natural catastrophes 2018 News

Strong Earthquake Hits Indonesia’s Lombok Island, Killing at Least 14 People

A strong and shallow earthquake early Sunday killed at least 14 people and injured more than 160 on Indonesia’s Lombok island, a popular tourist destination next to Bali, officials said. The quake damaged more than 1,000 houses and was felt …

Tropical Storm Hits Japan, Heads for Region Still Recovering from Floods

A tropical storm in Japan disrupted transportation and knocked out power to thousands of homes in its path as it headed west toward a region still recovering from devastating rains earlier this month. At least 16 people have been injured, …

After Recent Historic Floods, Japan Readies for Typhoon Jongdari

Typhoon Jongdari is set to make landfall on Japan’s mainland this weekend, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to much of a country hit in recent weeks by a deadly heatwave and historic flooding. The typhoon was located off Chichijima, …

Global H1 Insured Natural Disaster Losses 40% Lower than 10-Year Average: Aon

Global insured losses from natural disasters for the first half were preliminarily estimated at US$21 billion, which is 40 percent lower than the 10-year average of US$35 billion and 19 percent lower than the 18-year average of US$26 billion, according …

Tropical Storm in Vietnam Triggers Floods, Killing at Least 20 People

Flooding triggered by a tropical storm has killed at least 20 people and left over a dozen missing in northern Vietnam, local media reports said. Ten people drowned in floods caused by heavy rain in Yen Bai province after Tropical …

Sweden Wildfires Destroy More Than $100M Worth of Forested Land

Swedish authorities said the risk of fires spreading across the country will hit “extreme” levels this week as emergency services battle dozens of blazes that have already destroyed more than $100 million worth of forested land. The Swedish Civil Contingencies …

Greek Wildfires Claim at Least 74 Lives in Worst Blazes Since 2007

Greek firefighters say that at least 74 people were killed in wildfires in the country’s Attica region, which includes Athens, as a summer heatwave has increased the risk of blazes across Europe. The fires struck two coastal resorts popular with …

Sweden Battles 50 Wildfires with Help of Firefighters Across Europe

As wildfires raging through Sweden exhaust local emergency services, Europe is sending hundreds of people to help contain multiple blazes across the country. France, Germany and Denmark have dispatched more than 100 firefighters while Poland is sending 139 people to …

Loss Estimate for Europe’s Storm Friederike (aka DAVID) Rises to €1.7B ($2.0B): PERILS

The third insured loss estimate for extratropical Cyclone Friederike, also known as “David,” has risen to €1.675 billion ($2.0 billion), according to PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organisation that provides industry-wide catastrophe insurance data. PERILS’ third estimate of the insured property …

Taiwan Prepares for Typhoon Maria, Forcing Cancellation of 250 Flights

Taiwan warned businesses and schools to prepare for extreme conditions as Severe Typhoon Maria closes in on the island, disrupting flights and curtailing futures trading. The typhoon could bring strong winds and heavy rains to northern and central Taiwan, Central …