Disaster (Flood,Coastal,EQ,W-Fire,etc.) News

272 Die in Indonesia Quake, Tsunami; Aon Benfield Analysis

The earthquake and the subsequent tsunami, which struck the Mentawai Islands off of the Indonesian island of Sumatra has left at least 272 dead, with over 400 people still reported missing. Indonesian authorities are also trying to deal with the …

ABI Expresses ‘Disappointment” on UK Gov’t. Plans to Cut Flood Funds

The newly installed UK government has been announcing cutbacks in all sectors of the economy in order to bring down Britain’s budget deficit. The cuts will effect investment in flood defense spending as well. Nick Starling, the Association of British …

Colorado Revising Flood Plain Rules

The staff of the Colorado Water Conservation Board is backing off a suggested flood plain rule that could have further limited where new hospitals, police stations and other critical facilities could be built. The board is updating rules adopted in …

Hurricane Richard Hits Belize; Could Reach Mexico’s Oil Fields

Hurricane Richard struck the tiny Central American nation of Belize Sunday, blowing roofs off houses and knocking out electricity as tourists and residents huddled in emergency shelters. Richard, which made landfall just south of Belize City, was expected to weaken …

Alabama Wind Pool: No New Policies on Buildings Built Over Water

The state’s insurer of last resort, the Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association, will stop issuing policies for buildings standing in or built over water. The association provides coverage for wind damage, but Manager Bob Groves said Friday the association is worried …

TS Richard Set to Become Hurricane; Hit Yucatan

Tropical Storm Richard headed toward Central America Friday, triggering a hurricane watch along the Honduras-Nicaragua border, a region already hit by months of heavy rains. The 17th named storm in the Atlantic so far this year will strengthen into a …

Group Sues BP for Harm to Endangered Gulf Wildlife

U.S. environmental groups filed a suit Wednesday against British-based oil giant BP Plc saying the world’s worst offshore spill inflicted “ongoing unlawful” harm on endangered wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico. The suit is one of thousands of damages cases …

Southern China Braces for Super Typhoon Megi

Residents scrambled to stockpile food and authorities ordered ships to remain docked as southern China geared up Wednesday for a super typhoon after it killed 15 people and wiped out crops in the northern Philippines. Super Typhoon Megi lost power …

Home, Flood Insurance Markets Still Troubled 5 Years After Katrina

Five years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, neither the federal government nor the private sector is any closer to developing effective solutions to the problems facing flood and windstorm insurance, according to a new study from the RAND …

Insurance Industry Unveils Massive $40 Million Disaster Research Center

A major research arm of the property insurance industry used giant fans to blow down a two-story, Midwestern-styled house yesterday as part of an unveiling ceremony for a massive new research facility in South Carolina. The Institute for Business & …