December 18, 2009
Flooding beneath the damaged Howard Hanson Dam in Washington State could cause $30 billion, according to a new report from a Texas firm, First American Spatial Solutions. State estimates about the value of property that might be damaged in a …
December 17, 2009
According to a report from catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide, “severe Tropical Cyclone Laurence made a second landfall this evening [Dec. 16] along the Kimberley coast of north Western Australia State. Although the storm is small in area, around …
December 16, 2009
The city of Cedar Falls, Iowa, has approved a new ordinance expanding the number of residents who have to get flood insurance. The approved ordinance takes effect Jan. 1. It says that everyone living in the 500-year flood plain, instead …
December 16, 2009
Time is running out once again for the National Flood Insurance Program, which is set to expire on Dec. 18. Congress passed a short-term extension in September that moved the expiration deadline for NFIP to Dec. 18, 2009. But if …
December 15, 2009
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated Maui County and the Big Island primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused this year by continuing drought. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement Friday in a Washington news release. He …
December 14, 2009
The world this year suffered the fewest number of natural disasters in a decade, but floods, droughts and other extreme weather continued to account for most of the deaths and economic losses, according to a United Nations report released on …
December 14, 2009
Despite concerns late last week that rains might produce severe mudslides in the areas in Los Angeles County denuded by the Angeles National Forest wildfire, the rains apparently have tapered with little damage caused. Over the weekend, 44 residents in …
December 11, 2009
Colorado State University researchers are predicting a more active Atlantic hurricane season next year, with six to eight hurricanes, at least three of them major. Philip Klotzbach and William Gray predict 11 to 16 named storms in the forecast released …
December 11, 2009
California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner today announced that due to the recent frost warnings issued throughout the San Joaquin Valley, farmers should take a close look at their crop insurance policies to make sure they are up-to-date and offer enough …
December 10, 2009
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board on Wednesday called a July explosion at Citgo Petroleum Corp.’s Corpus Christi, Texas, refinery “a significant near-miss” for a widespread release of highly toxic hydrogen fluoride (HF) into a community. “It’s a significant near-miss of …