Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Western Europe Braces for Worst Storm of Season With Hurricane-Strength Wind Gusts
Oct 31 2023 // Western Europe is bracing for the worst storm so far this season with hurricane-strength wind gusts and rain potentially disrupting travel and causing damage to buildings. Storm Ciaran will bring heavy rain and intense...
Magnitude 3.7 Earthquake Struck San Francisco Region
Oct 30 2023 // A magnitude 3.7 earthquake with its center at San Francisco`s international airport rattled the Bay Area Friday evening but there were no reports of damage. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the minor quake struck about...
Otis Likely to Be One of Costliest Hurricanes for Mexico Insurance Market: Gallagher Re
Oct 30 2023 // Hurricane Otis is expected to be one of the costliest natural catastrophe events in Mexico’s history with initial economic losses expected to top US$10 billion, according to Gallagher Re. Further, insured losses are...
Sentry in Wisconsin Contributes Another $350K to Support Maui Wildfire Recovery
Oct 27 2023 // Sentry Insurance in Wisconsin announced additional donations of $350,000 to bolster the ongoing Maui wildfire recovery efforts. The contribution brings the company’s total giving to Maui non-profits for direct...
Acapulco’s Economic Losses Seen at $15 Billion as Hurricane Otis Death Toll Rises
Oct 26 2023 // Hurricane Otis left a trail of destruction in Acapulco after tearing into the historic Mexican beach town with wind speeds of 165 miles (266 kilometers) per hour, smashing shops and wrecking apartment buildings and...
FEMA Raises Federal Cost Share to 90% of Eligible Hurricane Ian Recovery in Florida
Oct 26 2023 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency has raised the federal cost share for funding assistance, potentially making millions more dollars available to Florida authorities for Hurricane Ian recovery efforts in Florida, the...
Hurricane Otis Makes Landfall Near Acapulco as Category 5 Storm
Oct 25 2023 // Hurricane Otis made landfall near the tourist hotspot of Acapulco on Mexico’s Pacific Coast as a deadly Category 5 hurricane with winds capable of collapsing homes, ripping apart power lines and tossing trees. The...
Forest Service Sued Over Flooding Deaths in Wake of Historic New Mexico Wildfire
Oct 25 2023 // Relatives of three people who died last year in a flash flood stemming from the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s recorded history are suing the U.S. Forest Service. The wrongful death lawsuit filed earlier this month...
Hurricanes Now Twice as Likely to Spin Up From Minor to Whopper, Study Says
Oct 23 2023 // With warmer oceans serving as fuel, Atlantic hurricanes are now more than twice as likely as before to rapidly intensify from wimpy minor hurricanes to powerful and catastrophic, a study said Thursday. Last month Hurricane...
Report: ‘Climate-Exacerbated Wildfires’ Cost U.S. $394B-$893B Each Year
Oct 23 2023 // “Climate-exacerbated wildfires” cost the nation $394 billion to $893 billion each year in economic costs and damages, according to a Congressional report out this week. The range combines estimates from...
Pacific and Atlantic Hurricanes Norma and Tammy Hit Mexico and Barbuda
Oct 23 2023 // Hurricane Norma came ashore near the Pacific resort of Los Cabos at the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula on Saturday afternoon. Hours later, Hurricane Tammy made landfall on the Caribbean island of...
M4.2 Earthquake Confirmed in Northern California, Set off Quake Alert
Oct 20 2023 // A magnitude 4.2 earthquake shook part of Northern California between the state capital and the San Francisco Bay region on Wednesday, setting off automated quake alerts, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed. The 9:29 a.m....
PG&E’s Plan to Bury Power Lines and Prevent California Wildfires Faces Opposition over Rates
Oct 19 2023 // Pacific Gas & Electric – one of the nation’s largest utilities whose equipment has sparked some of California`s deadliest wildfires – wants to bury power lines in some of its most at-risk areas to prevent...
Viewpoint: Logic & Language, Forms & Facts – Revisiting Terrorism Issues
Oct 17 2023 // “Yesterday was my son’s 12th birthday but he didn’t spend it unwrapping presents or gorging on ice cream and cake. Most of our evening was spent solemnly observing unspeakable horror and devastation as...
Florida Citrus Forecast Improves Over Last Year When Hurricanes Hit State
Oct 16 2023 // The forecast for Florida citrus, the state’s signature crop, is expected to improve in the upcoming season compared to last year when twin hurricanes battered the state at the start of the citrus season, according to...
Homeowners Face Rising Insurance Rates as Climate Change Makes Wildfires, Storms More Common
Oct 16 2023 // A growing number of Americans are finding it difficult to afford insurance on their homes, a problem only expected to worsen because insurers and lawmakers have underestimated the impact of climate change, a new report...
Judge Denies Firm’s Claim for Hurricane Damages Lawsuit Fees
Oct 16 2023 // A federal judge rejected a request by McClenny Moseley & Associates to claim an interest in legal fees and expenses from a hurricane damage lawsuit, saying the law firm obtained its clients illegally by using a...
Possible Tornadoes Cause Damage in Parts of Florida
Oct 13 2023 // CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — A storm system that moved across parts of Florida early Thursday left a path of damage to cars, houses and businesses, authorities said. The storms moved north into Citrus County, where...
PG&E to Pay $45M for Second-Largest California Wildfire
Oct 12 2023 // PG&E Corp. will pay a $45 million penalty for its role in starting the second-largest wildfire in California history under a settlement proposal issued by state regulators. The California utility giant agreed to the...
Viewpoint: Reinsurance Solution Would Help Homeowners Exposed to Wildfires Face the Challenge
Oct 12 2023 // Wildfire has become an increasingly challenging threat in many Western States. With an ever-increasing frequency and intensity, this continues to pose a serious threat to lives and properties across the exposed area....
