natural catastrophes News

Climate Change Doubled Odds of Eastern Canada’s Extreme Wildfire Weather: Research

This summer’s wildfires in eastern Canada have raged so intensely that smoke from them darkened skies as far away as Portugal. From the outset, scientists said that Canada’s historic wildfire season bore the hallmarks of climate change. Now, a new …

Insured Losses From Natural Catastrophes Set to Top $100 Billion for 3rd Year in a Row

Claims for weather-related incidents are set to exceed $100 billion for the third year in a row, as floods, hail and wildfires linked to climate change become more frequent. Munich Re has put the total global insured costs of natural-catastrophe …

What Are China’s ‘Sponge Cities’ and Why Aren’t They Stopping Urban Floods?

China has been hit by devastating floods in recent weeks, inundating cities and causing deaths and infrastructural damage, as well as raising questions about the effectiveness of its 2015 “sponge city” initiative aimed at reducing urban flood risks. The initiative …

Typhoon Lan Grounds Flights, Halts Trains as It Crosses Japan

Typhoon Lan reached the coast of central Japan early Tuesday, grounding flights and halting trains as residents braced for heavy rain, flooding and landslides. Known locally as Typhoon No. 7, the storm has been traversing the archipelago’s central belt since …

Japan Faces Another Typhoon With Trains, Hundreds of Flights Canceled

Japan is preparing for its second typhoon in a week, with airline companies canceling flights and rail operators halting some operations. Typhoon Lan is forecast to make landfall Tuesday in central Japan near Osaka, the country’s second largest metropolitan area, …

Australia’s Climate Risks Are Making Home Insurance Unaffordable

Australian home insurance premiums jumped the most in two decades in the past year, driven by weather catastrophes and higher building costs, new research showed. Median home insurance premiums surged 28% to A$1,894 ($1,240) in the year to March 31, …

Norwegian River Dam Partly Collapses After Floods

A dam on a Norwegian river partly collapsed after heavy rain on Wednesday, sending water gushing through a wide gap in the structure, and the prime minister said the country should be prepared for more floods in the coming days. …

Catastrophe Bond Funds Ranked Among 2023’s Top-Performing Credit Funds

Catastrophe bond funds rank among the 10 best performing credit funds this year, as the hurricanes, earthquakes and other disasters that could trigger payouts have either not happened or not been sufficiently severe. The catastrophe, or cat bonds, represent money …

Severe Convective Storms Top Insured Natural Disaster Losses in H1: Swiss Re

Global natural catastrophes cost insurers US$50 billion in the first half, (H1 2022: $48 billion), with most of the losses stemming from severe convective storms, according to Swiss Re. “Severe convective storms – storms associated with thunder, lightning, heavy rain, …

Slovenia Suffers Its Worst-Ever Floods; Damage Could Top €500M, Prime Minister Says

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) – Slovenia has faced the worst-ever natural disaster in its history, Prime Minister Robert Golob said Saturday, after devastating floods caused damage estimated at half a billion euros ($550 million). The floods were “the biggest natural disaster” …