Whose Son Was Killed in Illinois Tornado Criticizes Amazon

May 5 2022 // The mother of a man who was killed in December when a tornado slammed into an Amazon facility in Illinois said on Tuesday that her son was only in the building because he was called into work on his day off.“It...

Disaster Declared in New Mexico Wildfire Zone

May 5 2022 // Firefighters slowed the advance of the largest wildfire in the U.S. as heavy winds relented Wednesday, while President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration that brings new financial resources to remote stretches of...

Swiss Re Reports Q1 Loss as Ukraine War, Natural Disasters and COVID Take Their Toll

May 5 2022 // Swiss Re reported a group net loss of $248 million during the first quarter, as a result of headwinds such as the war in Ukraine, higher-than-expected natural catastrophes and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.This loss...

Insurance Technology: InsuredMine Integrates With HawkSoft; Betterview Adds RedZone’s Wildfire Data; CyberCube to Create Cyber Tool for Majesco

May 4 2022 // InsuredMine and HawkSoft Integrate Agency Sales and ManagementInsurance agency sales automation software firm InsuredMine and agency management technology firm HawkSoft have released two-way API integration between their...

Social Media Valuable Tool for Forecasters, Residents in Path of Tornadoes

May 4 2022 // In the 11 years since a devastating tornado outbreak struck Tuscaloosa, Alabama, social media has evolved into a lifesaving tool during periods of severe weather, said Richard Scott, the chief meteorologist for...

Report Forecasts ‘Above-Normal’ U.S. Wildfire Season, Worse in Drought-Plagued West

May 4 2022 // The U.S. has in store an “above-normal” wildfire season if a prediction out on Wednesday from fire weather experts holds true – “intense” may be a better word for the expectations in Western...

2 Tornados Spotted in NE Illinois; Minimal Damage Reported

May 3 2022 // At least two twisters reportedly touched down briefly as part of a storm system that rolled across northeastern Illinois.One EF-0 tornado snapped tree branches and uprooted some trees as it traveled about two miles (3.2...

Kansas Tornado Generated 165 MPH Winds; Over 1,000 Buildings Damaged

May 2 2022 // The tornado that damaged more than more than 1,000 buildings in south-central Kansas generated winds up to 165 mph and carved a path of destruction nearly 13 miles long.The National Weather Service said the tornado that...

Electric Utilities in Pacific Northwest Spending Millions to Lower Wildfire Risk

May 2 2022 // Private electric utilities in the Pacific Northwest are planning tens of millions of dollars in upgrades to reduce the risk that their power lines could spark wildfires during extreme weather.Utilities such as Pacific...

Tornado Rips Through Kansas; 3 Meteorology Students Killed in Crash

May 2 2022 // A tornado that barreled through parts of Kansas destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes and buildings, injured several people and left more than 15,000 people without power, officials said Saturday.In addition to wreckage...

Historic Black Town in Carolina One Hurricane Away from Disaster

May 2 2022 // As she exits her hometown’s only restaurant clutching an order of cabbage and hush puppies, Carolyn Suggs Bandy pauses to boast about a place that stakes its claim as the oldest town chartered by Black Americans...

Natural Disasters Cost Global Economy $32B in Q1, With Only $14B Insured: Aon

May 2 2022 // Preliminary economic losses from natural hazards during the first quarter of 2022 totaled $32 billion, of which less than 50% (or $14 billion), was covered by public and private insurers, according to a report published by...

Progress Made in Containing Nebraska Wildfire

Apr 29 2022 // Progress has been made toward fully containing a deadly southwestern Nebraska wildfire that has been burning since last week, officials said.Crews had 88% of the Road 702 Fire contained behind fire breaks by Thursday...

North Carolina AG Sues Contractor for Deceptive AOB Work after Hurricane

Apr 29 2022 // North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein has filed suit against an Illinois contractor who came to the state after Hurricane Florence in 2018, convincing homeowners to assign insurance benefits to his companies.Dennis...

Amazon Urged to Review Emergency Plans in Wake of Deadly Tornado

Apr 28 2022 // Amazon.com Inc. should better prepare workers for extreme weather events, according to federal regulators who investigated a deadly tornado strike on a company warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois.The storm ripped through...

Progress Made on Nebraska Wildfires, But High Winds Threaten Efforts

Apr 28 2022 // Fire crews took advantage of a break in the weather in their battle to contain large fires in the West and Plains states, but fear the return of stronger winds Tuesday could spread the flames further.A southwestern...

Kentucky Tornado Survivors Rebuilding With Help of Others

Apr 25 2022 // Sundays at the Bullock home in rural Kentucky were once filled with lasting memories: big family dinners, cornhole, basketball and karaoke.Those gatherings ended the night of Dec. 10, when a massive tornado obliterated...

1 Dead, At Least 3 Hurt in Nebraska Wildfires

Apr 25 2022 // Wind-driven wildfires sweeping through parts of Nebraska contributed to the death of one person and injured at least three firefighters, authorities said Sunday.The person who died was in Red Willow County, in the...