2021 natural catastrophes News

Massive Wildfire Devours Forests on Greek Island of Evia

ATHENS, Greece (AP) – A massive wildfire burning for days on the northern tip of Greece’s second largest island continued to devour forests Tuesday, its thick smoke hanging in the streets of a nearby town as hundreds of firefighters battled …

Tropical Storm Warnings Posted in Eastern Caribbean as System Gathers Power

Tropical storm warnings have been posted across the eastern Caribbean as a system gathers power and takes shape southeast of Dominica, the National Hurricane Center said. With winds of 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour, the system will likely become …

China Regulator Urges Insurers to Expand Natural Disaster Coverage

BEIJING – China’s banking and insurance regulator said on Thursday that it will guide insurers to increase investment in natural disaster insurance and enrich product offerings. It also plans to raise public awareness of risks, to let natural disaster insurance …

Insured Losses from July Floods in Germany Could Approach $6B: AIR Worldwide

AIR Worldwide, the Boston-based catastrophe modeling firm, estimates insured losses in Germany from July flooding could approach €5 billion ($6 billion). Low pressure system “Bernd” parked itself over central Europe and brought about significant flooding from July 13 to 18, …

Trans-Siberian Railway Bridge Resumes Operations After Repair of Flood Damages

MOSCOW — Russia said on Tuesday it had fully restored train travel over a Trans-Siberian railway bridge in its far east that was damaged last week by floods. The world’s longest railway is a strategic transport artery for Russia’s economy, …

Update: China’s Financial Hub of Shanghai at Virtual Standstill as Typhoon Makes Landfall

Typhoon In-Fa, the powerful storm battering regions around Shanghai, has forced some of the world’s biggest shipping ports to halt operations until at least Tuesday. All of Shanghai’s ports and some in neighboring regions remain shut after closing over the …

Flooding Damages Bridge on Russia’s Trans-Siberian Railway, Blocking Traffic

MOSCOW – Flooding has damaged a bridge on Russia’s Trans-Siberian railway in its Far East, suspending traffic in the area, officials said on Friday, and President Vladimir Putin said full track repair would take five days. The world’s longest railway …

Germany’s Floods Will See ‘Sizable’ Protection Gap. Could Insurance Demand Increase?

With an insured price tag of €4 billion to €5 billion (US$4.7 billion to $5.9 billion), economic losses from Germany’s recent floods are likely to be significantly higher, which highlights a sizable insurance “protection gap.” This protection gap – or …

Deadly Floods in China, Europe Send Stark Reminder of Climate Change Vulnerabilities

Deadly floods that have upended life in both China and Germany have sent a stark reminder that climate change is making weather more extreme across the globe. At least 25 people in the central Chinese province of Henan died on …

China’s Henan Province Braces for More Rain After Severe Floods Kill at Least 33

China’s Henan province is bracing for more heavy rain after severe flooding that sparked large-scale evacuations left at least 33 dead, while minor disruptions to manufacturing and commodity production continued. The death toll includes at least 12 people who were …