natural catastrophes News

Cyclone Forming Near Australia’s Coast May Have ‘Severe Impact’

Australia’s resource-rich Queensland state is bracing for its second tropical cyclone in a little more than a month, with a storm off the coast expected to strengthen during the weekend. A tropical low developing in the Coral Sea is set …

Mauritius and Reunion Assess Damage From Cyclone That Killed at Least 4 People

Mauritius lifted its highest weather alert and eased a nationwide curfew Tuesday after a deadly cyclone battered the Indian Ocean island, causing heavy flooding and extensive damage in the capital and other parts of the country. The nearby French island …

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 …

Federal Reinsurance Backstop for Catastrophes: APCIA Says No Thanks

Federal lawmakers introduced a bill to create a federal natural catastrophe backstop recently, reacting to insurers’ issues with growing private reinsurance costs. But a trade group for carriers suggested that a federal remedy could create more problems. “Federal solutions to …

Australia’s Usual Summer of Wildfires Is Now Being Soaked by Prolonged Wet Weather

Australians bracing for a return of scorching heat and wildfires are instead battling a prolonged deluge of rain across the country’s east that’s inundated homes and damaged crops from sugar to wheat. Vast areas of the country’s populous eastern states …

Storm Henk Causes Estimated £150 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, …

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 …

AM Best: Japan Quake’s Effect on Insurers ‘Manageable; KCC Says Losses to Hit $6.4B

The earnings impact on the major domestic non-life insurers of claims from the Jan. 1, 2024 earthquake in Japan is expected to be manageable relative to the sector’s net profit, according to AM Best in a market commentary. Japan’s four …

Japan Earthquake Casts Cloud Over Push to Restart Nuclear Plants

The powerful earthquake that hit Japan’s western coast on New Year’s Day has underscored the country’s exposure to natural disasters, casting fresh doubt over a push to bring its nuclear capacity back online. Nuclear power plants dot the coast of …