Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Catastrophe Bonds Dodge Losses After Beryl Hits Jamaica
Jul 8 2024 // Investors in bonds intended to help Jamaica cover the costs of a natural catastrophe won’t be affected by the havoc wrought by Hurricane Beryl, even as the prime minister declares the entire Caribbean island a...
Lightning Strike Started New Mexico Wildfire That Damaged 1,400 Structures
Jul 8 2024 // A lightning strike caused the larger of two wildfires that has killed at least two people and destroyed or damaged more than 1,400 structures in New Mexico, authorities said. The South Fork Fire was first reported June 17...
Beryl Regains Strength, On Track to Reach Texas as Hurricane
Jul 8 2024 // Tropical Storm Beryl is gaining strength as it lumbers toward the south Texas coast, and is expected to become a hurricane again before it makes landfall early Monday morning. The storm was about 165 miles (266 kilometers)...
Update: Beryl Rakes Mexico’s Yucatan With Hurricane Winds and Heavy Rain
Jul 5 2024 // Hurricane Beryl pummeled Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula with tree-toppling gusts and flooding rains, weakening slightly as it came ashore after leaving a trail of destruction through the Caribbean this...
State Farm Seeking Large Rate Increases in Wildfire-Prone California
Jul 3 2024 // State Farm has applied for large rate increases in California, a year after the carrier got rate approvals of 7% and 20%—adding fuel to a burning homeowners crisis in a state that’s seen an increasing number of...
How the Hot Water That Fueled Hurricane Beryl Foretells a Scary Storm Season
Jul 3 2024 // Hurricane Beryl’s explosive growth into an unprecedented early whopper of a storm shows the literal hot water the Atlantic and Caribbean are in right now and the kind of season ahead, experts said. Beryl smashed...
Hurricane Beryl Roars Toward Jamaica on Destructive Path
Jul 3 2024 // Hurricane Beryl churned toward Jamaica with violent winds, heavy rains and a life-threatening storm surge that could cause more than $1 billion in damage. Beryl’s winds roared at 145 miles (230 kilometers) per hour...
Beryl Becomes Earliest Ever Category 5 Hurricane in Atlantic
Jul 2 2024 // Hurricane Beryl has strengthened after becoming the earliest ever Category 5 storm in the Atlantic, with the system heading toward Jamaica with life-threatening winds and heavy rainfall. Maximum sustained winds increased...
California Wildfire Outlook: ‘A Challenging Season for Firefighters’
Jul 1 2024 // While the official start to California’s wildfire season is still a ways off, the best forecast of what’s ahead may be to look back on the year so far, and so far it’s been far busier for firefighters...
Maui Officials Highlight Steps Toward Rebuilding a Year After Deadly Wildfire
Jul 1 2024 // Nearly a year after wind-whipped flames raced through Kim Ball’s Hawaii community, the empty lot where his house once stood is a symbol of some of the progress being made toward rebuilding after the deadliest U.S....
‘Extremely Dangerous’ Hurricane Beryl Takes Aim at Caribbean
Jul 1 2024 // Hurricane Beryl, described by forecasters as “extremely dangerous,” is set to cause massive damage across the Caribbean’s Windward Islands on Monday. Beryl’s winds roared across the region at 120...
Study: Hurricanes Harvey, Irma Triggered Uptick in Flood Insurance
Jul 1 2024 // Short but severe flooding that followed hurricanes Harvey and Irma in 2017 triggered a nationwide increase in flood insurance take-up driven by a county’s social network proximity to flooded areas, says a new...
A Potential Atlantic Hurricane Is About to Clash With a Cloud of Saharan Dust
Jun 28 2024 // A cluster of thunderstorms is threatening to become the Atlantic’s next tropical storm or hurricane — if it can survive a cloud of dust from the Sahara. The storms southwest of the Cape Verde islands have a 70%...
People Moves: California Earthquake Authority Governing Board Appoints New CEO
Jun 28 2024 // Tom Welsh The Governing Board of the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) named Tom Welsh CEO. Welsh was the chief legal and compliance officer. He has served as the interim CEO since January. He joined the CEA in 2019 as...
Oregon Wildfire Growing After Active Day
Jun 27 2024 // A wildfire near La Pine, Oregon that has prompted evacuation orders grew to 3,889 acres on Thursday morning. The Darlene 3 Fire, which started Tuesday, is now 30% contained. Winds and warm temperatures on Tuesday resulted...
Report: Over 1,000 Properties Affected by New Mexico Wildfires to Cost $370M
Jun 27 2024 // More than 1,000 residential properties in New Mexico may have been damaged or destroyed by wildfires in New Mexico, according to property data firm CoreLogic. “Multiple, active wildfires in south-central New Mexico...
Containment Grows on Wildfire Near Site of Most Destructive Blaze in California History
Jun 26 2024 // Residents of a California area near the town of Paradise, the site of the state’s most destructive wildfire in history, were ordered to evacuate and roads were closed this week as a wildfire spread. The Apache Fire...
Eastern Canada Wildfire Forces Evacuation of Hydro Plant Workers
Jun 26 2024 // A wildfire in an eastern Canadian province moved closer to a huge power plant on Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of workers from a nearby town, officials said. “So (this is) very concerning,” Newfoundland and...
Washington Commissioner Asks Insurers to Extend Additional Living Expenses for Wildfire Victims
Jun 26 2024 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is asking insurers to extend the additional living expenses benefit for wildfire victims who are nearing their 12-month limit on that coverage. Many policies that include...
Velocity Risk Partners with LSU to Develop Gulf Coast Hurricane Model
Jun 25 2024 // Velocity HoldCo, the parent company for Velocity Risk Underwriters, announced a joint venture with Louisiana State University (LSU) on a Gulf Coast-central hurricane model. The model uses daily data to predict US hurricane...
