extreme weather News

Secondary Perils Drive Global Insured Losses to Estimated $123B in 2023: Gallagher Re

Non-peak (secondary) perils and record-setting weather and climate events drove global insured losses from natural catastrophes to an estimated $123 billion in 2023, the fourth consecutive year to exceed $100 billion, according to Gallagher Re’s annual Natural Catastrophe and Climate …

Extreme Icy Weather Paralyzes Travel in Parts of Europe

Freezing weather in Germany and other parts of Europe threatened widespread road, rail and flight disruptions as the region braced for snowfall and heavy ice build-up. Frankfurt’s airport operator canceled more than half of the flights scheduled for Wednesday, while …

Record High Tide in Maine Washes Away 3 Historic Fishing Shacks

A record high tide in Maine washed away three historic fishing shacks that had stood since the 1800s and formed the backdrop of countless photographs. Michelle Erskine said she was visiting fisherman’s point at Willard Beach in South Portland on …

Activist Group Scorecard: Insurers Adopting Policies on Oil and Gas Slowed in 2023

The number of insurers adopting policies on oil and gas has slowed, according to climate activist organization Insure Our Future’s seventh annual “Scorecard on Insurance, Fossil Fuels and the Climate Emergency” released this week. The scorecard assesses the policies on …

Extreme Weather and Misinformation Top Global Risks: World Economic Forum

Risk specialists see extreme weather and misinformation as most likely to trigger a global crisis in the next couple of years, a World Economic Forum (WEF) survey released on Wednesday said. While extreme weather was identified as the bigger risk …

Insured Price Tag for Natural Disasters Was $95B in 2023 With Economic Cost of $250B

Natural catastrophes in 2023 caused global economic losses of US$250 billion, with insurers and reinsurers paying US$95 billion of that amount, according to Munich Re. Last year’s insured losses of US$95 billion are close to the five-year average of US$105 …

Climate Change Makes Forecasting Harder, Australia’s Agriculture Minister Says

Climate change is making it harder to accurately predict extreme weather events, said Australia’s agriculture minister Murray Watt, amid criticism the country’s meteorology department failed to provide timely warnings of this week’s deadly storms. “Climate change is having an impact,” …

Extreme Weather in Germany Costs Insurers US$5.4 Billion in 2023: GDV

Extreme weather in Germany again caused high insurance claims this year, with an estimated price tag of €4.9 billion (US$5.4 billion) during 2023, according to the German Insurance Association (GDV). This extreme weather – also known as severe convective storms …

Storm Gerrit Batters Northern UK, Damaging Houses, Knocking Out Power

A storm that battered the UK with high winds and heavy snow damaged houses, canceled trains and left thousands of people without electricity Thursday across Scotland and parts of northern England. Workers dealt with wind speeds of 80 miles per …

Severe Storms Lash Australia’s East Coast, Killing 9 People

Nine people have died in Australia after severe storms lashed the nation’s east coast on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning there is a risk of more flash flooding even as the weather system moves …