damage News

Minor Earthquake Confirmed in California High Desert

A minor earthquake struck the Southern California high desert on Saturday and was was felt across the region, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed. The USGS reports the 3.9-magnitude earthquake hit an area about 13 miles northeast of Barstow at 11:34 …

Wine ‘Smoke Taint’ Disputes Linger 2 Years After California Wildfires

Recent wildfires in California Wine Country, particularly those that devastated parts of Napa and Sonoma counties in October 2017, have focused attention on whether insurance covers smoke taint damage to grapes and wine. Many wineries and grape growers have notified …

A Tale of Two Californias: Managing Wildfire Risk in the Year 2030

For most of the 20th century, the insurance industry considered wildfires to be little more than a benign nuisance. They occurred frequently but rarely resulted in more than a handful of claims, and underwriters priced for them in the same …

Oregon Coast Tornado Confirmed, Caused Minor Damage

A tornado caused some minor damage to homes in Manzanita, Ore., on Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service confirmed. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that Tillamook County Emergency Manager Gordon McCraw said the county got reports a little after 11 a.m. about …

4.6M Earthquake Confirmed in Southern California Desert

A small earthquake rattled the Southern California desert on Friday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, the U.S. Geological Survey has confirmed. A temblor with a preliminary magnitude of 4.6 struck at 7:03 p.m. and was …

Sonoma County Looking to Sue PG&E for Damages From Wildfire

A county in Northern California wine country is exploring plans to sue a utility over a massive wildfire last fall that combined with rolling power shutoffs caused losses of $725 million. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to …

Alaska School District Weighing Cost of Earthquake Relief

Negotiations between the Anchorage School District in Alaska and the federal government over earthquake damage relief could result in the district turning down millions in funds, an official said. The negotiations over money to repair damage caused by the state’s …

7 Confirmed Tornadoes in Phoenix Metro Area Last Year

The National Weather Service reports there were seven confirmed tornadoes in Arizona’s Maricopa and Pinal counties last year, the most in nearly five decades. Meteorologists say last year’s total is second only to the 10 confirmed tornadoes that hit the …

Small Undersea Quake Struck Off Southern California

An earthquake under the ocean gave an early wake-up jolt to some Southern California residents Thursday morning, U.S. Geological Survey confirmed. The magnitude 4 temblor occurred at 2:13 a.m. near the Channel Islands, west of the Los Angeles region. The …

Emergency Declaration Extended in Alaska Borough for Flooding

An emergency declaration was extended in an Alaska borough where residents were forced to evacuate when an ice jam caused a creek to flood, official said. Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly members met with state officials Saturday to discuss options to deal …