Floods News

Evidence for Climate Extremes, Costs, Gets More Local

Scientists are finding evidence that man-made climate change has raised the risks of individual weather events, such as floods or heat waves, marking a big step towards pinpointing local costs and ways to adapt to freak conditions. “We’re seeing a …

AIR Analyzes Fallout from Heaviest Rainfall to Hit Beijing since 1951

According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, on Saturday, July 21, a heavy storm in China delivered as much as 18 inches [45.72 cms] of precipitation to parts of the country in and near the capital of Beijing (population 20 …

Flood Risks Rampant across Asia’s Factory Zones; Insurers Concerned

Global insurance companies are struggling to get a grip on their flood exposure in Asia nearly a year after one of the world’s costliest disasters hit Thailand, with executives fearing an even worse event may strike the region. Some firms …

China Rains, Floods Cause Many Deaths; Beijing Hit Hard

The heaviest rain to hit Beijing in six decades killed at least 10 people [latest reports put the death toll at 37] and left cars and buses submerged, and 10 other storm deaths [now at least 17] were reported elsewhere …

UK Insurers Paying $26.6 Million a Day for June Floods ABI Reports

Insurers are set to pay up to £500 million [$782.3 million] or £17 million [$26.6 million] every day – to customers who have suffered flood and storm damage during the wettest June on record, according to latest estimates from the …

Rain, Floods Cause Heavy Damage in Southwest Japan: AIR Analysis

A report from catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, analyzes the damages resulting from the heavy rains that have caused widespread flooding and mudslides from July 11 to July 16 on the Southern Japanese Island of Kyushu. AIR explained that a …

AIR Unveils Cyclone Model for India

Boston-based catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide announced that it has released a cyclone model for India. “The new peer-reviewed model, which was developed out of AIR’s Hyderabad office, captures the effects of wind and precipitation-induced flooding on insured properties …

June’s Severe Weather Losses Near $2 Billion in U.S.: Aon Benfield

U.S. severe weather insurance losses were close to $2 billion in June, according to Aon Benfield’s Global Catastrophe Report. Published by Aon’s Impact Forecasting, the report analyzes the natural disaster events that occurred across the United States and worldwide during …

Death Toll Mounts from Floods in Southern Russia

The death toll from severe flooding in the Black Sea region of southern Russia has risen to at least 150 [later reports put the number of deaths at more than 170]. Torrential rains dropped more than 28 centimeters (nearly a …

Weather Forecasters Say El Nino Could Return in Q3

The feared El Nino weather phenomenon could strike as early as the third quarter of 2012, raising prospects of wreaking weather havoc from North and South America to Asia, the U.S. Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said on Thursday. “Overall, the …