Floods News

Brazilian Floods Are Inflicting Billions in Economic Devastation

The floods and severe rainfall that ravaged Southern Brazil are hurting the nation’s powerhouse agricultural sector, with industries from auto manufacturing to banking and insurance also bracing for disruption. Heavy rains in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state, left …

Southern Brazil Hit by Worst Floods in Over 80 Years, Killing at Least 39 People

Heavy rains in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul killed 39 people, with another 68 still missing, the state civil defense agency said Friday, as record-breaking floods devastated cities and forced thousands to leave their homes. It …

RBNZ Says Insurance May Become Unaffordable for High-Risk Homes

New Zealanders who own properties in areas prone to flooding or earthquakes may find they can’t afford insurance or may not be offered cover for specific risks, according to the Reserve Bank. Rising premiums or the inability to insure are …

Here’s Why Experts Don’t Think Cloud Seeding Caused Dubai Flooding

With cloud seeding, it may rain, but it doesn’t really pour or flood โ€” at least nothing like what drenched the United Arab Emirates and paralyzed Dubai, meteorologists said. Cloud seeding, although decades old, is still controversial in the weather …

Dubai Floods Expose Weaknesses to a Rapidly Changing Climate

The heavy rains that flooded Dubai last week halted air traffic, damaged buildings and streets โ€” and left climate experts and common citizens asking whether one of the world’s hottest and driest cities should be better prepared for extreme storms. …

Dubai’s Record Rain Floods Expensive Homes and Halts Flights

Dubai flights have been severely disrupted and cars were left stranded on flooded roads after record rainfall over the past day brought the city to a standstill. The United Arab Emirates experienced its heaviest downpour since records began in 1949, …

Viewpoint: Many Businesses May Be Exposed to Losses From Snow Melt Flooding

Executive summary: Snow melt flooding is an imminent threat in the U.S., but there are steps insurance professionals can take to mitigate their clients’ risk, says Richard Coyle, U.S. commercial director at FloodFlash. Catastrophic flooding is a major problem in …

Storm Henk Causes Estimated ยฃ150 Million in UK Insured Losses: PwC

Storm Henk, which battered Britain last week, caused around 150 million pounds ($190 million) in insured losses and damaged around 2,000 properties, consultants PwC said on Wednesday. Heavy rain caused major rivers to burst their banks and the government issued …

Update: Floods Strand Cows, Damage Crops as Wild Weather Hits Australia

Heavy rains and flooding across Australia’s southern state of Victoria has damaged crops and stranded cattle as a months-long run of wild weather on the nation’s east coast leaves a trail of destruction. Severe storms have lashed Victoria since October, …

Turkey Earthquake Tops 2023 Insurance Industry Losses Outside US: CRESTA

The largest non-US natural catastrophe in 2023 was the Kahramanmaras Earthquake Sequence in Turkey on Feb. 6, which generated an industry loss of US$5.8 billion, the largest ever cat loss for the Turkish insurance market, according to CRESTA, the Zurich …