Topic
Catastrophes
Cyclone Pam displaces 3,300, kills 24 in Vanuatu: United Nations
March 16, 2015 By Nick Perry And Elaine Kurtenbach - THE ASSOCIATED PRESSWELLINGTON, New Zealand – The United Nations reported Monday that 24 people are confirmed dead and 3,300 have been displaced by Cyclone Pam in the South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu. Radio and telephone communications with outer islands have not yet…
Average annual global losses, threat to lives and livelihoods from natural disasters pegged at US$190 billion: U.N. conference
March 16, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterAverage annual economic losses and average annual insured losses of approximately US$190 billion and US$60 billion, respectively, from natural disasters in the past decade clearly demonstrate that governments must step up global efforts to build resilience. The caution was part…
Pacific Cyclone Pam hits Vanuatu, floods Kiribati
March 13, 2015 Nick Perry - THE ASSOCIATED PRESSWELLNGTON, New Zealand – An extremely powerful cyclone blew over islands in the Pacific’s Vanuatu archipelago late Friday after a westward change of course put populated areas directly in the path of its destructive 270 kilometre- (168 mile-) per-hour winds,…
U.S. flood insurance claims from Storm Sandy to be reviewed by Federal Emergency Management Agency
March 13, 2015 THE ASSOCIATED PRESSTRENTON, N.J. – Federal Emergency Management Agency officials have agreed to reopen and review every flood insurance claim filed by Superstorm Sandy victims. The review will involve approximately 144,000 claims and not limit corrective action to 2,200 that are currently…
Urban areas exposed to floods, droughts globally could at least double by 2030: research
March 13, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterThe extent of urban areas exposed to floods and droughts, even without climate change, would at least double by 2030, suggests a new research paper appearing the March 2015 edition of Global Environmental Change. Research authors Burak Güneralpa, Inci Güneralpa…
Alberta government needs to update flood mapping guidelines, formalize training for pipeline regulatory staff: Auditor General
March 12, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterNearly two years after floods caused Canada’s costliest natural disaster, Alberta’s Office of the Auditor General has found that the province’s environment and sustainable resource development (ESRD) department produces “technically sound flood hazard maps,” but those maps are not always…
Munich Re aims for combined ratio of 98% in 2015
March 11, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterMunich Re announced Wednesday it is “aiming for” a combined ratio this year, in property & casualty reinsurance, of about 98%, five points higher than its P&C combined ratio last year. In its outlook for 2015, Munich Re said it…
First use of dual-polarization to more precisely map hail for U.S. insurance industry: Verisk Climate
March 9, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterVerisk Climate recently reported the company will use hail data – derived from two significant U.S. radar infrastructure improvements – during the 2015 severe weather season to help more precisely map where hail falls and how severe it is. The…
Plenty of science involved in reading the signs in Canada’s avalanche alley
March 9, 2015 Bill Graveland - The Canadian PressROGERS PASS, B.C. – It’s called avalanche alley for a reason. A 40-kilometre stretch along the Trans-Canada Highway in the Rogers Pass has the dubious distinction of having the highest avalanche hazard index of any route in Canada. Jeff Goodrich,…
Ice damming could lead to expensive water damage for homeowners
March 9, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterWarming temperatures in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) that began Sunday and were forecast to continue for the week could contribute to ice damming, a condition that can result in expensive water damage to homes, suggests a local roofing company.…
Efforts continue Sunday to put out fire from derailed train hauling crude oil in northern Ontario
March 8, 2015 Adam Miller - The Canadian Press (with files from The Canadian Press)GOGAMA, Ont. – Crews are continuing their efforts today to put out a fire caused when a CN Rail train hauling crude oil derailed in northern Ontario. Ontario Provincial Police say the derailment occurred at about 2:45 a.m. on Saturday about…
Insured losses in U.S. from February weather “likely to exceed” US$1 billion: Aon Benfield Impact Forecasting
March 6, 2015 by Canadian UnderwriterFebruary weather in the United States may have caused more than $1 billion in insured losses while the costliest catastrophe last month was flooding in Indonesia, which affected 75,000 businesses in the Jakarta area, Impact Forecasting LLC reported Thursday. Also…